England batsmen pass first test as Australia's promised barrage never arrives

You could forgive the England batsmen for being a touch confused as they walked off at the Gabba, writes Sam Drury.

Runs were hard to get and, at 196-4, the tourists can hardly claim to have dominated the first day of this Ashes series.

They had been made to graft but the "barrage of bouncers" they had been promised never arrived, the much-vaunted Aussie pace attack was certainly not feeble but nor could it be described as ferocious - no careers looked in danger of being ended here.

Undoubtedly, England were helped in that regard by a pitch slowed by the recent wet weather in Queensland and if the sun continues to shine over the next few days, the pitch may quicken and play more into the hands of the Australian bowlers.

However, while the off-spin of Nathan Lyon caused Joe Root's side some difficulty, the 30-year-old finding prodigious turn at times to beat the outside edge of England's host of left-handers and challenging Root and James Vince from around the wicket, the visitors looked comfortable against the pace bowlers for much of the day.

"It wasn't anything like 2013/14," Michael Atherton said at the close of play. "Australia have been trying to reopen those old scars and the memories of that game four years ago.

"This was completely different, I've never seen a slower pitch here at the Gabba."

Mitchell Starc got the new ball swinging and produced a good nut to send Alastair Cook on his way and England will be well aware that they face another new ball burst from the left-armer on the second morning but Josh Hazlewood - labelled the "best bowler in the world" by Lyon prior to the match - struggled throughout the day.

It took until late afternoon when the ball began to reverse for Pat Cummins to have any real impact and although he produced two superb deliveries to dismiss Mark Stoneman and Root, showing what he is capable of if he stays fit, his threat was negated by the England top-order prior to that.

For all the talk coming out of the Australian camp in the days and weeks preceding the first Test, England remained relaxed, at least on the surface, but even the most mentally strong player will have had the thought that this was not just pre-series bluster from the hosts, that perhaps they really were as good, as quick, as fearsome as they were making out.

"It's not a great bowling attack, make no mistake," Nasser Hussain said of the Australians on Sky Sports Ashes Podcast. "It isn't McGrath, Lee, Warne and Gillespie. It is a good bowling attack, that is all it is."

What day one in Brisbane should have taught England is that Hussain is right. These are good bowlers and no doubt bowlers who, given more favourable conditions, could cause England problems during the course of the series but they are not the 1980s West Indies attack reincarnate.

Even without Cook and Root leading the way, the duo contributing just 17 combined, England's top-order have proven they can more than hold their own.

Quicker pitches and more venomous spells may be in store before the urn's destination is decided but having passed their first test, England's batsmen can approach the next knowing they have nothing to fear.