Australia all out for 419, lead England by 260

MELBOURNE, Dec 28 (Reuters) Australia led England by 260 runs on the first innings after they were bowled out for 419 before lunch on the third day of the fourth Ashes test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground today.

England polished off the last three Australian wickets for 47 runs in an hour after the home side had resumed on 372 for seven with wicketkeeper Chris Read finishing with a record-equalling six catches for the innings.

Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds added just two runs to his overnight score of 154 when he nicked paceman Steve Harmison behind to Read with the total on 383.

Read, who was called into the England side for the first time in the series after Geraint Jones was dropped, took another clean catch when Stuart Clark edged Sajid Mahmood behind for eight, joining Jack Russell and Alec Stewart as the only English keepers to take six catches in an Ashes innings.

Read missed out on equalling the world record when last man Glenn McGrath was caught by Ian Bell at gully, giving Mahmood his fourth wicket, and leaving Shane Warne stranded on 40.

Warne, who is retiring from international cricket after next week's final Ashes test in Sydney, slammed six boundaries in his quick-fire innings to complete a fine double after taking five wickets, incuding his 700th career victim, in England's first innings of 159.

Reuters SBA VP0700