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Perth: A disciplined and sometimes inspired bowling performance has given England a firm grip on the third Test in Perth as they bowled Australia out for 268 on the first day at the WACA.
Strauss and Cook have done well to get through until the close without wicket.
Sent in to bat on a greenish wicket and under overcast skies by English skipper Andrew Strauss, the Australian top order was torn apart, mainly through the efforts of Chris Tremlett, the replacement for the injured Stuart Broad, who more than justified his selection by taking 3-63 and doing some serious early damage.
The English bowlers were partly denied by some lower-order heroics from Michael Hussey, (61), Brad Haddin (53) and top-scorer Mitchell Johnson (62) but ultimately finished the day on a high as James Anderson also took 3-61, Steve Finn posted 2-80 and Graeme Swann chipped in 2-52 and the day's biggest wicket, Hussey's.
Tremlett's efforts to remove Phil Hughes (two) and Michael Clarke (four) in the first half hour, along with the dismissals of Ricky Ponting (12) and Shane Watson (13) had seen Australia slump to 4-36 thirty minutes before lunch.
Ponting was somewhat unlucky, the Australian captain removed by Anderson from a sensational grab by Paul Collingwood, who leapt a metre into the air to brilliantly take the catch, although it was a delivery Ponting really should have left well alone.
The same could be said for Hughes and Clarke's dismissals, Clarke looking especially nervous as he prodded at an outswinging delivery from Tremlett earning a fine edge through to wicketkeeper Matt Prior.
Things just got worse for Australia as the hosts slumped to 5-69 just after lunch when Steve Smith was caught at first slip, becoming Tremlett's third victim.
But from there, Australia dug in as Hussey and Haddin took to England's bowlers, smashing 68 from just 79 deliveries to show the pitch had improved markedly for batsmen after the morning devastation.
However, having been carted for 10 off his first over, Swann made the day's vital breakthrough when he produced a delivery from around the wicket that straightened considerably and caught the edge of Hussey's bat.
Umpire Billy Doctrove initially called it not out, but after wicketkeeper Matt Prior implored Swann to ask for a review, Hussey was eventually sent on his way for 61 as hot spot showed up the nick to perfection.
With Hussey and Haddin unable to reproduce the heroic triple-century stand from Brisbane, it was up to the wicketkeeper and Johnson to keep the scoreboard ticking, the pair adding 52 for the seventh wicket before Haddin's footwork let him down, his poor attempt to drive Anderson well caught by Swann overhead at second slip.
Ryan Harris may have come and gone for three as England looked to wrap up the Australian tail for a sub-200 score.
But the tourists certainly didn't count on the lower order offering some serious resistance as Johnson virtually put the heavy-hitting shots away and posted a disciplined 62, while Peter Siddle surprised with an impressive, unbeaten 35, his second-highest Test score.
With nothing to lose, Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus took to the English attack with some big hitting at the death, adding what might prove to be 35 vital runs for the 10th wicket before Swann wrapped up proceedings, earning an inside edge that bounced off Hilfenhaus's thigh to Alastair Cook at silly point.
Brief scores
Australia 268 (Johnson 62, Hussey 61, Haddin 53, Anderson 3-61, Tremlett 3-63)
England 29 for 0 (Cook 17*, Strauss 12*)
Status England trail by 239 runs
