By Jonathan Agnew BBC cricket correspondent in Nottingham

England ended the opening day at Trent Bridge on 229-4 after their batsmen dominated the morning session in a stop-start day.

Tait produced an absolute beauty to get rid of Trescothick

Australia gambled when they replaced Jason Gillespie with Shaun Tait and the youngster's first spell in Test cricket was understandably rather nervous.

A bowler with an unusual, slingy action, he came back to take two crucial wickets in the space of three overs.

The most important was Marcus Trescothick, who had taken rather a liking to Tait during the morning session, but was defeated by a swinging ball of full length and was comprehensively bowled for 65.

Ian Bell, who is gaining an unhappy reputation for edging balls outside the off stump, nicked a catch to Gilchrist and, from 105 for no wicket, England had slipped to 146-3 and Australia were back in the game

The 10-ball passage of play in which Kevin Pietersen and Michael Vaughan were both dropped threatened to haunt Australia.

On each occasion the unlucky bowler was Michael Kasprowicz, but he put down the first chance - a thumping return catch offered by Pietersen on 14.

It is always difficult for a fast bowler in his follow through to take a hard chance to his right and the ball did not stick on this occasion.

Then, in his next over, Matthew Hayden dropped a catch that he would take nine times out of 10 at backward point, with Vaughan 30 at the time.

Vaughan was eventually dismissed by Ricky Ponting for 58, but the lapses rather summed up Australia's efforts in the field in this series, and the dangerous Pietersen remained on 33 not out at the close.

Shane Warne had no doubt that Strauss's wicket was legitimate

The decision by umpire Steve Bucknor to refer the appeal for a catch against Andrew Strauss to the third umpire raised a few eyebrows.

The regulations for this series state that the third umpire will only be asked to adjudicate for a catch if the on-field umpires are unsighted.

It is possible that Bucknor could claim that he did not have a clear view of Strauss's boot, and that is why he asked Mark Benson to check.

The replay condemned Strauss to a freak dismissal for 35, and there is no doubt that the correct decision was reached through the use of common sense.

I doubt, however, whether Strauss will be dismissed in such an unusual way again.

It was interesting to observe that the pitch seemed to gain pace during the rain-affected opening day, and that should mean that it will probably be at its best on the second day.

There will still be some encouragement for the swing and seam bowler that puts the ball in the right place, but it will be the batsmen who should enjoy the conditions the most.