THEY say every dog has its day. They also say Britain has got talent.

It remains to be seen whether Team GB’s shock victory in last night’s First Test against the mighty Australians was a flash in the pan.

And with the second instalment of this eagerly-awaited series taking place at Lakeside tomorrow, the Aussies will be gunning for quick revenge.

However, Neil Middleditch’s underdogs certainly showed their gnashers, sinking their teeth into Craig Boyce’s powerful outfit to give the Aussies a nasty bite.

With their World Cup chances already written off by their critics, Team GB’s preparations for this Test Match special had been further clouded by controversy surrounding some of their riders.

A disastrous start from Team GB saw the Aussies race into a 10-2 lead after two heats and the expected mauling appeared very much on the cards.

However, spearheaded by the exploits of inspirational captain Chris ‘Bomber’ Harris, the Brits showed true grit as a topsy-turvy encounter ebbed and flowed.

Deadlocked after heats 11 and 13, Team GB forged ahead when Edward Kennett showed his liking for the Wimborne Road circuit by claiming a crucial victory in the penultimate race.

Fittingly, it was left to Harris to ensure the Lions would draw first blood, the Team GB skipper proving to be home favourite Chris Holder’s nemesis for much of the meeting.

Harris and Scott Nicholls, whose respective availabilities had been cast in doubt ahead of the clash, both showed their commitment to the Lions cause by producing stirring displays.

And they received admirable support from Kennett, Daniel King and Ben Barker, with Lewis Bridger the only Brit to endure an off night.

In his programme notes, Pirates promoter Matt Ford had urged spectators to “rejoice and embrace with anticipation and excitement” as Test Match racing returned to Poole for the first time in six years.

Ford had predicted a meeting of the “highest calibre”. He can only have glazed into his crystal ball.

Both teams deserved their share of credit for an absorbing encounter, tempered only by injury to Pirates star Jason Doyle following a nasty fall in heat 12.

Aussie team boss Boyce had admitted to having an embarrassment of riches at his disposal and his decision to pick Doyle ahead of Sam Masters and Adam Shields was vindicated by the New South Walian until his tumble.

The two teams paraded to the Frankie Goes To Hollywood classic Two Tribes before a minute’s silence in memory of former Pirates star Matty Ferjan, who was found dead in his car last month, was observed impeccably.

Following a brief delay, after the parade truck had careered through the start gate, battled commenced with a clash between Lions pair Nicholls and Bridger and Aussie pairing Ward and Watt.

And after Ward and Nicholls had jostled for position on the second bend of the first lap, the Pirates twosome went on to record a facile 5-1 before a similar story in heat two saw Doyle and Ty Proctor hardly break sweat to account for King and Barker.

Kennett looked destined to restore some early pride for the Lions – until he was passed by Rory Schlein, the Aussie forging into the lead down the back straight on the third lap of heat three.

A partisan home crowd finally had something to cheer in heat four when Harris and Barker claimed a 5-1 over Holder and Proctor. While Harris showed his mettle to take the chequered flag, an enthralling duel for second place went right to the wire, with Barker holding off the late challenge of Holder.

Kennett almost raised the roof when he swept around the outside to take the lead in heat five, the Coventry man’s breathtaking manoeuvre propelling him from last to first, a position he would keep for the remainder of the race.

As Team GB took the lead for first time in heat six, Nicholls and Holder treated the crowd to a typically combative clash, the heavyweights enjoying a rare old battle with the Brit coming out on top.

Harris showed Schlein and Batchelor a clean pair of heels to take heat seven, although the Aussies turned a four-point deficit into a two-point lead with wins for Watt and Doyle in heats eight and nine.

Parity was the order of the day either side of an incident-packed heat 12, which saw Doyle excluded after he had taken a heavy tumble. And although Holder finally got the better of Harris in heat 13, wins for Kennett and the Team GB skipper put the finishing touches to a memorable evening.