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Correct. They skipped some county cricket practice in favour of a golf team building session. All the bowlers apart from Broad had not bowled in a red ball game for a month whereas Australias "warm up" was the WTC final. 
I guess from an English perspective they will be better for that run and will be more potent in the 2nd test. 
I think that Boland will play at Lords given the conditions and Starc will come in for Hazlewood if there is a change. The 3rd test starts only 4 days after this one so there is going to be rotation of bowlers, maybe Boland will be given the game off at Trent Bridge. Neser may also be considered at some stage.

dropped Boland for Starc - geez massive call 

A bit risky, you know what you are getting with Boland but Starc could win the game for Australia or go for 100 in 20 overs. Who knows?  

After losing the toss with all that cloud on a greenish pitch,  5/339 would of been taken in a heartbeat by Aust. Two brain fades at the end, definitely keep Eng dangling..

I guess with Head you take the rough with the smooth, though for a first class skipper with years of experience, he does implode some what. As for Green, not sure what the young fella was thinking there, so unlike him to play a shot like that so early in his innings. 

The lack of speed in Eng bowling attack may make Starc's selection on that pitch, in those conditions, a good one. Definitely a pitch with plenty in it for the bowlers, Aust extra zip may be more help then hindrance, time will tell i guess. A 400 + total will definitely give Aust some leeway when bowling....500 would of killed off Eng chances completely TBH.

Up to Smith to go big and Carey et al to support him for that 500 to happen. Be interesting if Eng up their bowling speed on day 2 with another new ball....though looks like some rain is coming.

if they don't win back the ashes England would have to look at this first day here - they totally wasted perfect home conditions
they're not out of it because Australia have got 340 on day 1 and I expect an especially aggressive innings in reply
Travis Head tore them a fifth new arsehole going right after them so that's what McCullum will order
Day 2 might tell it all
 

I was a bit concerned that Australia could have been skittled given the conditions so that opening partnership was gold. I have been very critical of Warner but on this occasion he did his job as an opener perfectly, making things easier for the middle order. He was unfortunate that his innings was cut short by the ball of the day.

Bar the new guy  England's pace bowlers seemed a bit off and Trav really laid into them in the last session. Smith was just being Smith after a poor first test

If Carey and Smith can see off the new ball on day 2 and put a partnership together, we should be in a position to dictate terms. On the other hand if England can get their act together and bowl the Aussies out for less than 400, they will feel that they are very much in the game.

The clocks ticking for the Poms.If they don't bowl us out before lunch.Unlickley they can win.With there strike bowler's not taking wickets. 
The Aussies would want to bat to at least tea.And challenge the Bazball game,chasing 500+

Whatever we score I hope the poms try to chase it down quickly. I posted after the last test, England bowled 60 odd overs more than Australia in the first test and their bowlers looked flat and jaded. if they have to get back in the field without a decent rest and we make them bowl 100+ overs a second time they will be cooked and forced to make mass changes for the third test.

Not sure why Wood didnt play, think he might have ruled himself out?  My feeling is that he would have been a handful on that pitch given that Tongue who was bowling around late 80Mph was their most dangerous bowler. Wood can bowl at 90+ so he would have made things very uncomfortable for the batsmen IMO. Will be fascinating to see how England go about their first innings and how much Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood and Green can extract from the pitch. There seemed to be quite steep bounce at times and the pitch may get quicker on day 2

Yes I was thinking the same thing Mike when I saw the track at the start of play. Wood is a very honest bowler and would indeed have been a handful but thought I heard he wasn't available due to some sort of niggle but should be good to go next test.

The other interesting thing is that the Poms will be batting last so reckon Lyon might be a big threat around day 4 or 5.