A typically aggressive Michael Slater innings of 76 not out steered Australia to 133 for two in reply to England's 294 on the first day of the Ashes at Edgbaston Today after an astonishing last wicket stand of 103 between Alec Stewart and Andrew Caddick.

Slater plundered four fours from the first over, bowled by Darren Gough, and his fifty came from 48 balls including 11 fours. At the close he had faced 77 balls and struck 13 fours. Mark Waugh was nought not out.

Matthew Hayden also contributed, his 35 featuring a pulled six off Craig White before the Yorkshire all-rounder took a superb left-handed diving catch at short midwicket off left-arm spinner Ashley Giles to dismiss him. Hayden had shared an exhilarating stand of 98 in 97 balls with Slater.

England struck again when Gough had Ricky Ponting lbw for 11 although television replays showed that West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor had failed to spot a no-ball.

That Australia were chasing close to 300 was due to Stewart and Caddick's remarkable 79-ball partnership. Shane Warne took five for 71 but even the leg-spinner's figures suffered as Caddick, batting with a broken thumb, helped Stewart stage the most improbable recovery in a breathtaking 58 minutes. Caddick finished unbeaten on 49 not out, his highest Test score.

Earlier Warne had enjoyed a spell of four wickets for two runs in 20 balls as England's middle and lower order wilted. It seemed as if England would be relying on usual lynchpin Michael Atherton, 48 not out at lunch, but he added just nine more runs to his total. On 57 he edged fast bowler Gillespie and Mark Waugh at second slip took a brilliant left-handed catch. Atherton had faced 107 balls and struck 10 fours but at 123 for three a collapse looked all too likely.