England won the toss and opted to bat first in the second test at Lord's on Thursday, as England made one change to the team that earned a tense draw in the first match.

Although they came extremely close on a thrilling last day, the Australians were unable to take the eight wickets needed to secure victory on a soporific Sophia Gardens pitch. A runout was missed, a few appeals rent the air but in the end the home team escaped the noose. Victory does not always go to the deserving. Rather it must be grabbed by the ambitious, seized by the hungry and retained by the desperate.

Paul Collingwood's determined effort proved just enough today as England secured a nailbiting Ashes Test draw in Cardiff.

Various medical bulletins were being issued as Kevin Pietersen appeared to be building an innings to crush Australia at the dawn of this latest war of the Ashes. The problem, it was finally decided, was somewhere in his right calf, just above the Achilles tendon that recently required a cortisone injection.

Ricky Ponting's limitations as captain were exposed on an increasingly entertaining opening day played on a supine surface. After the visitors had taken three unexpected wickets on a patchy morning, all Australia expected their captain to spare no bones in pursuit of further scalps. As much has been the antipodean tradition since Fred Spofforth first glared at an English toff. After all it was the first day of an Ashes series, not a time for holding back. Everyone could remember the explosive exchanges at Lord's in 2005, outbursts that set the tone for the campaign. Every 20 minutes or so a wicket fell or a batsman was hit on the head. It was great stuff. But, then, the pitch was firmer and the venue more inspiring.

England's evening counter-attack ended a positive opening day in their attempts to regain the Ashes from Australia.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting has challenged his fledgling attack to write their names into Ashes folklore in the absence of injured paceman Brett Lee.