Australia wins first Test

Australia has wrapped up a convincing 277-run victory over England in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane half-an-hour before lunch on day five.

After dominating the opening three days of play, the hosts overcame a valiant second innings English resistance to go one up in the five match-series as they set about regaining the Ashes.

The tourists' resilience was sorely tested when Brett Lee claimed the scalp of overnight not out batsman Kevin Pietersen for 92 just three deliveries after taking the second new ball.

And while Geraint Jones (33) and Ashley Giles (23) stuck doggedly to their task in the wake of Pietersen's dismissal, England's bottom three showed nothing other than indifferent defence as the field closed in.

Stuart Clark, who impressed after getting the nod over Mitchell Johnson, cleaned up the tail to finish with the figures of 4-72 after dismissing Andrew Strauss on day four.

With all England's hopes resting on the shoulders of Pietersen, he lasted just four balls of the day before giving Lee his first wicket of the second innings.

Pietersen, who shared a boundary-laden 153-run stand for the fourth-wicket with Paul Collingwood (96) on day four, was looking to attack Australia's new ball bowlers straight away but only ended up picking out Damien Martyn.

With Martyn expertly placed at short midwicket by captain Ricky Ponting, back on the field after being sidelined for the bulk of England's reply to receive treatment for a back injury, Pietersen drove hard at a half-volley straight to the delighted Martyn.

The South-African born 26-year-old had batted for the best part of four hours before falling agonisingly short of his sixth Test century.

Jones quickly doubled his overnight score with boundaries off both McGrath and Lee in a spirited cameo before playing on trying to force a good length ball from McGrath though the off side for 33.

Other than being a little expensive, the 36-year-old paceman showed no signs of discomfort, after receiving painkilling jabs yesterday for a blister on his left heel, to open his second innings account.

Clark then got in on the act with a deserved three-wicket burst, first squaring up Giles with the edge carrying to Warne at first slip before the pair combined to send Matthew Hoggard packing for 8.

Hoggard, who hung around for almost 50 minutes, had edged through slips earlier in his innings before Warne held on to a sharp chance.

McGrath then took the final catch when Steve Harmison pulled to deep square leg for 13.

Clark's match return of 7-93 has pushed him into contention to retain his place for the second 3 mobile Ashes Test in Adelaide starting on Friday.

Lee finished with 1-98 while McGrath returned 1-53.

On Sunday, leg-spinner Warne struck back after being on the receiving end from Collingwood and Pietersen with the scalps of Ian Bell, Alastair Cook, Collingwood himself and Andrew Flintoff.

His return of 4-125 included his 300th Test scalp in Australia when Flintoff holed out for 16.

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