What an amazing first test match of this winter’s Ashes series. That is what test cricket is all about: it is hard fought, it is tense and it is close.

Simply put: the best team won and that was England. Australia fought hard and will take many positives from the game.

Here are my five lessons from the first test:

James Anderson: Superstar

If you ever needed convincing, and I for one did, Anderson’s 13 over spell to start day 5 was just a brilliant effort and showed that he was in a class above the other bowlers in this test match. 10 wickets, the bowlers century, on that wicket was nothing short of exceptional.

DRS: that is the system … live with it

It was inevitable wasn’t it that the DRS would play a role in the end of the game? I have to confess that in real time my first instinct was the Brad Haddin had touched the ball on the way to Matt Prior and I have no cavil with how Umpire Erasmus went about his decision there. The fact is though there are massive flaws in the system. The second fact, which is more important, is that the system is here to stay and can not be changed mid-series. We are going to have to get used to seeing a scintilla of the ball hitting the stumps being deemed “umpires call” and get on with it!

Brad Haddin: Streetfighter

I can not be more complimentary about the innings of Brad Haddin. It was an gritty and hard fought knock that was perfectly paced in almost stole the game. That innings is a snapshot of exactly why Haddin was picked for this series. Strong in mind and strong in will Haddin was perfect in the role of Australia’s almost savour.

Number 11s made Australia look better than we were

Let’s be honest here: Australia was very lucky to be in the position is was in going into the second innings of this match. Additionally, we are lucky we are not sitting here lamenting an 80 run loss rather than a 14 run one. 123 runs out of our number 11 batsman was unexpected and indeed welcome. That said, the success of our lower order has been masking the failures of the top six for some time now and again Australia has finished a test match without a test century from any player. I know finding form takes time BUT everyone in our top six needs to find some and fast! Obviously there are some players more under the microscope than others but this is a whole of order problem.

Test cricket: how good is it?

18,000 fans in the ground at Nottingham and millions around the world witnessed a fantastic first test match in a battle between two proud countries that is now in its 126th year. Obviously, not all test matches are going to be like this but, if nothing else, this test match should have tattooed in the minds of those who believe test matches are a dying form of the game that it is well and truly alive and kicking.

We now have a 3 day break before the second test at the Home of Cricket, Lords. Time to bank some sleep and get ready for round two of this ten round super heavyweight bought.