England on course for another crushing Ashes defeat

ENGLAND remained on course for another convincing Ashes defeat after they were outclassed on a lively Perth surface - and then suffered yet another possible addition to their ever-lengthening casualty list.

Knowing they needed a vastly-improved performance in the third Test if they were not to lose both the series and the Ashes, the tourists instead reserved their worst day’s cricket of the tour for the crucial opening day.

Dismissed for a lowly 185 after winning the toss again and deciding to bat, they were then smashed all around the WACA with Ricky Ponting guiding Australia to within 59 of parity on 126 for two with a whirlwind 43.

Yet perhaps the most worrying news for their long-term prospects of beating any Australian opposition before the end of the tour was the revelation that Yorkshire fast bowler Chris Silverwood had been sent for a scan after going over on his left ankle.

Just like the opening two Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide, the tourists were given a solid start before a record first day WACA crowd of 22,523 were treated to the familiar scenario of a collapse, this time losing seven wickets for 84 in 34 overs, with Brett Lee celebrating his return to international cricket with a fiery and hostile performance which earned him figures of three for 78.

As if that was not enough of a humiliation, Australia even had time to poke fun at the tourists by introducing part-time seamer Damien Martyn to the attack for the final over before tea - and he promptly dismissed top scorer Robert Key just three short of a battling half-century.

Lee, dropped at the start of this series after a disappointing return against Pakistan in Sharjah, provided the focal point for as menacing a spell as has been seen at this ground since Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson were in their pomp in the mid-1970s.

Mixing bouncers with full length deliveries, Lee dominated the England batting line-up and tore through the top and middle order, removing Trescothick to a catch behind from his 10th delivery of the day.

That demise prompted a collapse, aided by a mix-up between Michael Vaughan and Mark Butcher which led to the Surrey left-hander needlessly being run out, before Lee intervened again to remove captain Nasser Hussain to a catch behind while Craig White edged lamely to slip.

But his most menacing spell was directed at Key and Alex Tudor, who bore the brunt of two overs of raw pace and was hit twice on the upper body before edging Shane Warne to slip for his only wicket of the innings.

Humbled by their shambolic efforts with the bat, the tourists were almost equally ineffective with the ball with Silverwood’s four overs with the new ball costing 29, while Tudor was almost as expensive after conceding 51 from eight overs.