It was the match English cricket fans had already been waiting for since Australia finished their whitewash in January 2014. Fans were even more excited for the match from the moment England’s World Cup campaign ended with a disappointing group stage exit. Whatever Alastair Cook said to his team ahead of the first Test in Cardiff, it worked, as England appeared confident and in control, en route to a 169-run win to take a 1-0 lead in the 2015 Ashes series.

There was no real debate for Man of the Match in Wales; Joe Root first displayed his value to the England Test squad in the 2013 Ashes, so it was perhaps fitting that his first-innings century led the way for the hosts, and served as an indicator to viewers that England had forgotten the series prior. Adam Lyth & Moeen Ali, among others, also had solid contributions, while Cook has once again found the level of comfortability he enjoyed two years ago as captain. There were still some drawbacks to the win; Gary Ballance again showed signs of struggling, particularly when he was dismissed for a duck in the second innings. It will be interesting to see how patient the ECB decision makers are with Ballance, or if they’ll replace him with a second option before the series ends at the Oval.

The second Test begins Thursday at Lord’s in London, one of the most famous cricket venues in the world. It was this ground where Root made a century in England’s comprehensive win two years ago, earning a spot on that coveted Honours Board. Will his positive memories from that Test lead to another commanding performance, or has Australia found a bowler who can exploit the infamous slope the way Glenn McGrath did so many times? Even though there will be three more Tests remaining, this could prove to be Australia’s last stand at retaining the urn, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them act out of desperation if the situation turns dire. England are in a good position as it stands, and can now be tagged as slight favorites to not only win at Lord’s, but bring the Ashes back home.