Mike Hussey picked through the few positives on offer for Australia after day one of the third Ashes Test, and found solace in that Australia had, at least, made it to 268 all out before replying reasonably well with the ball.

Fast bowlers James Anderson and Chris Tremlett shared six wickets on Thursday as England's decision to bowl first across a trying Perth pitch proved beneficial, with Hussey's half-century as good as it got from the hosts' top six batsmen.

The Aussies were reeling at 137 six once Western Australian veteran Hussey had departed for 61, and it was left to wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin (53), all-rounder Mitchell Johnson (62) and tail-ender Peter Siddle (35 not out) to scrape together the remaining runs on offer.

"It was tough conditions out there, especially early on with the new ball. But I have played in a few matches at the WACA and first-innings innings totals here have been in the mid-200s, so I don't think we are out of it altogether. We have to bowl well early on Friday and get some wickets," said the 35-year-old left-hander.

England had progressed to 29 without loss by stumps in reply to the home side's substandard first-innings tally, with openers Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss having successfully seen off some sharp opening throes by Australia's four-man pace attack.

"It was hard work for most of the day. Even well after lunch the ball was still seaming around. For us, we started quite well with the ball and with some luck we can make some inroads come Friday," added Hussey.

Hussey defended the exclusion of left-arm spinner Michael Beer from the Australian starting XI, insisting that the conditions demanded a fourth specialist seamer rather than a slow bowler.

"I think looking at the pitch it has a lot of grass on it and maybe and it came down to who they thought would get more wickets from the fourth bowling option - a seamer or a spinner," he concluded.

"That's the way they went and we need to back that up 100 percent. We have good artillery there and we need to make sure we use them well."