Australia pick up early wicket in fifth test

SYDNEY, Jan 2 (Reuters) Australia captured the early wicket of Andrew Strauss to reduce England to 58 for one at lunch on the opening day of the fifth Ashes test today.

Strauss departed for 29 when he top-edged a catch off fast bowler Brett Lee to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, handing the early initiative to the Australians who are chasing a 5-0 series cleansweep.

England opener Alastair Cook survived a torrid examination from Australia's trio of seamers to reach lunch unbeaten on 20 with Ian Bell on seven.

The first session, cut short by 40 minutes because of morning showers, began in emotional circumstances when Australia's three retiring players, Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Justin Langer, led their team on to the field.

McGrath was promoted to open the bowling ahead of Lee and was unlucky not to make an early breakthrough with his first spell.

He had a confident appeal for leg before wicket against Strauss turned down by New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden before Langer spilled a straightforward catch off Strauss at third slip when the England vice-captain was on 21.

Strauss also had a let-off when he sliced Lee between third slip and gully for the first of his three boundaries but his luck ran out when he gifted Gilchrist a catch with a wild flash outside off stump after putting on 44 for the first wicket, England's best start to the series.

Cook also rode his luck to reach the end of the session with two boundaries to his name, playing and missing several times, but was less reckless that Strauss.

Australia won the first four tests to regain the Ashes they lost in England last year and remain on course for their first series cleansweep since 1920-21.

Although the series ended as a contest after the third match, the final test took on extra significance when McGrath, Warne and Langer announced it would be their last one.

REUTERS DH HS0807