Video: Former greats comment on the current Ashes

Assembled for a charity golfing day at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire on Tuesday, some cricketing greats from England and Australia gave their thoughts on the first Test match that the hosts just edged at Trent Bridge – and the way they see the rest of the series going.

Ricky Ponting, former Australia captain
“Just a fantastic Test match. Like it’s .. you look at a lot of the Test matches through history and that one sort of had it’s ups and downs and momentum sways and swings as much as any that has ever been played. And it sort of typifies Ashes cricket I think, especially the way that it has been played in the last four or five series. And a lot of the time the first Test has gone that way as well. So, yeah, a really intriguing battle and one I think both teams will be better for.”

Andrew Strauss, former England captain
“Great play from both sides. See-sawing wildly from one side to the other and then the dramatic conclusion as well. So I mean, it was a brilliant game of cricket . In some ways, shame there had to be a loser. But obviously, I am quite happy that England won.”

Shane Warne, former world record-holder, most Test wickets
“I expect Australia got a lot more out of that first Test than England. I know England won 1-0 but I think that Australia got a lot more out of it and I think that they will perform pretty well at Lords (in the second Test).”

Sir Ian Botham, former England captain
(Are England too reliant on James Anderson’s bowling?)
“No, no. It is amazing. A guy (Anderson) gets ten wickets in one match and everyone’s saying “are we over-reliant on him?” Enjoy the moment. The guy is brilliant. Watch him bowl. Watch the other guys bowl. At the end of the day, you have got to take 20 wickets Jimmy on this occasion took ten. Who knows, Graeme Swann might take ten in the next game.”

Merv Hughes, former Australian pace bowler
“Obviously the wicket at Lords with the weather the way it is, it is going to be a little bit drier and a little bit harder for the fast bowlers. But I think there is more room for improvement in the Australian attack than there is in the English attack.”

Ricky Ponting, former Australia captain
“Yeah look, if I was Australia, I wouldn’t be changing the team. There will be a bit of talk probably about their batting line-up. England’s batting line-up was fine. They will probably have a bit of a talk about their fast bowling line-up going back to Lords. So I wouldn’t expect too many changes from any team.”

Andrew Strauss, former England captain
“Well I think that Australia have got a job on their hands. I think that that (the first Test) was a really important Test match, probably more important for them than for England. So they are going to have to fight very hard at Lords. I think that the toss at Lords is going to be really important. If England win that and bat, it is going to be hard for Australia.”