England has taken the contest to Australia despite teetering on the brink of a defeat which will leave the Ashes holders one down in the five match-series.
By stumps on day four of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane, England recovered from 91-3 to post 293-5, still 354 runs behind, with Kevin Pietersen 92 not out and Geraint Jones unbeaten on 12.
Earlier, Australian captain Ricky Ponting waited for Justin Langer to reach his 23rd Test century before declaring at 202-1, a lead of 647.
With a draw the tourists' best hope of salvaging anything from a lopsided contest, Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen at least signalled some intent ahead of the remainder of the series with a boundary-laden 153-run stand for the fourth-wicket.
But under-fire leg-spinner Shane Warne struck back after being on the receiving end from Collingwood and, in particular, Pietersen, with a return of 4-108 including his 300th Test scalp in Australia, that of Andrew Flintoff for 16.
His third victim Collingwood will still be shaking his head at his decision to charge Warne on 96, though, the second time the former one-day specialist has been dismissed on that score in his brief 16-Test career.
After playing a controlled innings - including sixes off Warne and Brett Lee after being dropped by Damien Martyn at short extra cover on one in the morning session - he gave stand-in skipper Adam Gilchrist a simple stumping four short of his maiden Ashes ton.
Gilchrist was leading the Australians after Ponting failed to take the field for England's reply to receive back treatment for an injury he received while batting in the opening half-hour.
England had attempted to target Warne, dancing down the wicket to negate the cracking surface with Hampshire team-mate Pietersen punishing any loose deliveries with a sequence of boundaries.
But Warne had the final word and might have taken his 37th Test five-wicket haul had umpire Steve Bucknor not turned down a vociferous appeal for caught behind with Pietersen on 44.
Promoted England opener Alastair Cook played well for his 43 before becoming Warne's second victim after the record-breaking leg-spinner had opened his Ashes account by claiming the scalp of the scoreless Ian Bell before lunch.
However, Glenn McGrath, struggling with a heel problem, was restricted to just 12 overs returning 0-30.
Opener Andrew Strauss and first innings hero Bell had earlier departed within half-hour of the lunch break.
Strauss will be disappointed he was sucked into getting out in an identical fashion to the first innings with Stuart Clark (1-56) tempting the left-hander into the big shot with a fine catch taken by substitute fielder Ryan Broad running in from fine leg.
Bell, England's saviour from a woeful first innings with a dogged half-century, then fell to Warne for a four-ball duck.
Cook and Collingwood reached a 50-stand in retaliation before Warne had Cook feeling outside off stump to a ball which pitched in the footmarks and flew straight to Mike Hussey at short leg.
At least, England had by then avoided its biggest loss by a runs margin when Australia won by 562 runs at The Oval in 1934.
But there remains three full sessions for England to negotiate despite an outside chance of rain on day five.
