Cricket: England eye Ashes before Christmas

Australian captain Ricky Ponting watches as he is caught by Paul Collingwood in Perth yesterday. Photo / Getty Images

Australia were made to look like first-time visitors to the WACA ground as English hands closed ever more firmly around the Ashes on day one of the third Test.

Having lurched to 3-12 inside the first 15 minutes of the second Test in Adelaide on the way to an innings and 71-run defeat, the Australians were again undone by the new ball, this time in a manner reminiscent of so many past touring teams in Perth.

A forlorn 4-36 before lunch, they were ultimately bowled out for 268 on a lively surface after touring captain Andrew Strauss chose to field first upon winning the toss.

Ricky Ponting's men regathered some ground through Mike Hussey (61), Brad Haddin (53) and a free-swinging Mitchell Johnson (62), but were still in a parlous state on a pitch getting better for batting all the time.

A far more assured England reached 0-29 in 12 overs to the close, though Andrew Strauss did glove Ryan Harris narrowly short of Ponting at slip in the second over.

Strauss was unbeaten on 12, with Alastair Cook not out 17.

Victory for the visitors would give them an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series, meaning the tourists would retain the Ashes before Christmas.

Chris Tremlett (3-63) made the most of his inclusion for the injured Stuart Broad, gaining steepling bounce and late movement to account for Phil Hughes, Michael Clarke and Steve Smith.

Ponting (12), under enormous pressure to lift both himself and his team, was out to a blinding catch at third slip by Paul Collingwood from the bowling of Jimmy Anderson (3-61), seemingly unaffected by a dash home for the birth of his daughter.

Young quick Steve Finn (2-86) crushed Shane Watson's toe for an lbw verdict, later spent time off the field due to calf stiffness, then returned to have Johnson caught at square leg.

There was plenty of early life in the surface, and Hughes was discomforted by the short ball in Tremlett's first over.

But it was the follow-up that dismissed him for two, a full and swinging delivery beating an ambitious drive.

Ponting was intent on aggression, managing to send one pull shot through midwicket, before Anderson induced a fend to allow Collingwood to fly high to his right for a breathtaking snare.

Clarke (four) pushed limply at Tremlett, the third time in four innings his judgment has been found wanting around off stump.

Hussey was again left to repair the damage and played a few rousing shots - one top edge for six neatly illustrated the pace of the pitch.

Steve Smith's homespun technique was rendered inadequate by Tremlett, who coaxed an edge to slip soon after lunch.

Haddin and Hussey were again left to plug the hole, and they added a swift 68 to suggest a little more competitiveness.

But England's spinner Graeme Swann (2-52) is truly versatile, and on this paceman's pitch he straightened one just enough to touch Hussey's outside edge - given out on referral to the third umpire.

Firm-footed driving had brought many of Haddin's runs, and it eventually brought the end of him via Swann's smart catch at second slip.

Harris made his first runs of the series before being yorked by Anderson, who pointedly gestured for Johnson to "shhh".

Johnson's innings was silenced permanently on Finn's return, and some late entertainment by Peter Siddle (35) was ended when Swann deceived Ben Hilfenhaus.

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- AAP