Aussies increase advantage

Australia captain Ricky Ponting hit 78 as the tourists dominated the opening day of the Headingley Test.

Ponting and Shane Watson shared a stand of 119 runs for the second wicket before both perished in consecutive overs in a spree of three wickets in four overs.

Nevertheless, Australia's position of 151 for four represented a 49-run lead.

It is a position from which it is hard to envisage them failing to level the npower Ashes series.

Makeshift opener Watson was dismissed two balls after registering his third half-century in as many innings when he attempted to whip the ball through the leg side to be leg before to Graham Onions.

Then Ponting followed to the same mode of dismissal when he fell to a delivery that nipped back from Stuart Broad.

When Broad then gained another lbw, from around the wicket this time against Michael Hussey, Australia had lost three for 18 runs.

The only previous success for England came in Steve Harmison's first over back in Test cricket since the winter when Simon Katich was held at leg gully from a delivery of extra bounce.