The Surfer

The players seem almost resigned to the fact that it is all too tough, and appear to be waiting for easier pickups later in the year. No one, not even Sachin, has that competitive aura, that defiant glare that can put bowlers on the back foot. Senior players are your core strength when the going gets tough and you need, as a unit, to be committed to working together to blunt South Africa's arsenal.

"The regularity with which Flintoff's team shuttles players on and off the field has reached an even more farcical level than when it first came to Australia's attention during last year's Ashes series in England. On that occasion, Australia captain Ricky Ponting accused England of acting outside the spirit of the game by rotating their bowlers to rest, freshen up and be treated to a quick rub down. England countered by claiming the dizzying regularity with which players appeared and disappeared into the dressing rooms was to grant them toilet breaks. If that's the same case over the first two days of this series, then incontinence looms as a far greater issue for Flintoff than the fact his fellow seamers and top-order batsmen are not up to it."

"One of them, almost inevitably Clarke, will miss out on next week's second Test in Adelaide because Australia has them bracketed for the same position. In time, Australia will need both and would do well to give them as much experience as possible before a generational change sweeps the Test side."

Almost as much as his batsmen, McGrath was helped by the profligacy of his opponents. His opening overs had been undistinguished. Probably he was trying too hard to make things happen, searching for swing and cut, anything to take a reassuring wicket.

McGrath's contest with Steve Harmison was bound to be pivotal to the outcome. Suffice it to say that the local has prevailed by a country mile. Where the Englishman has hesitated, the veteran has attacked. Where the younger man has been inhibited, the old-stager has cut loose. Great sportsmen know a thing or two about the forces at work on a field.

Australia's top cricketers were reduced to receiving allowances, while the ABC began to build up financial reserves from Test match income. The change left cricket in a similar situation to rugby union, which was experiencing a groundswell of discontent over the fact the NSW Rugby Union was raking in large profits through gate-receipts from the unpaid labour of their footballers.

I just saw from those few balls he [Irfan Pathan] bowled to me that his wrist wasn't in a good position. If I was the bowler, I would want to know why. If the wrist is not in a good position, I would go from his wrist down to his feet, his run-up, his action.

They were overtures to a century as telling as any he has made, as flawless as anyone has made. He played and missed twice, hit one ball uppishly through point, might have been leg before once when sweeping, but was master of every other delivery he faced.

As early as the drinks break, with Australia 0-57, even grizzled English commentators were preparing to unfurl the white flag. As former captain Waugh explained, the first day sets the tone for the series.

Steve Harmison's opening delivery, the first of an over that brought Australia nine runs, exposed England's insecurities. At these moments it would take some kind of encephalogram to expose the thoughts that pass through the Durham bowler's mind in his delivery stride. What image does he see?