Warne Claims 600th Test Wicket

Shane Warne became the first player to take 600th Test wickets in bizarre style at Old Trafford this afternoon, but England retained the advantage in the third Test thanks to an unbeaten 93 from Michael Vaughan.

Warne reached his latest milestone when Marcus Trescothick mistimed an attempted sweep and paddled it with the back of his bat into the leg of Adam Gilchrist, who clutched the ball as it popped up into the air.

But that was Australia's only success in the afternoon session as Vaughan regained the form he had been missing in the first two Tests to lead England to a healthy position at tea.

After winning the toss and deciding to bat, England made a steady start this morning, reaching lunch for the loss of just Andrew Strauss after coming through a testing opening spell from Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee.

Only days after coming off crutches after injuring ankle ligaments treading on a cricket ball in the warm-up to the second Test, McGrath was named in place of Michael Kasprowicz in Australia's line-up alongside fellow injury doubt Lee, who had spent two days in hospital earlier this week with an infected knee.

The duo showed little signs of their injury worries as they immediately found their rhythm, troubling both Marcus Trescothick and Strauss.

McGrath almost claimed the scalp of Trescothick in his third over when the batsman edged one outside off stump, only for wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist to spill the chance.

Lee then fired down a bouncer which smashed into the grill of Strauss's helmet, leaving the batsman visibly dazed. Soon after, the paceman knocked over Strauss's off stump with an excellent slower ball to reduce England to 26 for one.

That brought Vaughan to the crease. The England captain looked in good nick from the outset, guiding two fours to third man off Jason Gillespie.

With the pitch offering little help to the Australian attack, Vaughan and Trescothick put on 137 before and after lunch until Warne claimed Trescothick (63), and then Ian Bell (14 not out) joined his captain to see England through to the tea interval.