As has often been the case during this series, everyone is bagging out the batting side and giving nothing to the bowling side.
Let me say at the outset I saw less of last night's play than I have the balance of the series, having missed most of the first session, and going to bed at 4 down after tea, because by then it was apparent that even if England didn't lose another wicket we'd pared back the RR to an extent there wasn't going to be major damage like 380-400 scored in the day.
Must say I've not seen a wicket in England go through the top like that on day one before. Still and all, from what I saw the bounce seems to be true. We've all hit out at England's poor batting, but I think context is important here. After the first session, Australia really dialled it back and were prepared to play the waiting game. That takes discipline of a kind they haven't always displayed this series, so I think they deserve credit for that. Siddle either side of tea was great, but there seems to be a consensus that Clark was no good.
Why is that? I realise he didn't take a wicket, but if it's not his kind of deck, and it's doing nothing to the point where you can be worked off the stumps to leg on a fast outfield, what was wrong with the dry-line approach he went with? I would have thought he played his part from the planning POV.
As for the England batting, well at least the game is advancing and their total isn't completely toilet. Gives them something to bowl at. And they need to push the game along anyways.
Obviously the ball's going to turn big as the match goes on, but if it holds together on days 2 and 3 and Australia bat well, then it really ought not matter that much.