Vikram Solanki hails Ashes hat-trick

Express & Star Ashes columnist Vikram Solanki was left in awe after Peter Siddle's hat-trick super-show for Australia stunned England on the opening day.

In a 15-year career in first-class cricket I cannot readily recall being on the pitch when a hat-trick occured - which underlines just how rare and precious they are.

And an Ashes hat-trick is probably the rarest currency of all, which is why Peter Siddle's dramatic over in the final session of the first day carries such significance.

From going into the third session on an even keel but with Alastair Cook and Ian Bell settling nicely and threatening a more substantial partnership, the opening day swung decisively towards Australia because of these three deliveries - three good deliveries which got rid of three good players.

Well done to him. Siddle went into this Test with the Australian media questioning the merits of his selection ahead of Doug Bollinger but I think we can say he has safely put that discussion to bed.

His efforts have not won the series or even, as yet, this Test. But what they have done is take away all the advantage that England claimed from their impressive preparations going into this opening skirmish.

That's all out the window now; if the Aussies were behind on momentum they aren't any more.

The pitch seemed a good one and having won the toss England would have backed themselves to pass 350-400 from the position they worked their innings towards, after the shock of losing the captain so early.

Perhaps, for all his calmness, even Andrew Strauss suffered a few nerves; to get out to a delivery which was directed to one of his favourite scoring areas will have annoyed him intensely.

England will be equally irritated that batsmen appeared to get set and then get out. The ball which got Jonathan Trott came back in to him a little but his was still a loose shot.

England fans would have been pleased to see Kevin Pietersen suggesting that he was back in his groove and it was at least a minor victory that he used his feet to the left-arm spinner brought in chain him down, Xavier Doherty, and did not get out to him.

It was still a surprise to see him go although, again, there was a looseness about his shot.

But Warwickshire's Bell continues his good form of the tour, and the last 12 months in general, and really seems to be growing into the player so many of us believed him to be.

Belly is a fine, fine player, easy on the eye and with good technique. He's played that role at No.6 and got England out of trouble and to some extent he did so again on this first day, before the task of scoring runs while trying to protect the tail caught up with him. But that was a plus for England at least.

I thought the Australian fielding looked pretty solid with fine catches from Ricky Ponting and Marcus North to get rid of Pietersen and Paul Collingwood - similar dismissals but Collingwood could claim his came before he had settled - which the home camp will again take as a positive note on this first day of contact.

So what will Strauss's message be now?

He knows his team must build and apply pressure on the second day to get back into the Test. They would have wanted to come away with certainly one wicket from the closing session just to redress the balance slightly.

That has not happened although there is a touch of swing to encourage them.

In Australia, though, it doesn't tend to assist the bowlers for as long as in English conditions.

Strauss's batsmen have had their first outing and come up under par in terms of a total but there are doubts and pressures surrounding some of the Australian batsmen too - and for them tomorrow is their first real day of the series.

North and Mike Hussey would be among them. The England camp will be thinking 'if we can get bowled out for 260 then there's no reason why we can't do the same to them.

But both teams will know tomorrow's first hour is vital - an opportunity for Australia to drive home their advantage or for England to come back at them.

England will find it hard work and will hope that someone in their line-up can match Siddles' first day heroics.

But it looks a pretty good batting pitch even if it will tend to quicken up, as the surface hardens, on the second day.

One factor I did note was that Doherty got some turn and if he can spin it, I guarantee you Graeme Swann will.

Spin will play a part in this Test and 'Swanny' may yet have a major role in the outcome of this Test match.

Worcestershire's Vikram Solanki will bring you his exclusive views through the Ashes series.