Strauss and Cook expose Australian frailties

Day Four at the Gabba has seen England recover from their first innings deficit in considerable style, finishing the day in Brisbane on 309-1.

Centuries for England Captain Andrew Strauss and his opening partner Alastair Cook provided the mainstay of the tourists fightback, whilst Jonathan Trott was able to chip in with a positive half - century once the skipper had departed.

Australia, devoid of ideas and lacking in any real penetration, were put to the sword by the impressive threesome throughout the day and will now find it hard to respond with the second new ball already taken.

The match looks destined for a draw, with England the happier of the two sides, and further pressure will now be felt by Ricky Pointing, regarding his captaincy, going into the rest of the series.

England started the day looking to negotiate the dangerous new ball and begin to whittle down Australia's first innings lead. Strauss and Cook were relatively untroubled throughout the morning and were able to feast upon a succession of short pitched bowling from the Australian trio of Peter Siddle, Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus.

Strauss became the first of the pair to reach fifty, before Cook followed shortly afterwards and the pair batted serenely going into the interval. Very little had troubled the openers and the inexperience of Xavier Doherty, who bowled a mixture over overpitched and short deliveries, was becoming more prominent by the over.

But, it was Doherty who produced the only clear cut chance of the morning session when he had Strauss miss-hitting a flighted delivery straight to Mitchell Johnson at mid - off, who inexplicably dropped the chance.

The dropped catch summed up Johnson's match, who has bowled poorly throughout and looks miles away from the form that saw him become the world's best bowler in 2009.

After lunch Strauss would go on to complete his 19th Test century with consumate ease as Australia's attack began to fold rapidly. The England skipper was delighted to correct his first innings duck and and was fully deserved of the acclaim from all corners of the ground.

And, it was met with an air of disbelief when Strauss was stumped by Brad Haddin off the part time bowling of Marcus North for an outstanding 110, leaving the score 188-1. His wicket brought Jonathan Trott, another with a first innings failure, to the crease who immediately went about his business in a positive manner.

At the other end, Cook was accumulating through a mixture of nudges and nurdles, and it wasn't long after the tea interval when he brought up his hundred with a trademark cut off Siddle. The Essex opener's century had taken 204 balls and had been one of great character and application.

The pair continued to punish a tired Australian outfit and even a second new ball could not stem the flow, as Trott eased his way to fifty just shy of the close of play.

It had been England's day from start to finish and when Cook and Trott walked off at about quarter to seven they had built a lead of 88.