Australia inched to 61-1 after bowling England out for 283 with Mitchell Starc taking four wickets on the opening day of the final Ashes test on Thursday.
Harry Brook propelled England’s “Bazball” brigade with an 85 at The Oval, where the Aussies — having already retained the Ashes — hope to win the series outright.
There were 31 fours and five sixes for the hosts though they lost wickets in costly clusters to be bowled out inside 55 overs.
Australia, which has a 2-1 series lead, reached 61 for one in response to trail by 222 runs at stumps as the visitors try to become the first Australian team to win outright on English soil since 2001.
“We’ve had decent day in the end,” Brook said. ”We were all talking about 250 being a decent score at lunch time and got 33 more than that. We ended up scoring at a decent rate but they bowled well."
Chris Woakes claimed England’s only wicket when David Warner slashed to second slip for 24. James Anderson again searched in vain for inspiration but was unthreatening in what is becoming a pattern.
England’s prospects were not helped by the absence of spinner Moeen Ali, who injured his groin while batting and did not take the field.
After winning its first toss of the series, Australia removed both England openers and also had the important wicket of Joe Root in a profitable first session.
Ben Duckett fell in the 12th over for 41 from 41 deliveries after a successful review from Australia for a gloved catch down the legside off Mitchell Marsh.
Australia captain Pat Cummins removed Zak Crawley for 22 in the next over, caught at slip by Steve Smith as the tide turned.
Root was a key wicket as he played on for just 5 attempting to guide a Josh Hazlewood delivery down to third man.
Arriving at 73-3, Brook decided to stay positive in England’s Bazball style, hitting seven fours and two sixes to race to the brink of a half-century by the end of the first session.
Brook hit Starc for consecutive fours and then a six in the penultimate over before lunch, but he’d also survived a dropped catch by wicketkeeper Alex Carey at the start of his innings and just seven balls after Root went.
Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow came and went without leaving a mark. Cummins pegged back his fellow captain’s off stump up with one that swung in and straightened off the pitch, while Bairstow got into a poor position as he dragged Hazlewood on.
Brook was suckered in by a fuller, wider offering from Starc. Brook threw everything at it but only succeeded in spraying a thick edge to Smith.
The heavy lifting looked to be done at seven down, but Woakes (36) and Mark Wood (28) had other ideas. Between them the pair added 64 in 65 balls.
Chances continued to come and Starc finished with four for 82 when Woakes holed out to end the innings.
Conditions were still bowler-friendly during England’s 25 overs in the field. Usman Khawaja was 26 not out from 75 balls and Marnus Labuschagne blocked for stumps.
