England 336 for 7 (Pietersen 69, Collingwood 64, Prior 56) v Australia
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

There was little to choose between these two teams in the lead-up to this eagerly anticipated Ashes series and hardly anything to split them at the end of an engrossing opening day at Cardiff. England were twice pulling away from Australia, but a hard-working attack grabbed wickets at crucial times. Kevin Pietersen gave his innings away for 69 and Peter Siddle took a vital brace with the second new ball after Matt Prior and Andrew Flintoff had launched a stirring sixth-wicket partnership as the home side ended on 336 for 7.

More to follow ...

Tea England 194 for 3 (Pietersen 52*, Collingwood 50*) v Australia

Paul Collingwood cuts, England v Australia, 1st Test, Cardiff, 1st day, July 8, 2009
Paul Collingwood cuts Nathan Hauritz during his half-century as he build a vital stand with Kevin Pietersen © Getty Images
Related Links
Matches: England v Australia at Cardiff
Series/Tournaments: Australia tour of England and Scotland
Teams: Australia | England

Kevin Pietersen reunited himself with Australian bowlers, despite limping with his achilles problem, and Paul Collingwood showed his renowned battling qualities to settle England's nerves on the opening day at Cardiff as they went to tea on 194 for 3. Mitchell Johnson had announced himself in Ashes cricket with two quick wickets late in the morning session to give Australia the edge, but on a benign surface Pietersen and Collingwood had few alarms adding 104 for the fourth wicket.

England lunched on an uneasy 97 for 3 after the top three had fallen in a variety of ways, but a steady afternoon of accumulation ensured Ricky Ponting had plenty to ponder as he tried to juggle his bowling options. Pietersen reached his fifty off 95 balls and Collingwood joined him moments before tea from 125 deliveries. This has been a productive partnership for England and it was their eighth century stand in Tests.

There was also the sight of Nathan Hauritz finding some turn, which won't have gone unnoticed in the England dressing room, while Michael Clarke was also required to bowl five overs. After England included two spinners in the final eleven, Andrew Strauss was happy to be able to take first use of the surface but with so many new faces on either side - coupled with a venue also making its Test debut - the early sparring had a more tentative feel than in previous Ashes series.

The opening scalp of the series went to Ben Hilfenhaus who justified the selectors' faith in preferring him to Stuart Clark when he drew Cook into a loose push outside off and Michael Hussey held a excellent catch in the gully. The inclusion of Hilfenhaus meant Australia fielded the same three quicks which played in South Africa and engineered a 2-1 series victory so despite the absence of Brett Lee there is still firepower available.

Siddle, another of the lesser-known pacemen, then gave Bopara the hurry-up with a short-pitched attack at England's No. 3. The second ball to Bopara struck him in the throat as he got into a tangle as to whether to drop his hands or sway out of the line and in the end did neither. In Siddle's next over, Bopara was off the mark in fortuitous style when an inside edge scooted down to fine leg and with Hilfenhaus now finding swing the Australians sensed another opportunity.

However, Strauss was playing compactly, picking off boundaries when they became available including a second flick off his boots and a trademark square cut. Bopara was more flashy, keeping the slips interested with a couple of skewed drives which flew in the air between gully and backward point.

Johnson, whose first spell was limited to three overs, returned with a switch of ends and although still lacking movement started to cause problems with a fine over of variation. He nearly had Strauss leg before with a yorker before hitting Bopara on the shoulder then watching him drive a slower delivery just over mid-off. Finally he nailed Strauss with a quick bouncer that the England captain couldn't decide whether to attack or defend and the ball looped off his glove into the slips.

In came Pietersen and after an over at the non-strikers' end was greeted by a loud, and optimistic, lbw shout from Hilfenhaus before starting with a typically sharp single to mid-off. Bopara, though, looked to be settling and produced the shot of the morning with a flowing cover drive against Johnson - who changed ends again - but the bowler would soon have his revenge. Showing that he has plenty of tricks up his sleeve, Johnson sent down another slower ball and Bopara was far too early on his shot, lobbing a catch into the covers.

As is so often the case the innings rested on the shoulders of Pietersen and after lunch he was keen to impose himself. He twice drove full out-swingers from Hilfenhaus through the covers, but he clearly sensed the importance of the innings and didn't expand into anything too extravagant. When Haurtiz was introduced early in the session the temptation will have been huge to dominate the under-pressure offspinner, but instead Pietersen opted for dabbed sweeps and gentle nudges during a 20-over period where there wasn't a boundary off the bat.

The shackles were cast off when Collingwood twice cut Haurtiz to the cover boundary before Pietersen, who passed 1000 runs against Australia, danced down the pitch and drove Clarke sweetly wide of mid-off. Both batsmen left the field with smiles on their faces, but will be well aware that their jobs are not even half done.