Brisbane: Australia was on course to batting England out of the opening Ashes Test after dismissing the tourists for a 167-run innings lead at the on Saturday.

Steve Waugh's team took charge of the first of five Tests by restricting England to 325 in its first innings and then building on that in the day's final session.

At stumps, the Australians were 278 runs in front at 111 for two with Matthew Hayden on 40 and Damien Martyn not out 40 and two days' play remaining.

Andy Caddick gave the tourists some early hope by removing Justin Langer (22) and first-innings centurion Ricky Ponting (3) in the first 13 overs but in-form Hayden continued to prove a massive obstacle.

Hayden, who made Nasser Hussain's men pay dearly for three lives on his way to 197 in the first innings, was establishing the platform for a possible innings declaration of around 450 by tea on Sunday's fourth day.

England has never won an Ashes Test scoring beyond 332 runs in the fourth innings of a match.

Caddick produced two super deliveries to dislodge Langer and Ponting. Langer could only edge a shooter to 'keeper Alec Stewart and Ponting got a wicked one short of a length, which he gloved to Marcus Trescothick at first slip.

John Crawley played a fighting rearguard with an unbeaten 69 as England lost its last eight wickets for 155 after resuming on Saturday at 158 for one.

Crawley, who had a mediocre 23 Ashes average batting in Australia, showed plenty of spirit to repulse Australia's new-ball bowlers Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie to post his ninth Test half-century.

With fast bowler Simon Jones sitting in the stands armed with crutches and unable to bat because of a serious knee injury, England was reduced to nine wickets and play continued for 18 minutes beyond scheduled tea before Matthew Hoggard succumbed.

McGrath and Gillespie unhinged the England batting with inspired spells after lunch.

Gillespie, bowling at full tilt after overcoming a calf injury on Friday, got the big wickets of Hussain (51) and Stewart (0) in the space of three balls, while McGrath removed Craig White (12).

Ashley Giles became Andy Bichel's first of two wickets when he nicked to Gilchrist for 13.

McGrath finished the innings with four wickets adding the scalp of White to his earlier dismissals of Mark Butcher, Trescothick and Michael Vaughan.

Gillespie squared up Hussain who edged to Gilchrist while Stewart intended to leave a ball outside his off stump only to get an inside edge on to his stumps.

White showed poor judgement to offer no shot and was bowled off stump by McGrath.

Caddick lasted just three balls before he edged to Ponting at second slip off Bichel for a duck and Hoggard became Warne's only wicket when he nicked to Hayden at slip for four to end the innings.

McGrath struck two killer blows removing Butcher and Trescothick in his third over of the day. England added 12 runs before Butcher sliced an intended drive chest-high to Hayden in the gully off McGrath's first delivery of the over.

Butcher was out for 54 ending a 121-run second wicket partnership with Trescothick. His half-century came off 126 balls in 162 minutes with four boundaries.

McGrath was on the money again with the last ball of his 19th over when he got movement off the pitch and Trescothick edged to Ponting at second slip. Trescothick, who cracked two boundaries off McGrath's opening over of the day, went for 72 leaving England at 171 for three.

Trescothick batted for 217 minutes and faced 158 balls with 12 fours and a six off Warne on Friday.

McGrath has now taken 407 wickets in his 88th Test match.

Copyright AFP 2001

Extras:
Scorecard
England fights back in first Ashes Test vs Australia
Gillespie in fitness scare, hurts soft tissue of calf