Harry Brook counter-attacked in thrilling style after Australia picked up three early wickets on the first day of the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval.
England were 131-3 at lunch on Thursday, having been wobbling at 73-3. Moeen Ali was 10 not out, while rising star Brook was unbeaten on 48 off just 41 balls.
Australia have already retained the Ashes as they are 2-1 up with one to play after a rain-affected draw at Old Trafford last week.
But the tourists arrived in London determined to secure their first Ashes series win in England for 22 years.
Australia captain Pat Cummins won his first toss of the series and opted to field in overcast conditions that promised to assist the fast bowler and his fellow quicks.
Having outfielded England for much of the series, Australia dropped three catches in a morning session during which the hosts were well-placed at 62-0.
Australia, however, managed to reduce England to 73-3 either side of the drinks break.
Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett ensured England made a rapid start, scoring at a rate of six an over.
Crawley, fresh from his dazzling 189 in Manchester, drove Josh Hazlewood on the up four.
Left-hander Duckett almost took out non-striker Crawley when he thrashed an 85 miles-per-hour delivery from the fast bowler for another boundary.
Duckett, however, should have been out for 30 when he slashed at first-change Cummins's opening delivery, only for David Warner to drop a head-high chance in the slips.
Next over, Crawley, on 11, was also given a reprieve when a diving Steve Smith failed to hold a much harder slip chance off all-rounder Mitchell Marsh.
Fortunately for Australia, the errors were not too costly,
Duckett fell for a run-a-ball 41, caught behind down the legside off Marsh, although it needed the bowler's review to confirm the dismissal.
Crawley, the leading run-scorer in the series, was dismissed for 22 by a superb Cummins delivery, the equivalent of a fast leg-break, that the batter could only edge straight to Smith.
England's collapse continued when Joe Root was out for just five, playing on to an off-cutter from Hazlewood.
Australia should have had a fourth wicket when Brook, on five, edged Cummins, only for diving wicketkeeper Alex Carey to drop a one-handed catch when he might have got both gloves to the ball.
Brook then cashed in on his good fortune with several fine drives and cuts before taking 14 runs off three successive Mitchell Starc deliveries with a cover-drive and a cut for four off the left-arm fast bowler followed by a superb hooked six.
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