England crushed by Australian juggernaut

Australia destroyed England in just four days in the first Ashes Test at the Gabba. After declaring their second innings at 5/296, setting England the mammoth total of 464 runs to win, Australia bowled the tourists out for a humiliating 79 in 28.2 overs.

Man-of-the-Match Matthew Hayden set up and helped to complete Australia's victory. The left-hander destroyed England's attack with 197 and 103, but it was his two catches in the field, which broke the back of England.

Too much emphasis should not be placed on Hayden as the Australians, as ever, rallied and worked together to set up the definitive victory. Glenn McGrath (4/34) started the rot, trapping Michael Vaughan leg before wicket before he dashing opener had scored. Jason Gillespie (1/13) combined with wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist to remove Marcus Trescothick (1) for the sixth time.

The athletic Gilchrist dived to his left, taking the catch one handed to swing the momentum Australia's way. England were 2/3 and struggling. Captain Nasser Hussain (11) and Mark Butcher (40) delayed the inevitable while they saw off Gillespie, tea and the shine of the new ball.

But tea signalled the beginning of the end. Hussain nudged at a ball wide of the off stump from McGrath, edging to Ricky Ponting. Shane Warne (3/27) then bowled a ball down the leg side that missed everything, but Justin Langer, running round from fine leg, fired the ball in to Gilchrist who threw down the stumps to run John Crawley out for a duck after a late call.

Alec Stewart completed a pair as he was out first ball, slashing Warne to Hayden at slip, who juggled the ball before raising his arms in jubilation once again. England had now crumbled to 5/35 and had lost 3/18 in half an hour's play. Craig White (13) and Butcher rotated the strike and hit the odd boundary, but not even the class of the all-rounder or the guile of Butcher could save England.

White cut to a diving Hayden at fifth slip to give McGrath his 50th Test wicket at the Gabba. Ashley Giles (4) got a thick outside edge with Gilchrist doing the rest, leaving England at 7/74. Warne joined McGrath on 50 Brisbane wickets when Butcher tried to push a delivery to leg, giving Ponting a regulation catch. Andrew Caddick (4) and Matthew Hoggard (1*) adding five to the total before Caddick, trying to sweep Warne popped the ball high into the air for Darren Lehmann.

It was the relentless aggression shown by Australia that did for England. Great bowling and good catching fuelled the momentum, while poor batting and a silly run out contributed to the tourists' demise.

Earlier in the day, Hayden, Gilchrist (60*) and Damien Martyn (64) enabled Australia's declaration. Hayden scored his second century of the match, and Steve Waugh (12) declared to give Australia an hour at England before tea.

Hussain, who admitted it was a mistake to bowl first, will have to regroup his side ahead of the second Test in Adelaide, starting Thursday fortnight. Before then England travel to Tasmania to take on Australia A in a three-day match. To add to England's troubles, Simon Jones and Darren Gough are both returning to England and will take no further part in the series.