Second Test, first day, morning session

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Lunch, 27th over: England (Vaughan 56, Key 1) Key survives a shout for lbw from Warne after playing back to one that goes straight on but might have passed over the top of leg stump. Key plays out the final ball of the session surrounded by six close fielders, and England have had the better of things on the first morning after winning a crucial toss. Join me again at 3.10am UK time to see if they can carry on the good work after lunch.

26th over: England 94-1 (Vaughan 56, Key 1) McGrath continues to probe around off stump like a heart surgeon, and now has figures of 12-4-30-1, which are excellent on such an unhelpful pitch.

"I'm sure I'm not the only British ex-pat here in the West Coast of the USA but I may be one of the few with a real passion for both cricket AND baseball," says David Keech. "The SF Giants lost the world series and now we may have the ritual mauling of the English test team at the hands of the Aussies. Ho hum." Tell me about it, David: I support Manchester City and Northamptonshire.

25th over: England 94-1 (Vaughan 56, Key 1) Key opens his Ashes account with a single off his toes to deep backward square after Warne overpitches on leg stump. He overcompensates by overpitching outside off, and Vaughan punishes him with a languid drive for three more. There's time for two, maybe three, overs before lunch.

24th over: England 90-1 (Vaughan 53, Key 0) McGrath oversteps for the second time, and is furious with himself because it costs him a maiden. England are regrouping after the Trescothick wicket.

23rd over: England 89-1 (Vaughan 53, Key 0) No big rippers yet from Warne, but he's as accurate as ever in that over. Key has begun his Ashes career against McGrath and Warne, which must be one of the toughest baptisms in the history of the game.

22nd over: England 88-1 (Vaughan 52, Key 0) Key is promoted to No. 3, possibly to prevent a log-jam of experience at the top of the order. Waugh greets him with a fascinating field: four slips plus a short extra cover, leg gulley, short midwicket and short leg. But Key plays McGrath's final four deliveries with assurance. England need Vaughan to make a big score now.

"Don't know if I am your only reader in Brazil," wonders Andrew Carpenter, "but I just wanted to write and say how that I am sitting here with awful sinusitis and finally I have something to cheer me up! The question is, though, can England build on this start?" They've just failed to, Andrew.

WICKET! England 88-1 Trescothick b McGrath 35 This time the luck goes Australia's way. Trescothick gets an inside edge as he tries to force McGrath off the back foot, and the ball cannons into the stumps. Game on.

21st over: England 88-0 (Trescothick 35, Vaughan 52) Trescothick uses his feet to drill Warne past mid-on for four, and keeps the strike with a lapped sweep for a single. England are cruising along at more than four an over and, for the time being at least, we have a game on our hands.

20th over: England 83-0 (Trescothick 30, Vaughan 52) Vaughan is catching fire. He slashes McGrath over the slips for four, then moves to fifty with a glorious cover-drive for four more. The covers have been very productive for him so far. There's more frustation for Australia when Vaughan steals a single from a misfield by Waugh, who then throws down the stumps with the batsmen well in and concedes an overthrow. Eleven off the over, and 20 off the last two!

You can tell Australia aren't doing very well because their emails are becoming more and more irrelevant. Here's Stephen Bendeich. "At least if Australia can't win at Upton Park Kevin Muscat and Danny Tiatto should see the poncy likes of David Beckham carried off bawling their little eyes out for over-rated, under-fed Kylie Minogue wannabes."

19th over: England 72-0 (Trescothick 30, Vaughan 42) Shane Warne comes on for the errant Bichel (4-0-20-0), but Vaughan cuts his first ball, a wide long hop, for four and sweeps his third square of the wicket for another boundary. A single off the outside edge makes it nine off the over. This is great stuff from England - they're looking to attack the first over of a new spell, just as they did with Bichel.

18th over: England 63-0 (Trescothick 30, Vaughan 33) McGrath has Trescothick in a spot of bother as he plugs away outside off. The first ball almost cannons onto the stumps off the inside edge as Trescothick looks to leave it alone, and he has to make do with defence for the rest of the over. That's fine: McGrath hardly ever goes for runs.

