England speed to defeat

Brett Lee wheels away after dismissing Kevin Pietersen early on © Getty Images

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Australia wrapped up a resounding 277-run victory in the opening Ashes Test after England were swept aside on the final morning in Brisbane.

Resuming 354 runs adrift on 293 for five, the tourists had hoped to build on the momentum gained from a fourth-wicket stand between Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen worth 153 the previous day.

But, charged with batting out three sessions to pull off a highly unlikely draw - the victory target was a notional 648 - they lasted an hour and a half.

Australia picked up the last five wickets inside 21 overs to open up a 1-0 lead and take a significant step towards avenging their Ashes defeat last summer.

Pietersen, who resumed eight runs short of his sixth Test century, was unable to add to his overnight score before falling to the fourth ball of the day as England were bowled out for 370.

There was only fleeting resistance from the lower order, who had no answer to Stuart Clark's probing line on an increasingly unpredictable pitch.

Playing only because of Shane Watson's injury, Clark took the final three wickets to fall in claiming 4-72 and match figures of 7-93.

The most telling blow, however, was landed by Lee.

Glenn McGrath surveys the damage to Geraint Jones' stumps © Getty Images

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Charging in from the Stanley Street end, he used the opening delivery as a loosener before taking the new ball, then saw Pietersen clip a half-volley into the welcoming hands of Damien Martyn at short mid-wicket.

Geraint Jones, who resumed on 12 not out, briefly kept Australia waiting courtesy of a flurry of boundaries, only to be undone by a ball from Glenn McGrath which kept low and cannoned into his stumps via the inside edge.

England’s woes were compounded when Ashley Giles - picked ahead of Monty Panesar on the strength of his batting - was pouched at second slip by Warne for 23 after Clark found the shoulder of the bat.

Clark also accounted for Matthew Hoggard, not only pushing England to the brink of defeat but strengthening his claims for a place in the side for the second Test in Adelaide, when Australia are expected to include leg-spinner Stuart MacGill.

Hit in the midriff by a delivery that jagged back off one of the sizeable cracks in the pitch, Hoggard fell next ball, driving with the bare minimum of foot movement and edging to Warne.

England's fate was sealed when Harmison, who endured a trying Test to say the least, pulled Clark to McGrath at fine leg.