• England v Australia, 1st Investec Test, Trent Bridge, 5th day

England used DRS better than us - Clarke

"The two best performers of the Test match were Ian Bell making a hundred and Jimmy Anderson getting five-for in each innings, so they deserved the win," Clarke said © PA Photos

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Australia's captain Michael Clarke has conceded England were smarter in their use of the decision review system than Australia during the Trent Bridge Test, which ended with Brad Haddin being given out via the third umpire. Clarke also said the Australians could hold their heads high after the agonising 14-run defeat in the Investec Ashes opener, which gives England a 1-0 lead heading into the next Test at Lord's starting on Thursday.

Australia ran out of reviews early in their chase of 311 after Shane Watson unsuccessfully challenged his lbw decision and Clarke himself failed to have a caught-behind decision against him overturned. However, England still had two reviews in hand as the match went down to the wire, which became invaluable when Aleem Dar gave Haddin not out, a decision that was overturned by the third umpire Marais Erasmus after Alastair Cook asked for a review.

"I'm not happy with my use, because we haven't got many right," Clarke said when asked about the DRS at the post-match presentations. "Both teams are using the DRS and in this game especially England have used it better than I have. I need to keep working on that. It's consistent for both teams and as an opposition team that's all you can ask for."

The wicket of Haddin brought back memories of the Edgbaston Test of 2005, which resulted in a two-wicket win to England after Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz put on 59 for the last wicket. Clarke was part of that team and he was nervous again while watching Haddin and James Pattinson build a 65-run tenth-wicket stand that ultimately was not quite enough.

"I tried not to think too much about it, to be honest," Clarke said when asked about the Edgbaston memories. "I think everybody, both players and fans of the game will have enjoyed these five days. We would have loved to have won, there's no doubt about it. But we get another crack in four days, so we'll look forward to that.

"I think the boys can certainly hold their head high. It was a wonderful game of cricket. Credit to England. England fought hard really hard throughout the five days and I think the two best performers of the Test match were Ian Bell making a hundred and Jimmy Anderson getting five-for in each innings, so they deserved the win."

That none of Australia's top order could match the efforts of Bell was a concern, as was the fact that so many of their runs came from the lower order. But Clarke said he was not worried who scored the runs, as long as they came from somewhere.

"I don't really care how we make the runs, as long as we're making them," he said. "As a top-order player I'd like to be making some more myself and leading from the front. But that's the game. You see plenty of part-timers taking wickets as well. It's about the team success, that's our goal. Unfortunately we missed out in this Test match but we'll be prepared for Lord's.

"I'm as confident as I was when we landed here. We're here to play some tough, competitive cricket. We know it's going to be a challenge and we've seen it over these past five days."

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