Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting praised England captain Ben Stokes' proactive approach to captaincy in the first Test of the Ashes at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

 Australia's bowlers struck twice in quick succession in a devastating spell against England at Edgbaston on Sunday, before heavy rain washed out the later sessions on the third day of the series-opening Ashes test.

Stuart Broad slammed the Edgbaston surface as "soulless" and described it as one of the slowest he has encountered in England after Usman Khawaja's unbeaten century dragged Australia back into the contest and left the first Ashes test finely poised.

Usman Khawaja ended his decade-long wait for a maiden Test hundred in England as he led an Australia recovery in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston on Saturday.

England captain Ben Stokes insists there will be no let-up in his side's dynamic approach during the Ashes series against arch-rivals Australia, which starts on Friday.

Experts say Michael Clarke seemed within touching distance of greatness at various times in his career, but ultimately he fell marginally short.