While many of
us are still coming to grips with the possibility of losing Glenn “Pigeon” McGrath for the rest of the Ashes, England must have
thought it had been handed a get-out-of-jail-free card as it went on a rapid
run-raid that’s surely one for the history books.

England’s 407 runs (all out) was the highest first-day Test score
made by England since 1938. Ricky Ponting was obviously still in shock
from McGrath’s withdrawal when he won the toss only to put England into
bat on what he would later describe as a “belter of a pitch.”

However, while
the first day will lift the spirits of England, the wicket should be even
better for batting when Australia has its turn tonight, though nothing should be taken away from the positive
way England attacked from the start – scoring at an astonishing 5.13 runs per over.

Marcus Trescothick pulverised our attack as he unleashed a flurry of scorching pulls and
drives before he fell just ten runs short of his century. But while
Trescothick, emerging superstar Kevin Pietersen (71), and a fortunate
Andrew Flintoff (68) all gave us a decent pounding, ultimately none of
them went on to the big score Australia routinely puts together when
the runs are flowing so freely.

The day was
also made memorable for Jason Gillespie who captured his 250th Test
wicket, while Shane Warne finished with 4-116 from 25.2 overs.

Christopher
Martin-Jenkins
, The Times Chief Cricket Correspondent, wrote of the first
day’s carnage:

Forty years
ago on a sluggish pitch such as this, England might have expected to make 280
for four from a good deal more than 100 overs. To exceed 400 on the opening day
is rare anywhere, but on a dull day and a slow pitch at Edgbaston against
Australia; it was not only unprecedented but bizarre, too.

To an extent
it was magnificent, but, to paraphrase the famous French observation on the
charge of the Light Brigade, il n’était pas la guerre. It could just be that it
has cost Australia the Ashes rather than England, but only if the home team bowl
with a little more thought and a little less animal instinct than they batted.

As for the
prognosis on McGrath’s grade two injury tear on his “good” ankle, Sporting Life
reports he’s targeting the fourth Test at Trent Bridge in three
weeks’ time for his return. But Errol
Alcott, the team physio isn’t so sure: “Is he out of the series?
How long is a piece of string? We don’t know yet. We’ve got to see how he pulls
up in the next couple of days.”