Honours even?

What an enthralling day's play. Australia were on top to start with as they took three big wickets before lunch but Pietersen and Collingwood's partnership put England back in charge. When some brilliance from Haddin and some questionable shot selection from Pietersen threatened to put Australia clear, Flintoff and Prior counter-punched again but their late dismissal, both to Peter Siddle, who bowled nicely all day, put the match back in the balance.

I was impressed with Hilfenhaus - the only bowler until Siddle late on to really trouble the batsmen with swing - while I though Hauritz bowled okay, nothing better than that. Pietersen got himself out while Johnson's success at bouncing out Strauss was a little surprising.

Biggest surprise of the day was James Anderson coming in to protect those master batsmen Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann. Even Prior seemed surprised to see him wandering out and who knows, that could have contributed to his own dismissal. You don't beat Australia by playing it safe and England would do well to bear that in mind.