There lies a subtle beauty in contrast, an intrigue created by juxtaposition.
England Women’s aggressive game plan versus the tried and tested blueprint of Australia. The old guard ushering in fledgling talent. The humdrum of experienced spectators nestled in ‘their’ seat, drowned out by swathes of school children.
And so it played out, too, in the early blows of the Ashes Test Match at Trent Bridge.
Test Debutant Phoebe Litchfield driving Kate Cross through point to get the Metro Bank Women’s Ashes boundary count up and running.
22-year-old Lauren Filer trapping Australian great Ellyse Perry lbw with her first ball in international cricket, only for DRS to overturn the decision.
But whilst there is attraction to the new and shiny, pedigree stands the test of time.
That’s not to say novel isn’t exciting.
Few would deny the elation of Filer’s first England wicket when it did come later in the morning session, Beth Mooney - capped 144 times in all formats - caught at gully. Or even the biggest wicket of the day; that of Perry, resultantly denied what felt like an inevitable century.
But it was the latter who evoked the trademark Test Match oohs and aahs - not least when dismissed - from those watching on, and Sophie Ecclestone - the world’s number one spinner in white ball cricket - who swung the game England’s way. The pair defined the day’s play.
Over 5,000 in attendance saw a match, in its infancy, ebb the way of Australia, flow back the way of the hosts, then u-turn before close. A rare outing in the whites for England Women saw no less toing and froing than any other multi-day fixtures to have taken place on Trent Bridge’s historic turf.
And ultimately, despite both sides’ scarce opportunities to date in the red-ball format - 80 Test caps across the teams - it was still experience which bore the greatest fruit, while those fresh to the international fold enthused.
A game which entered its second session finely poised, with Australia 100/2 having won the toss, saw its first acceleration through the visitors’ evergreen all-rounder Perry, who plundered three boundaries in six deliveries after the interval, two off Kate Cross who had claimed the opening wicket of Litchfield. 
The first was driven on the front foot through cover, the second off the back through point to bring up her fifty, and the third whipped deliciously through mid wicket.
It served as a mark of intent and a reminder of class. As enthusiastic school kids began to dwindle with home time looming, so too did English optimism, Tahlia McGrath playing the perfect foil to her top-order team mate.
Ecclestone, Cross and Filer toiled. The Southern Stars tantalized.
The rare edge squirted invariably through gaps while looser deliveries were dispatched to the rope. In the ten overs after the break, Australia piled on 64 runs, their experience prevailing.
McGrath’s own chanceless half-century came with her side edging towards 200, and it took a moment of world-class brilliance to break the defiance and the pendulum to swing.
Ecclestone’s angled delivery straightened past the edge of the Australia vice-captain, the Three Lions reinvigorated with the hope of quick wickets.
Perry, in her tenth Ashes series - a new record - carried on apparently unperturbed, an hour-long rain delay no barrier to her rhythm.
But Ecclestone is number one for a reason. Jonasson, sweeping for the first time, gloved to Tammy Beaumont at short leg to be given out on review after the resumption. Healy befell the same fate as McGrath within two deliveries.
When Perry, too, departed on 99, cutting Filer to Sciver-Brunt at gully, the visitors had slipped from 226-3 to 238-6, and England held the momentum.
That had been wrestled back by the dying overs, Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland sharing a stand of 77, before Lauren Bell had the former caught fishing at the six deliveries-old new ball.
It proved the final slice of drama in a day which saw honours ultimately even.
For all the talk and anticipation ahead of their biggest Test yet, and the back and forth of 85 overs, England and Australia remained unseparated
That was, in part, by virtue of the two sides’ newest cap holders and the moments that enthralled, but it was a day belonging to the game’s greatest, whose consistency enchanted.
It may be in with the new but it is, by no means, out with the old.