Peter Siddle

AAP

PACEMAN Peter Siddle put his own spin on the debate over whether Australia should have played a specialist tweaker in the Ashes decider at The Oval.

The pitch at the south London venue turned dry and dusty on the opening day of the final Test and questions were raised over whether the tourists should have played off-spinner Nathan Hauritz.

But Siddle (4-63 off 18.3 overs) backed the plans of his team's hierarchy to play four quicks and use part-time spinners following the success of that formula in the win at Headingley.

"I don't think it's deteriorating, still a good wicket," he said.

"Still a nice wicket to bowl on."

"It's going to stay pretty solid and will be a pretty good batting wicket over the next two or three days.

"I don't think spin will be a massive part of it.

"When all four quicks stuck together and bowled in partnership, we had success."

Part-timer Marcus North (0-33) was called upon to bowl 14 overs on day one and he extracted some sharp turn and bounce and England's Ian Bell (72) expressed surprise Australia had not picked Hauritz.

"I guess when you look at it where we are now after day one, hindsight's a great thing," Bell said.

"When you look at it now, a little bit surprised.

"Again Australia beat us in two and a bit days at Headingley and that is pretty tough on someone not to get picked after such a good win.

"It's not for me or us to worry about that."

But Bell said the pitch should excite England's spinner Graeme Swann.

"It does feel very unusual here at The Oval to see it spinning like that and so dry," he said.

"Hopefully that's a good thing for us if we can somehow after both first innings have a bit of a lead and bat well second dig, I don't think it will be particularly easy to bat last on."

Australia's reluctance to play Hauritz is understandable despite his respectable returns of 10 wickets at 32 in this series.

This year he has failed to bowl Australia to victory on the final day in Cardiff and at the SCG, two renowned spinning pitches.

Australia's last three Test wins have all come without a specialist spinner in the side, their last four matches with a specialist spinner have resulted in two losses and two draws.

And the gap between Hauritz and North and is arguably just not great enough at the moment to deny a quality bowling option.

The forecast for showers during the south London clash also must have damaged Hauritz's claims for a start.

England were 8-307 at stumps on day one in the final Test, the home side needing to win the match to stop Australia from retaining the Ashes.