While debutant Ashton Agar might have stolen the limelight on the second day of the first Ashes Test between England and Australia at Trent Bridge, the hosts will now be keen to turn the screws with a batting masterclass of their own on a pitch that is expected to be a batsman's paradise.
England finished the second day on 80 for two with Alastair Cook (37) and Kevin Pietersen (35) at the crease, after Australia posted a first innings total of 280 all out.
"The pitch doesn't look to be deteriorating that much," England fast bowler James Anderson, who picked up five wickets, said. "We saw a few balls that spun from (Graeme) Swanny. Nothing from the seamers has really gone up or down.
"First and foremost we've got to bat very, very well tomorrow (Friday) to get in any sort of position to win this game."
Anderson was also all praise for 19-year-old Agar, who with his 98 became the highest scorer at No. 11.
"I thought he played brilliantly," he added. "In a pressure situation he coped with it really well and really did frustrate us for a while.
"Teams are allowed to play well, batters are allowed to put on partnerships. It's our job to somehow try and break that partnership and show some skill to do it.
"That's the nature of Test cricket. You get big momentum shifts."
Agar was understandably over the moon after his brilliant partnership for the tenth wicket with Phil Hughes pulled Australia out of serious trouble.
"It's a dream come true," the left-arm spinner said. "Forever, I've dreamt of playing Test cricket for Australia.
"For my debut to start the way it has, I'm over the moon. Darren Lehmann just told me to bat the way I know how to bat.
"He's told the whole team to back their own natural styles. That's the way I like to bat - take the game on - so that's what I tried to do.
"To make a hundred in an Ashes Test would have been awesome. Obviously, it's a dream to make a Test match hundred. But I didn't really dream I was going to make 98 on debut - so I'm very, very happy."
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