England duo spark fightback

Onions set the tone with three early wickets and Anderson produced a remarkable spell of four for four as the Australians slumped to a lunch score of 203 for eight at Edgbaston.

Durham fast bowler Onions began in stunning fashion from the City End with wickets from the first two balls of the day.

Lancashire paceman Anderson followed up with a quartet of victims shortly before lunch as Australia, who resumed on 126 for one, totally relinquished their overnight dominance.

Andrew Strauss' decision to open with Onions paid immediate dividends as makeshift opener Shane Watson failed to add to his overnight 62 as he played around a fullish delivery and was hit on the pads to give umpire Aleem Dar an easy lbw decision.

Onions' next ball removed new batsman Michael Hussey, who shouldered arms to a delivery which angled back enough to clip the top of off-stump.

Onions claimed his third victim of the day in the ninth over of the morning to dismiss Ricky Ponting for 38 when he was surprised by a quicker one with extra bounce, which he attempted to hook and gained a feather-edge on its way through to wicketkeeper Matt Prior.

Anderson was gifted a first success by an inswinger to Michael Clarke, which was given out by South African official Rudi Koertzen, despite the ball appearing to veer past leg-stump.

When Marcus North's frustration at England persevering outside off-stump boiled over, a drive was hauled in one handed by wicketkeeper Prior and Mitchell Johnson followed next ball, given out lbw leaving an Anderson delivery alone.

Although Anderson failed to convert the hat-trick opportunity he confirmed an early lunch when, operating from wide of the crease, he produced a perfectly-pitched outswinger which hit the off-stump of debutant Graham Manou.