Three and easy for Aussies

Favourites before the start of the series, England successfully came through the first half-hour of play after they won the toss and decided to bat first with Australia struggling to make an impact.

But despite picking an unfamiliar line-up - swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus and off-spinner Nathan Hauritz were preferred to experienced seamer Stuart Clark - Australia claimed the key wickets of Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss and Ravi Bopara as England reached 97 for three at lunch in Cardiff.

England captain Strauss had no hesitation in deciding to bat first after calling correctly with the hosts deciding to name Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann as a double spin threat rather than choose Durham seamer Graham Onions. They were also given a comfortable start with Strauss and Cook having few problems against Australian new ball bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Hilfenhaus during the first seven overs of play.

The turning point of the morning session came in the next over, however, when Cook played a loose shot outside off-stump off the back foot against Hilfenhaus, and was brilliantly caught by Michael Hussey diving to his right in the gully.

His demise brought Bopara to the crease hoping to build on his successive hundreds against West Indies earlier this summer, but became rattled by hostile bowling spells from Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle during the early stages of his innings.

Before Bopara had even got off the mark he was surprised by a short delivery from Siddle which hit him on the helmet grill and he was hit in the chest in the same bowler's next over.

Having weathered that early storm, however, Bopara never seemed to settle at the crease although he hit a superb on-drive for four off Siddle to release some pressure and then drove Johnson for two fours in the same over.

It was only a temporary reprieve, however, with Strauss falling for 30 three balls later when he was surprised by a short ball, which he fended high in the air and allowed Michael Clarke to run back from slip to take the catch.

And, just two overs before the lunch interval, Bopara's scratchy innings of 35 was ended when he played a checked drive outside off-stump to Johnson's slower ball which looped to Phillip Hughes at backward point.