Michael Clarke and Australia made all the right noises ahead of the first Test, sounding confident of a turnaround, and winning back the Ashes from England.
After day one at the Gabba in Brisbane, talk from the Aussies remained just that, as England, led by an inspired Stuart Broad, restricted the hosts to 273 for eight at stumps.
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Overview
A good batting wicket it looked like at the Gabba and Clarke had little hesitation in deciding to bat first. However, the advantage of winning the toss would not last too long as Chris Rogers was sent packing by Broad early on, before three quickfire wicket in the space of 12 runs, just before and after Lunch, all from Broad, put Australia firmly in the backfoot.
Broad finished with impressive figures of five for 65, and the England pace bowler said he was spurred on by the abuse meted out to him by the home team's fans.
"In our medical assessment -- we do all these tests to determine what type of personality you are -- our team psychologist pointed out there were three players in the team that would thrive probably on copping abuse, and it's KP (Pietersen), myself and Matt Prior," Broad said. "So they've picked good men to go at.
"It's good fun, something a bit different and I think I coped with it OK actually. I think I braced myself to expect it, and it was actually good fun. To be honest, I was singing along at one stage. It gets in your head and you find yourself whistling at the top of your mark. But I'm pleased that my mum wasn't in the stadium."
Much was expected from Clarke, and if Australia were to post a big total in the first innings, they really needed a big score from their skipper. However, a nice short ball from Broad ended Clarke's innings, and with it to a large extent Australia's hopes of a big score.
"It was just one of those days when the wickets came to me, and I think getting 'Pup' (Clarke) out the way I did gave me a lift," Broad added. "I wouldn't describe it as one of my better five-fors from a bowling purist's perspective, but perhaps it's one of my best from a scenario, day and experience perspective."
"There's something about playing Ashes cricket that brings out the best in me. There's a bit of extra niggle, it's playing against the Aussies and it means so much to me."
Australia only managed to get near 300 thanks to a nice partnership from Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson, who put on 114 for the seventh wicket, pulling their side from a precarious 132 for six to 246 or seven.
It was, of course, Broad, who ended that alliance, dismissing Johnson (64), but Australia's hopes will now rest on Haddin, batting on 78, to take them past 300 and then maybe some more.