17th over: England 63-0 (Trescothick 30, Vaughan 33) Vaughan has got his eye on that short square boundary. Bichel drops short again and Vaughan pulls him disdainfully for his second six of the morning. That was some shot!

The football debate rages on. "At least the Socceroos have an Australian coach," points out Burt Bosma. "England can't seem to get one for any sport they play." Don't tell Clive Woodward that, Burt.

16th over: England 56-0 (Trescothick 29, Vaughan 27) Two more threes off McGrath take the overall tally to seven. Vaughan drives sweetly through the covers, and Trescothick paddles him through mid-on. Vaughan then tries to repeat a shot he played at Brisbane - a whippy pull from an almost good-length delivery - but this time he can't beat widish mid-on. Great shot, though.

"Since we're on the football," writes Andrew Byrne, "which country was undefeated in the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, lost only one match in the 2002 qualifiers, yet failed to qualify either time? Answer: Australia. Which meant most Aussies, like me, were forced to get behind England in the finals. Don't expect the same in February, though." We won't, Andrew. And well done for beating the Cook Islands, or whoever it was.

15th over: England 50-0 (Trescothick 26, Vaughan 24) Bichel has clearly spent a bit too much time in the sun. Trescothick hits a firm straight-drive back to him and he immediately claims the catch, despite the fact that the ball obviously bounces in front of him. Bucknor calls for the third umpire again, and this time the decision takes just a few seconds. Bichel gets a few boos from the Barmy Army for his troubles. Trescothick looks bemused.

"Let's just say that Kewell and co have got a lot better chance of beating England than Hussain and co have of beating Australia," rants Burt Bosma. "And if the linesmen is as obliging to visitors as the third umpire is here, the Aussies might pull it off."

14th over: England 48-0 (Trescothick 25, Vaughan 23) McGrath replaces Gillespie (6-1-25-0) and begins with a typically tight over that restricts England to two tip-and-run singles into the off side. That's drinks and - whisper it - England have survived the first hour. Hell, they've even scored at three and a half an over.

Jacob Murray-White is back. "You seem to forget that England will go into the football friendly with the traditional last-minute withdrawals and Australians will play to win. Unless, of course, the English clubs find new ways of stopping the Australians playing for their country." Ooooh.

13th over: England 46-0 (Trescothick 24, Vaughan 22) Vaughan plays a lovely cover-drive for three off Bichel, but Trescothick doesn't play him quite as comfortably. One ball rears off a length, while another stops on Tresco, whose checked drive lands two yards in front of mid-off.

12th over: England 43-0 (Trescothick 24, Vaughan 19) The luck is really going England's way, which is not a sentence I ever imagined writing. Moments after Vaughan's reprieve, Trescothick survives a chance to Matthew Hayden at backward point. Gillespie drops short and Trescothick, on 18, absolutely hammers it straight towards Hayden, who can only parry it - the batsmen take two. Trescothick responds by absolutely hammering another one - this time through the infield and away for four.

"This is doing wonders for annoying my workmates," says Amanda James. "It's midday in Melbourne and they haven't been able to gloat once!"

11th over: England 37-0 (Trescothick 18, Vaughan 19) Andy Bichel replaces McGrath (5-1-10-0) and it's an action-packed over. A tuck for two by Vaughan through square leg is followed by a rollicking pull for six off a ball that was barely short of a length. Then, controversy. Vaughan drives on the up and Justin Langer dives forward at deepish point and claims the catch. But Vaughan stands his ground, and umpire Bucknor is obliged to consult the third umpire. It's probably out, but none of the angles are decisive and after several minutes Vaughan is granted a second life. The Aussies don't like it, but let's not feel too sorry for them. Eight off the over.

"Wouldn't it be glorious if we won the football in February?" says Michael Cresswell, who is an Australian. "Player for player we have a pretty good shot." Er, we're talking Association football, Michael, not Aussie Rules.

