Australia dominate morning session

Resuming the day leading by 44 on 479 for five, Australia made serene progress for most of the morning session until England captain Andrew Strauss decided to pair left-arm spinner Monty Panesar and off-spinner Graeme Swann in the attack.

Although neither spinner managed to halt the unbroken 103-run partnership between North (101 not out) and Haddin (50 not out), who guided Australia into a 142-run lead at lunch, they immediately caused more problems and will have provoked concern within England's ranks as they prepare for the prospect of batting last.

North, unbeaten on 54 overnight, became the third Australian to reach his century in this match in his maiden Ashes innings shortly before the interval to continue their dominance of England's attack.

Strauss finally turned to spin in the 14th over of the morning and Swann was introduced at the Cathedral End three overs later and immediately made an impression with neither North or Haddin suddenly looking comfortable at the crease.

Australian wicketkeeper Haddin, who resumed overnight on just four, dominated the early run-scoring and survived an lbw appeal in Swann's second over after he had progressed to 35 with umpire Aleem Dar rightly ruling the ball had hit his pad outside the line of off-stump.

England's spinners were such a threat they were able to slow Australia's run-rate and they were denied a boundary for nine overs until Haddin broke the sequence with a late cut for four off Swann.

Despite the encouraging performances of both spinners, England decided to take the third new ball three overs before lunch which provided the signal for Australia to push on against the harder ball.

Andrew Flintoff's first over with it went for 10 runs and North scrambled a two in the next over from Anderson just behind point to claim his second Test century in the penultimate over before lunch.

Haddin claimed a milestone of his own in the final over of the session when he scrambled a single off Flintoff to reach his half-century to become the fifth Australian batsman to pass 50 in the innings.