Australia v England - 1st Test

First Test, Brisbane, day five: Australia 602-9 dec &
202-1 dec beat England 157 & 370 by 277 runs

Kevin Pietersen's early exit effectively sealed Australia's win

Australia seized the initiative in the Ashes series with a 277-run win over England in the first Test at Brisbane.

They needed just 20.1 overs to finish things off on the final day after England resumed on 293-5.

Kevin Pietersen failed to add to his overnight score of 92 as he chipped Brett Lee straight to mid-wicket.

Glenn McGrath then bowled Geraint Jones off the inside edge for 33 before Stuart Clark cleaned up the tail to finish with figures of 4-72.

Despite the defiant batting of Paul Collingwood and Pietersen in their second innings, England could have no complaints about the result after being comprehensively outplayed on the first three days.

We'll be looking forward to bouncing back in the second Test England captain Andrew Flintoff

Any realistic chances of an incredible escape disappeared in the opening over as Australia took the second new ball.

In truth, there was nothing special about Lee's fourth delivery but Pietersen failed to keep it down and Damien Martyn held onto an easy catch.

After the shock of seeing the team's main hope dismissed so early, Jones and Ashley Giles resolved that England would not go down meekly.

The pair, controversially chosen ahead of Chris Read and Monty Panesar, justified coach Duncan Fletcher's faith in their batting ability with a series of boundaries.

606: DEBATE Flintoff is in desperate need of a good score with the bat - it's been a very long time since he hit a big score in any format Oliver Brett - BBC Sport Brisbane player ratings

Jones hammered Lee through extra cover for four and added another by clipping the next delivery off his toes through mid-wicket with perfect timing.

Giles joined in by flashing McGrath wide of point for his first boundary and when the veteran seamer responded by digging in a short one, he calmly lifted it over the slip cordon to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

The positive approach led to Jones's undoing on 33, however, when he tried to force McGrath away through the off-side and was bowled off the inside edge.

England keeper Geraint Jones plays on to Glenn McGrath

Lee was replaced after five overs and replacement Clark did not waste any time in making the next breakthrough.

Having been carved away for four by Giles (23), he produced a good one which took the outside edge and Shane Warne took the catch at first slip.

The same combination then accounted for Matthew Hoggard for nine.

Warne, who picked up four wickets on the previous day, was given a chance to take five in an innings for the 37th time in Tests when he replaced McGrath.

But he was shown little respect by England's last-wicket pair as Steve Harmison hoisted the ball over long-on for four and then swiped another boundary before Jimmy Anderson lofted Warne (4-124) through the covers to open his account.

That was the end of the scoring, however, as Harmison (13) pulled the first ball of Clark's next over to McGrath at fine leg and Australia were able to begin their celebrations with two sessions to spare.