One thing that became apparent, and something I honestly wrote in my first draft before Saqlain did the damage and I had to rewrite, is the need for England to use a spinner.
Unlike the West Indies last year, if the ball is not swinging or nipping around off the seam, the Aussies will be a far harder proposition to knock over.
I just felt we didn't have the diversity needed on such a good pitch that a spinner can bring.
I was impressed with Matthew Hoggard, who bowled with a lot of heart and got his rewards with some good wickets, in particular both the dismissals of Inzamam-ul-Haq.
He certainly seems to be made of the right stuff and he must have been practising those stares in his bathroom mirror.
It is always great to see a batsman score his first hundred.
Michael Vaughan, and the now world-class Graham Thorpe, really put England into what should have been a very strong position and a guarantee of a draw at worse. The wobbles may then have returned, but let's just hope this was a minor blip.
So we only drew a series. But it's now five without defeat and we have the chance to take on an Australian side that has lost a series more recently than us.
The Ashes will be a proper series - five hard fought Tests and compelling stuff.
Let's hope this time there'll be an English spinner bowling on the last day and inflicting damage on the Aussies. I can't wait.