10th over: England 29-0 (Trescothick 18, Vaughan 11) Vaughan has made a much quieter start from the one he made at Brisbane, but keeps things ticking over with a neat nudge off his hips through square leg for two. Gillespie responds with a rare bouncer, which Vaughan goes for but misses. He makes up for this rush of blood by scmapering a pushed single into the covers. If Australia had made a start like this, we'd all be saying 'here we go again'.

"I would like to apologise for the gloating, so as not to sour relations between the two countries," says Caroline Aow, who then ruins things by gloating once more. "Australia needs to play England every few years to keep up the batting averages."

9th over: England 26-0 (Trescothick 18, Vaughan 8) McGrath is providing an object lesson in how to bowl on a shirt-front. He is keeping the ball outside off and landing it unerringly on the seam. Vaughan is lucky not to get an outside edge to one delivery that moves beautifully at the last minute.

"I was there when the "can't bat, can't bowl, can't field" team beat Australia at Brisbane in 87 in possibly the first showing of the Barmy Army," reminisces Tony Mole. "There were about two dozen of us British backpackers in an empty stand in a pitifully small crowd. And when Graham Dilley (snigger) ran through (double snigger) the Aussies we were delirious with joy. It seems such a distant memory now." Distant, Tony, but still sweet.

8th over: England 25-0 (Trescothick 18, Vaughan 7) There could be a lot of threes here today. Vaughan scores England's fourth of the morning with an uppish drive which passes just out of reach of Gillespie, who sticks out a desperate left hand in his follow-through. Trescothick has got off to a flier and uppercuts Gillespie quite deliberately over the slips for four.

"Either I'm blind or cannot read english," writes Imran Ahmed. "Who is bowling overs 1 and 3 please?" You're neither myopic nor illiterate, Imran - I am just a hopeless reporter. It was McGrath.

7th over: England 18-0 (Trescothick 14, Vaughan 4) This is a positive start by England. Trescothick drives a rare overpitched McGrath delivery to the left of mid-off for three, and Vaughan scores for the first time in six overs with a back-foot push into the covers for a single.

Peter Darbyshire is as chipper as ever. "The Aussies always choke - put a bit off pressure on 'em (OK doesn't happen very often) and they bottle it every time. As long as we can set 'em about 130 to win this one is in the bag."

6th over: England 14-0 (Trescothick 11, Vaughan 3) Aggression from Trescothick, who pulls the final ball of Gillespie's over for three from just short of a length.

"I understand having Harmison for his pace," says Imran Ahmed, "but why have White when Tudor is a far more accomplished bowler and equally inept or adept (you pick) with the bat!" Maybe, Imran, but Tudor at No. 7?

5th over: England 11-0 (Trescothick 8, Vaughan 3) McGrath bowls an immaculate maiden to Vaughan, whose feet haven't really started moving yet. Australia are bowling well here, concentrating on line and length rather than energy-wasting bouncers. On a scorching day, that's a sensible policy. And it means they will make the most of whatever moisture there is in the pitch before it evaporates around noon.

4th over: England 11-0 (Trescothick 8, Vaughan 3) Trescothick cuts Gillespie past the diving point for two, and then enjoys a big slice of luck when another attempted cut flies off the inside edge to the right of Adam Gilchrist behind the stumps: England's first boundary of the day.

"I'm afraid Caroline Aow isn't even in the hunt" says Stephen Bendeich, referring to the earliest Ashes gloats. "It'll be a long time before the "can't bat, can't bowl, can't field" line thrown at Gatting's 1986-87 tourists is beaten.

3rd over: England 5-0 (Trescothick 2, Vaughan 3) Trescothick takes a single into the big gaps in the covers. Vaughan is almost bowled when he leaves alone a delivery that cuts back viciously, and is later hit in a painful place, which elicits a cruel chuckle from my colleague, Paul Coupar.

"England only won the rugby because Wilko kicked 100% and Burkey missed three which would have been eight points," whinges Greg Randle. "If he was in your football team you might actually do something in that game as well. At least your rugby team has ticker and doesn't give up." If your kicker can't score from in front of the posts, Greg, you really don't deserve to win. I hate to say it, but the Aussies choked. Actually, I don't hate to say it at all...

