Superb catching and some ordinary batting allowed England to bowl Australia out for 268 on the first day of the third Test in Perth, before the tourists confirmed their advantage by advancing to 29 without loss at stumps.

Australia were expected to come hard at Andrew Strauss' side after their heavy defeat in Adelaide, and although that was the case it was difficult not to wonder whether early caution would have stood them in better stead.

England's bowling was not particularly special, and yet they were able to take advantage of Strauss calling correctly at the toss to put Australia in.

Bowling first was expected to hold a significant advantage, and although that ultimately proved the case as Australia were bowled out in 76 overs, the home side's top order were guilty of some premature Christmas charity.

That said, when resistance was put up by the Australian batsmen, the England bowlers produced wicket-taking deliveries to ensure that a lower-order fightback was not allowed to run away from them.

If anything, the fact that Australia recovered from 69 for five to post as many as they did served as confirmation that this is a good batting pitch, particularly as the ball gets older.

Australia's half-centuries were scored by Michael Hussey (61), Brad Haddin (53) and Mitchell Johnson (62), but most of the batsmen who came before them could not blame brilliant bowling or a deadly pitch for their demise.

Phillip Hughes played all around a straight one to grant Chris Tremlett (three for 63) a wicket in his first Test over for more than three years, and Michael Clarke gave him a second scalp when he went fishing outside his off stump.

In between those two dismissals, Ricky Ponting was guilty of going too hard at the bowlers and playing too often. He edged a James Anderson (three for 61) delivery which didn't require his attention, and Paul Collingwood took an outstanding one-handed catch diving full length to his right.

Shane Watson, who had a caught-behind decision overturned on appeal in the first over of the day, was trapped lbw by a Steven Finn yorker, to give England four wickets in the opening session. It didn't take long for Tremlett to grab their fifth after lunch, setting Steve Smith up with a short one before finding the edge with a full delivery.

Just about everything was going England's way, but from that point it became slightly more difficult. Hussey and Haddin put on a counter-attacking stand of 68, before Haddin combined with Johnson to add 52. It required something special to part the in-form batsmen, but England produced it.

Graeme Swann had been smashed for 10 runs in his opening over - including a six over long-on by Haddin - but bounced back to produce a beauty in his next one. Hussey was squared up by turn and bounce, and although his edge was not detected by the umpire, the catcher Matt Prior immediately called for a review and Hot Spot ensured justice was done.

Swann was also involved in Haddin's dismissal, leaping high to take an edge with both hands at full stretch above his head. It was another instance of England turning it on and make a turning point go their way.

Johnson's attacking strokeplay entertained the Australian crowd as he returned to something approaching his best with the bat, and it seemed to rub off on his bowling as he produced a confident over at the end of the day. The swing returned along with a higher arm action, and he looked a more assured individual to the one who went wicketless in Brisbane.

His dismissal with the bat, on 233 for nine, seemed to indicate the end for Australia but a spirited last-wicket stand of exactly 50 between Peter Siddle (35) and Ben Hilfenhaus gave Australia a mildly respectable total.

However Strauss and fellow opener Alastair Cook showed just how short of par 268 was when they reduced the deficit to 239 runs, suffering just one scare when a Strauss edge fell just short of Ponting at second slip.

The hosts face a crucial opening session tomorrow, when they will desperately need to make early inroads. The decision to go into the match with four specialist seamers - and thus omit Michael Beer - means that they may fall short of options should England's top order see off the new ball.

Shot of the Day
Johnson produced some trademark swishes to the leg side, but none were as impressive as Hussey's pull shots off Finn in the 40th over. The fast bowler was daft to be bowling so short, but the way Hussey found different gaps in the field throughout the over was brilliant.

Delivery of the Day
Given that conditions obviously favoured the seamers, this has to go to Swann for his dismissal of Hussey. Bounce was expected for the spinner but not this much turn, and it took Hussey by surprise as he edged through to Prior, whose excellent glovework today deserves a mention as well.

Defining Moment of the Day
Ponting's intent was clear from the moment he arrived at the crease. He'd spoken about playing attacking cricket, and went hard at the ball whether he was pushing outside off stump or pulling through midwicket. He looked in good nick, so Collingwood's incredible catch to dismiss him was a crucial turning point.

Tristan Holme