By Anna Thompson
Monty Panesar became the first English spinner to take a five-wicket haul in Perth as England grabbed the initiative in the third Ashes Test.
He made a dream start to his Ashes career, taking 5-92 off 24 overs as Australia were bowled out for 244.
But Australia hit back before the close, taking two wickets as England ended the day on 51-2.
On a pitch traditionally favouring fast bowlers Panesar shone, although Steve Harmison chipped in with 4-48.
Mike Hussey was the pick of the Australia batsmen but was left stranded on 74 not out.
After England's early stumble, Paul Collingwood went to stumps 10 not out, with Andrew Strauss unbeaten on 24.
Panesar dismissed Justin Langer (37), Andrew Symonds (26), Adam Gilchrist for a duck, Shane Warne (25) and Brett Lee for 10.
ENGLAND BOWLERS IN PERTH
The Sikh of Tweak, as he has become known in newspaper headlines, was selected ahead of Ashley Giles after being left on the sidelines for the first two games.
But the signs at first were looking ominous for the tourists at the Waca in a match they must at least draw to keep their Ashes defence alive.
They lost the toss and Australia's openers Langer and Matthew Hayden hit a flurry of boundaries to get off to a flying start.
But just as a decent opening partnership was gathering pace England struck back.
Hayden, who has been struggling for runs in this series, succumbed to Matthew Hoggard for the second time and nicked an outside edge to wicket-keeper Geraint Jones.
606: DEBATE
Harmison was denied the new ball by captain Andrew Flintoff but looked back to his best when he came into the attack as first change.
Ponting was averaging 149 with the bat after the first two Tests but he lasted just 11 balls as he was trapped playing across the line, falling lbw for two.
The run-rate quickly dried up for Australia and it could have been worse as Langer nicked Harmison to Flintoff at slip, but the England captain could only get one hand on the ball as he dived forward.
Flintoff brought Panesar on in the 23rd over, just before lunch, for his first taste of Ashes cricket and there was rapturous applause from the Perth crowd.
His first over was a maiden and then he struck with the first ball of his second over when Langer, attempting a forward defence shot, left a gap and his bails flew off to the delight of an ecstatic Panesar and England.
Clarke and Hussey were in no mood to surrender easily, putting on 51 runs for the fourth wicket and both looked in good touch against whatever England threw at them.
But just as Clarke was nearing a sixth Test fifty, Harmison hoodwinked him with a ball of extra pace and he mis-cued it straight back to the bowler.
Andrew Symonds, brought into the side following the retirement of Damien Martyn, signalled his intentions when he smashed Panesar for two sixes and a four in one over.
But Panesar had the last laugh when Symonds top-edged an attempted cut to Jones, who took the catch at the second attempt.
And his day got even better when a great catch by Ian Bell at short-leg sent Adam Gilchrist back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers.
Shane Warne was his next victim when he feathered a catch to Jones for 25 and Panesar completed the third five-wicket haul of his fledging 11-match Test career by dismissing Brett Lee lbw for 10.
In reply, England got off to a bright start before Glenn McGrath struck in the sixth over when Alastair Cook tried to cover-drive but instead found Langer in the gully region.
Brett Lee then bowled a beauty to Ian Bell, who nicked it behind for a duck.
England survived when a nervy Collingwood edged Stuart Clark to the slips while on four, but Shane Warne spilled the catch.
England's double centurion from the second Test breathed a sigh of relief and lived to face another day.