Washout, but England face fight

"I batted in the nets this morning and the finger is pretty sore," said Trescothick when asked about his chances of opening the innings. "But it's nothing like as bad as when I broke my thumb last season so we will just have to keep assessing the situation."

At least rival captain Hussain and Graeme Smith, who have been engaging in some pre-Test propaganda, could agree on two words after South Africa had reintroduced themselves as a force to be reckoned with this summer.

"We are living by the motto 'never satisfied'," said Smith, who was happy but still run-hungry despite contributing an unbeaten 178 to his side's handsome first day total.

Hussain has never been satisfied that England have 'cracked it' during his four-year term of office.

But, just in case he had dreamt all would continue to go swimmingly well following a couple of straightforward, early season Test victories over Zimbabwe and a few one-day triumphs under Michael Vaughan's command, reality soon kicked in yesterday.

Hussain has said, time and again, that England will struggle to dismiss good sides on flat pitches until they have a fast bowler of express pace and/or a spinner with a few mystery deliveries up his sleeve.

South Africa, their batting failures in the one-day series now behind them, reminded everyone they are anything but pushovers while Edgbaston offered Hussain's attack next to nothing by way of seam and swing movement.

Those followers of English cricket who believe it is time for Hussain to give up the Test captaincy as well the limited-overs leadership can seize on yesterday's events and portray them as evidence in favour of further promoting Vaughan. But the simple truth of the matter is that, here at least, England did not have bowlers capable of prising out batsmen who played outstandingly well on a slow and totally trustworthy track.

Worse, they did not have bowlers capable of preventing Smith, Herschelle Gibbs and, right at the end, Gary Kirsten from scoring at the rate of more than four an over.

In fact, England became increasingly desperate to attack when they should have been trying to bore the opposition into a mistake.

Brett Lee might have uprooted a stump or two with a couple of 99mph yorkers; Muttiah Muralitharan could have teased out some unplayable turn; but England's attack served up too many offerings that were either short or wide - and quite often both.

Lancashire chairman Jack Simmons has criticised coach Duncan Fletcher's decision to rest Jimmy Anderson and Andrew Flintoff, among others, following the one-day series.

Yesterday, Simmons' condemnation looked justified.