Ashes 1st Test at Gabba Day 4: Australia trounce England by 381 runs

Mitchell Johnson took five for 42 as Australia dismissed England for 179 in the Brisbane twilight to comprehensively win the first Ashes Test by 381 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the series on Sunday.

It was a first victory in 10 Tests for Australia after losing a series 4-0 in India and another in England 3-0 this year, and a first win in eight Ashes contests since the Perth Test in 2010.

Only the weather, which delayed play twice for a total of more than two hours, looked like extending the contest to a fifth day but Johnson put paid to that idea when he dismissed James Anderson caught and bowled in fading light at the Gabba.

England's hopes of a result at Brisbane had been slim at best when they were set 561 to win and lost two second innings wickets for only 24 runs on Saturday evening.

They were shattered when the dismissal of captain Alastair Cook for 65 triggered a collapse from 142 for four to 160 for eight in the 45 minutes between the two weather disruptions.

Left-arm quick Johnson, who took 4-61 as the tourists were skittled for 136 in their first innings, claimed his eighth Test five-wicket haul to walk away with the man of the match award.

"A fantastic start, some fantastic individual performances, no more so than Mitchell Johnson," said Australia captain Michael Clarke.

It was spinner Nathan Lyon (2-46) who made the key breakthrough, though, by dismissing Cook.

Cook, who scored 235 not out in his second innings in the last Ashes Test at the Gabba, had played a composed and defiant innings with just three boundaries before a dramatic hailstorm forced the players off the field.

Six balls after the resumption, Lyon got a little bit of extra bounce out of the surface and Cook caught a top edge with an attempted cut with Brad Haddin taking the catch behind the wickets.

England were only able to add only six runs for the next three wickets with Matt Prior (4), Stuart Broad (4) and Graeme Swann, whose miserable match continued when he got a second duck, quickly following their captain back to the pavilion.

As in the first innings when England lost six wickets for nine runs in one spell, Lyon was just as involved as Johnson and it was he who had Prior caught at leg slip by David Warner after just eight minutes in the middle.

A bullish Broad lasted just three deliveries and five minutes before he got the faintest of touches to a Johnson delivery which again Haddin snaffled up.

Swann lasted just two balls before a meek fend at a Johnson snorter saw the ball fly into the hands of a diving Steve Smith in the slips.

England regrouped sufficiently to survive until the rain starting falling again but the storm passed reasonably quickly and the players were back out with an hour of play remaining.

Chris Tremlett blocked for seven runs until a rising Ryan Harris ball came off the splint of his bat into the hands of George Bailey at short leg, leaving Joe Root (26 not out) and Anderson as England's last two batsmen.

"It's only one Test match, though, I'm sure England will come back bigger and stronger. We've got a lot of work to do to achieve what we want to achieve," added Clarke.

ENGLAND SECOND INNINGS

Mitchell Johnson made all the difference to the Australian pace attack as he scalped five second innings wickets for match figures of 9 for 103 to give his side a thumping 381-run victory over England in the first Ashes Test at the Gabba, Brisbane, on Sunday.

Back in the squad after some impressive bowling performances in the ODIs in India, the leftarm speedster created fear in the English batsmen with some fiery spells to give the visitors plenty to think about for the next four Tests.

The first break, by way of bad weather, probably helped Michael Clarke to chalk out some plans in the dressing room as no sooner they came out they got the prized wicket of England captain Alastair Cook. Thereafter it was all downhill for the visitors who will have to rethink their strategy of tackling Johnson, who was outstanding with the bat as well with scores of 64 and 39 not out.

Root is lucky to survive a run-out as Warner throws the ball to Lyon who clips the bails with his elbow before collecting the ball. Sigh of releif in England camp but for how long.

England are 172 for 9 after 78 overs.

A short ball which shoots up and Tremlett tries to defend only to pop it into the hands of Bailey at forward short-leg.

C Tremlett c Bailey b Harris 7 (47m 41b 1x4 0x6)

Joe Root looks calm and composed, hits Harris down the ground for a four. Testing time for the young lad.

Good news for the Aussies as play is set to resume at 11am. They would like to finish it off today rather than come back tomorrow.

The covers are back on after rains come down more heavily. Australia are just two wickets from victory while England need another 401 runs. Tough ask.

Rain threatens to stop play once again as Australia are just two wickets from victory.

Johnson is on fire here as the England tail is exposed. Four wickets fall for 11 runs after play resumed.

G Swann c Smith b Johnson 0 (1m 2b 0x4 0x6)

Broad tries to flick one down the leg side at the ribcage height but gets the edge to Haddin. A nice ploy by Johnson for his fourth wicket.

Clarke's plans are all working out well. A leg slip and it pays off as Prior pushes at one from Lyon and is caught by Warner.

M Prior c Warner b Lyon 4 (8m 8b 1x4 0x6)

A Cook c Haddin b Lyon 65 (226m 195b 3x4 0x6)

Play should resume in a few minutes from now and if the light holds then it will continue till noon with an early start tomorrow.

Afternoon session

We could have an early tea break as rain forces the covers to come on with Cook unbeaten on 65 and Joe Root on 6.

