On the ground in 2017, it was raining. It does at the cricket, dependably. And when it wasn't, England held their own. This was in all ways another day, four years later and much ebb and flow in fortune later. Already, it has a different stamp.

Pre-series, so many stumps were set alight in promotions that the next Ashes container will be a wheelie bin. All belonged to hapless Poms. The marketing folk, not known for nuance, but well-known for arson, thought they were invoking destiny. In fact, they were tempting fate.

The pitch surprised both sides in its placidity. The evidence was there at ball one, which Mitch Starc bowled without a short leg. So much for Bodyline, as called for by Shane Warne on the front page of the local paper. Or was he pushing a lingerie brand?

Alastair Cook's wicket was early collateral. Thereafter, Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins bowled with pace enough, but it would not gather off the pitch as per the billing. Nor would it deviate. Not even the much-promised words flew especially. Bouncers, such as they were, died into wicketkeeper Tim Paine's gloves.

But on social media, Cricket Australia put up a still of an England batsman ducking under a fearsome bouncer, as if this was the rule, not the exception.

At length, the pitch did smarten up a little. But by then, James Vince and Mark Stoneman had its measure, and also were in charge of themselves. One is a late starter to Test cricket, the other too often an early finisher. It made them anonymous in the precede, but now they began to take shape and substance before our eyes.

Unable to apply stick, the Australians had to settle for containment and the occasional carrot. The scoring rate grooved at two an over. Probing one way, pushing the other: it was the meat and drink of Test cricket, but without last series' frothing at the mouth.

Australia's discipline meant Vince and Stoneman were able to expand only selectively, but handsomely when they did. Their most telling shots were back-foot drives, antithetical on day one at the Gabba.

But just as this time was not last time, the Gabba was not its sultry self of legend. Twenty-six degrees, with a bit of a breeze and negligible humidity: that's backyard barbecue, not a cauldron. This was as Brisbane's BBL team, called Heat, but coloured like an ice-block. How's a man meant to work up a decent hatred in such a congenial atmosphere?

Nathan Lyon was the unexpected change agent, extracting spin in lieu of absent seam. Lyon will never have Test batsmen shaking in their boots, but he will and does have them stumbling over them. He was Australia's likeliest wicket-taker this day. His effort was a strength fashioned of a potential weakness, spreading the attack's workload as well as sharpening its edge. England had plotted to wear down Australia's seamers, and still might. But Lyon is both foil and force.

He should have had Vince's wicket from a thick edge muffed by Paine, then took him out anyway with an inspired pick-up and throw from cover. Among Australia's KPIs is one supreme effort a day. Here it was. Meantime, Pat Cummins had defeated Stoneman with reverse swing. At last, the bails were flying, with no need or wherewithal to rattle helmets. Craft was enough. Lyon hasn't ended anyone's career yet, but he has furthered his own.

Then Cummins pierced Joe Root's defences, with what he said was a one-in-a-hundred ball, one of the most satisfying he has bowled, and the day belonged marginally to Australia, not by hostile takeover as last time, but by the sweat of their brow. Notwithstanding, England kept their shoulder to their own millstone.

The moral is that these teams are well met. No longer do they rule the world - both have lost to Bangladesh in the past 12 months - but they rule one another's competitive hearts. Both teams have holes, but in an Ashes series they become the spaces new heroes can fill. Two nearly did for England this day, Cummins for Australia.

The 2017-18 series has its own soundtrack, however much authorities might try to overwrite with the old. There's far to go, but much to go on with. For all the archness of their rivalry, Australia and England have in the past 10 years played only two matches decided by less than eight wickets or 100 runs. Last time, it was all about parting hair, and one-sided at that. This time, it might be about close shaves. Stand by.