“It’s almost gladiatorial, isn’t it?”

Clare Connor’s excitement before day two began was palpable.

As a former England all-rounder and erstwhile MCC President, - and the current ECB deputy CEO and Managing Director of England Women - Connor has  seen it all across three decades in the game.

But she was far from the only one to be caught up in the feverish mood.

From the schoolchildren accompanying each ten-second DRS deliberation with their own countdown chorus, to the Trent Bridge committee member gleeful at his daughter’s part in the guard of honour, there was a festive feel to be found at every turn.

But this is Trent Bridge, not Glastonbury. And this is a Test, not a testimonial.

For the 22 combatants engaged over five days at Trent Bridge, the taking part is far from enough.

The full gamut of sporting emotion was on show on a day where Australia took the upper hand early on, before a Three Lions fightback as morning became afternoon.

For Annabel Sutherland, the businesslike satisfaction of reaching fifty was followed by the cathartic sensation of century-making – her maiden Test ton being the first by any woman in a Trent Bridge Test.

For Sophie Ecclestone, the primal euphoria of wicket-taking was momentary, snatched away in the cold-blooded fashion that only an opposition review can bring.

For Lauren Bell, the relief of breaking a dangerous Southern Stars stand – by virtue of a hooping inswinger destined to stay on her highlights reel.

And as the day entered its final moments, the sense of accomplishment that comes with a century on her game's grandest stage for Tammy Beaumont.

Beaumont stole the headlines in those closing exchanges, but the fightback began somewhat earlier.

Australia were well past 400 by the time lunch arrived before Sophie Ecclestone, fuelled up and fired up, returned to wrap up the visitors’ innings.

The twirler may have been into her 47th over by the time she took the tenth Australian wicket, but the exertion didn’t dim the elation of claiming a first Test five-fer.

474 was the Southern Stars’ total, and there was a unignorable electricity in the field as Australia saw off Emma Lamb with a sharp slip catch.

But these days, Trent Bridge is Tammy Beaumont’s manor.

For The Blaze’s resident England opener, this was the perfect stage on which to showcase the tenacity and talent that have yielded a 15-year career in her country’s colours.

Disciplined when required, expansive when afforded the opportunity – bit by bit, Beaumont made Australia’s lead look a little less imposing.

Her third Test fifty would be followed by a Heather Knight half-century, the captain’s desire to take the initiative clear from the pair of perfectly-executed reverse sweeps which took her within touching distance of the milestone.

Little wonder, therefore, that visiting skipper Alyssa Healy was positively cock-a-hoop as Knight edged Ash Gardner into her gloves on 57.

That, however, only heralded the arrival of Natalie Sciver-Brunt.

If there is an England cricketer in this XI with the power to draw supporters back from the bars and onto the edge of their seats – in the time-honoured Test-match tradition of a Grace, Pietersen or Stokes – it is Sciver-Brunt.

But it was Beaumont, now fully bedded-in at the crease and seeing it like the proverbial beach ball, whose footwork was nimble, sweeps sweetly struck, drives expertly-placed.

Sciver-Brunt, who closed on 41 off 44, did begin to unleash the expansive shots that have made her name – and if not the one which bears her name, in the Natmeg.

It was, however Beaumont's day.

A day for graft, not instant gratification - and the opener's muted celebrations as she reached three figures betrayed an understanding of the match situation.

This is a Test, and England, still 255 in arrears, have a job to do on day three.