Andrew Strauss fell disappointingly just before lunch as England reached 103 for two on day one of the first npower Test against Pakistan at Trent Bridge.

After the England captain made a perhaps borderline decision to bat first under cloudy skies, it was incumbent on him to justify his judgment - and he did so until flapping an edge behind to go five runs short of his 50 and give Mohammad Aamer his second wicket.

There had already been one significant moment of fortune for Strauss on 15 thanks to a dropped catch by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal off Aamer.

England also profited from the first use of the decision review system in this country, Jonathan Trott reprieved on 13 when third umpire Marais Erasmus had to inform his colleague Asoka de Silva his lbw verdict was wrong - because the batsman had inside-edged a forward defensive shot at leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.

Openers Strauss and Alastair Cook were gifted some early momentum as Aamer and Mohammad Asif occasionally missed their lines - with the new ball hooping around.

Asif’s first over conceded 10 runs, and a glut of early extras helped the hosts race past 40 in under nine overs. Cook was largely unconvincing, playing and missing several times and struggling to get his feet moving.

But it was Strauss who had the biggest stroke of luck, the thinnest of edges behind when Aamer got one to swing dangerously away from the left-hander bringing only frustration for the tourists because Akmal missed a regulation catch.

There was to be no second chance for Cook, edging to slip in back-foot defence and Imran Farhat taking a low catch.

The circumstances provided a significant test of Trott’s credentials as a permanent number three, following his double-hundred from that position against Bangladesh at Lord’s two months ago.

He came through the initial examination, as Salman Butt made the first change to his attack - introducing Umar Gul at the Radcliffe Road end and switching Asif to the pavilion.

Just on the hour, Strauss brought up the England 50 with a handsome off-drive for four off Gul - and his team appeared in good shape until he departed to only the fourth ball of Aamer’s second spell, leaving Trott and Kevin Pietersen to steer the innings safely into three figures.

Trott had luck on his side on 35, though, when Tony Hill turned down an Aamer lbw appeal from a ball angling in from round the wicket.

Pakistan chose not to invoke DRS, and would doubtless soon discover over lunch that the decision would have been overturned had they done so.