PERTH, Oct 28: England’s cricketers enjoyed the best day so far of their troubled Ashes tour when they seized control of their three-day match against Western Australia Monday.

Paceman Andy Caddick captured four wickets as England’s bowlers finally found their line and length to dismiss the home side for a modest total of 213.

England’s batsmen then responded with a cavalier approach to their first innings, with openers Marcus Trescothick and Robert Key smashing 54 runs off the first nine overs in an unbroken stand.

Things got better for the English, yet to win a match on tour, when Nasser Hussain won a rare toss and sent the home side in on a wicket full of life.

Scoreboard

WESTERN AUSTRALIA (1st Innings):

J.L. Langer c Crawley b Caddick 13

S. Meuleman c Stewart b Harmison 21

C. Rogers c Stewart b Caddick 7

M.E. Hussey c T’cothick b Caddick 0

M. North not out 71

R.J. Campbell c Caddick b Harmison 37

G.B. Hogg lbw b Giles 22

M. Nicholson c Key b Jones 19

S. Karppinen b Giles 1

B. Williams lbw b Giles 3

J. Angel c Key b Caddick 4

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-7, W-2, NB-4) 15

TOTAL (all out, 65.5 overs) 213

FALL OF WKTS: 1-34, 2-51, 3-52, 4-54, 5-120, 6-163, 7-194, 8-197, 9-202.

BOWLING: Caddick 19.5-9-49-4 (1nb); Jones 14-3-49-1 (2nb, 1w); Harmison 11-3-30-2 (1nb, 1w); White 10-3-34-0; Giles 11-0-42-3.

ENGLAND (1st Innings):

M.E. Trescothick not out 21

R.W.T. Key not out 33

TOTAL (for no wkt, 9 overs) 54

TO BAT: M.A. Butcher, N. Hussain, J.P. Crawley, A.J. Stewart, C. White, A.F. Giles, A.R. Caddick, S.P. Jones, S.J. Harmison.

BOWLING: Williams 4-0-25-0; Karppinen 4-1-19-0; Nicholson 1-0-10-0.—Reuters