2nd over: England 4-0 (Trescothick 1, Vaughan 3) Jason Gillespie is right on target straightaway and bowls a great maiden to Vaughan, who is twice beaten outside off by balls that do more off the seam than they have any right to on a pitch as good as this.

Steve Robinson in Adelaide writes with a gentle slap of the wrists. "Can I be the first of many to state that the football match in February is at the Academy of Football (that is Upton Park) and not Elland Road." I stand corrected, Steve.

1st over: England 4-0 (Trescothick 1, Vaughan 3) England are racing along at four an over! Trescothick tucks the second ball off his hip to long leg for a single, and Vaughan gets under way with a flowing off-drive - there's no sign of his dodgy knee as he turns for the third. The straight boundaries here are very long - expect a few all-run fours.

Peter Walsh is an Aussie in France. "I would actually be astonished at the cynical pessimism of the English for their own guys, as demonstrated within minutes of the webcast, except that it's probably justified."

12.25am Five minutes to go. Australia won at Brisbane, England squared things at Twickenham, and the decider will be at Elland Road in February, when Sven's men take on the, er, Socceroos. In the meantime, folks, we've got some Test cricket for you. Vaughan and Trescothick are walking out to bat, and England are yet to lose a wicket. A perfect start...

12.22am The tension is rising here. If England can just see off the new ball and get to lunch no more than one wicket down, we could have a game on our hands. Excited? You should be.

"I know we have given you heaps," sympathises Kay Belle, "but really if you guys dig in your heels you can make a game of it - though I am full of the opinion that you have no hope of winning this one."

"The blokes here reckon the tail starts at six with the Gaffer," says Andrew Sparrow. "Four out, all out, they claim." Ignore them, Andrew. They're just jealous.

12.20am There was a flutter in the England camp this morning when Michael Vaughan twisted his knee in training, but apparently he's fit to play. Mind you, there's still ten minutes to go before he comes out to bat - plenty of time to trip over a protruding nail on the floor of the dressing-room.

Peter Darbyshire is in fighting mood. "Welcome back!" he bellows. "Yes!!! We're in to bat and another wonderful five days of Ashes Test cricket begins - hopes yet to be dashed, dreams yet to be shattered. Nothing like it. Come on lads!!!" It could be downhill from here.

12.15am "I see that you didn't come into early for the second Test," says Caroline Aow in Sydney. "Guess that there isn't much hope for England then." Does that count as the earliest gloat in Ashes history?

12.10am Hoggard is a little lucky to keep his place, and England's tail is frighteningly long, with Dawson at No. 8. Australia have stuck with the side that sneaked home at Brisbane, which means that Brett Lee is still missing. Expect the ball to do a bit in the first hour of the day, but very little thereafter. Make no mistake - this was a superb toss to win.

Gavin Walke is more optimistic. "Excellent news - Nasser not only won the toss but also remembered to engage his brain this time." Harsh, Gavin, but probably fair.

"It's a sunny day Down Under," reports Amanda James, "so no hope of divine intervention for England." Such cynicism, Amanda - and from one so young.

12.05am Here they are:

England 1 Michael Vaughan, 2 Marcus Trescothick, 3 Mark Butcher, 4 Nasser Hussain (capt), 5 Robert Key, 6 Alec Stewart (wk), 7 Craig White, 8 Richard Dawson, 9 Andy Caddick, 10 Matthew Hoggard, 11 Steve Harmison

Australia 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Justin Langer, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Damien Martyn, 5 Steve Waugh (capt), 6 Darren Lehmann, 7 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 8 Shane Warne, 9 Andy Bichel, 10 Jason Gillespie, 11 Glenn McGrath

12midnight Well, there's good news and there's bad news. The good news is that Nasser Hussain has won the toss ... and has decided to bat first. The bad news is that John Crawley, one of England's few successes in Australia so far, has failed a fitness test on his injured hip. Robert Key wins his fourth Test cap, as does Richard Dawson, while Steve Harmison is preferred to Alex Tudor. Teams in full any minute now ...