Cook is dropped first ball after drinks break by Clarke at first slip off Lyon.

At the drinks break England are 134 for 4 after 56 overs. Still need another 427 runs for a win.

Dark clouds hover around the stadium as the lights come on. England would be praying for rain to save them the blushes.

England were beginning to look good but Siddle ends the 58-run partnership between Bell and Cook.

Bell is caught by surprise by this one from Siddle and nicks it to Haddin. England 130 for 4 after 53.1 overs.

I Bell c Haddin b Siddle 32 (101m 70b 3x4 0x6)

The 50 partnership comes up between Cook and Bell. England 122 for 3 after 49.3 overs.

Cook gets to his 33rd fifty in his 98th Test match with a boundary of Johnson. Good going captain.

England 105 for 3 after 45 overs.

Morning session

Australia got the crucial wicket of Kevin Pietersen as the hosts set themselves up for a big win after England, set a target of 561, were 98 for 3 at lunch on Day 4 at the Gabba.

Pietersen, playing in his 100th Test, fell to Johnson for 26 after trying to pull him down the leg side only to give substitute fielder Chris Sabburg an easy catch. However, Cook was unbeaten on 40 and giving him company is Ian Bell on 20.

England have added 74 runs from their overnight score of 24 for 2.

Bell gets into attacking mode, hits Steven for two fours as lunch is just a few minutes away.

Clarke tries various options by bowling Steven Smith and Shane Watson. England 84 for 3 after 40 overs. 

Bell hits a boundary after a long time. 

England 76 for 3 after 35 overs.

Pietersen plays a very casual shot holing out to substitute fielder Chris Sabburg at deep backward square leg. Not a shot Kevin would like to remember in his 100th Test.

KP Pietersen c sub (C Sabburg) b Johnson 26 (95m 52b 2x4 0x6)

Cook and Pietersen see off the first hour of the 4th day's play. England 71 for 2 after 29 overs. 

Fifty partnership for Cook and Pietersen. That should settle a few nerves in the England dressing room.

With Cook and Pietersen looking settled, Clarke throws the ball to Johnson. England 59 for 2 in 25 overs. 

Pietersen takes on Nathan Lyon, gets nine runs off his first over. England 50 for 2 after 23 overs.

Cook and Pietersen look a little more settled now after some edgy moments.

England 39 for 2 after 21 overs. Still a long way to go.

Pietersen seems to be struggling against Siddle, beaten thrice in one over.

Straight drive by Pietersen past the bowler Harris for four. That should give him confidence.

England will bank on their two most senior players captain Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen to try and bail them out from what looks like a hopeless situation, while Australia will look to wrap up the next eight wickets as quickly as possible.

Some exciting action is on the cards on the fourth day at the Gabba on Sunday.

Irrepressible Australian opener David Warner said he detected fear in the eyes of the English after brushing aside a troubled year off the field with a brilliant century on it in the first Ashes Test at the Gabba on Saturday.

Warner scored 124 and combined with his captain Michael Clarke in a third wicket partnership of 158 runs to help his country take a firm grip on the contest and leave England needing to score a record 561 runs in their fourth innings for victory.

After paying credit to his bowlers for skittling England for 136 on Friday, Warner laid out a somewhat unsophisticated gameplan for how they would go about securing Australia's first Test victory in 10 matches over the next two days.

"We'll take the third wicket tomorrow morning and hopefully we take the rest after that," he told reporters.

"Our bowlers are bowling fast at the moment. England are on the back foot. It does look like they've got scared eyes at the moment.

"The boys are on a high at the moment but we have to get the job done and come out tomorrow and take eight wickets. It will be massive to get a 1-0 lead in the five-Test series."

The 27-year-old missed the first two Tests in the opening Ashes series of the year, which Australia lost 3-0, after punching England batsman Joe Root and has also been disciplined for a Twitter rant against a couple of journalists.

It was off Root's bowling that he secured his fourth Test century, and first against the English, but Warner was not interested in any discussions about redemption.

"I'm just going about my business the way I have to score runs for the team," he said.

"And that's what I have to do. It's not about me getting the public perception back or anything, it's about me trying my best for the team, and us trying to be in position to win games."

It was not a typical Warner innings in that he struggled to get on strike initially as England's bowlers tried to get Stuart Broad bowling the short stuff at Clarke, who had fallen victim to the England paceman six times in his last six Tests.

"I felt highly respected there, giving me the one. Obviously they wanted Broady fresh and wanted him to go probably hard at Michael," Warner laughed.

"And Michael counteracted that and scored an almost run-a-ball hundred.

"Credit to Michael, the way he played. He's always going to take it on, and if it's not there, he'll leave it. And that's what he did today, and led from the front."

Warner had signalled his intentions at the Gabba by hooking the first ball he faced in the match, a risk England fast bowler James Anderson was not at all surprised to see the brash Sydneysider take.

"That's just the sort of player he is, he's an attacking player and today was almost perfect for someone like that, he could go out there almost carefree and take the attack to the bowlers," Anderson said.

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