England [Images] lost three wickets in the last hour before stumps to crash to 53 for three in reply to Australia's commanding 602-9 declared on the second day of the first Ashes Test on Friday.

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Glenn McGrath dismissed England openers Andrew Strauss [Images] and Alastair Cook [Images] in successive balls before Stuart Clark removed Paul Collingwood [Images] to leave the tourists reeling after Australia posted their highest total for 60 years in a home Ashes Test.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting [Images] fell agonisingly short of a double-century when he went for 196 while Mike Hussey (86), and Michael Clarke [Images] (56) helped themselves to half-centuries.

Skipper Andrew Flintoff [Images], who took 4-99, was again the pick of England's bowling attack as his side continued their bid to retain the Ashes they won in 2005.

Steve Harmison took the consolation wicket of Shane Warne [Images] despite another indifferent display that saw him bowl six wides and concede 123 runs off 30 overs.

James Anderson (1-141) and Matthew Hoggard [Images] (2-98) bowled better than Thursday but with limited reward.

Hoggard got the vital wickets of Ponting and Adam Gilchrist [Images] (no score), both lbw in the same over, to briefly give England hope of restricting Australia to less than 500, but Clark (39) and Brett Lee [Images] (43 not out) joined in the run-feast to push the total past 600 when Ponting mercifully called an end an hour into the final session.

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Strauss and Cook made a cautious start to England's reply before Strauss inexplicably threw his wicket away on 12 when he skied an unnecessary pull shot off McGrath behind square leg with the total on 28.

Hussey ran around to take the catch but collided with Lee and lacerated the paceman's left leg with his spikes. Lee was taken from the field to have the wound treated but returned to the pitch shortly after with no serious problem.

McGrath, playing his first Test since January after taking a break when his wife was diagnosed with cancer, then dismissed Cook for 11 with the very next ball, when he came round the wicket and squared him up and Warne held a sharp catch at first slip.

McGrath missed his hat-trick but Australia still bagged a third victim before the close when Clark found the edge of Collingwood's bat with a delivery that moved off the seam and Gilchrist gloved the catch to claim his 356th Test victim, putting him second only behind Ian Healy as Australia's most successful wicketkeeper.

Ian Bell [Images] survived a torrid 51-minute spell to reach the close unbeaten on 13 while Kevin Pietersen [Images] was not out six when stumps were drawn.

Resuming on 346-3, Hussey and Ponting shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 209, setting a new mark for the highest fourth-wicket stand in a Test at the Gabba and a record for the biggest fourth-wicket partnership in any Ashes Test played in Australia.

Hussey fell 14 short of a hundred when he was clean bowled by Flintoff then Ponting missed his double ton when he was trapped lbw by Hoggard for 196 after a magnificent innings over 463 minutes and 319 balls that featured 24 fours.