Ashley Giles and Simon Jones took three wickets each as England produced a clinical display to leave Australia in tatters in the third Test on Friday.
The home side, playing above themselves, took their first innings total to 444 just after lunch at Old Trafford, then scythed through the world champions' batting, reducing them to 210 for seven by the close.
- Detailed scorecard | Day 2 images | Complete coverageShane Warne was 45 not out with Jason Gillespie at the other end on four. Giles took three for 66 and fast bowler Jones three for 30.
Earlier in the day, Brett Lee and Warne had taken four wickets apiece for the touring side.
Australia need to reach 245 to avoid the follow-on, should England intend to enforce it. They have not suffered such an indignity in an Ashes encounter since 1986-1987 -- the last time England won the series.
The home side, who snatched a two-run win at Edgbaston last Sunday to level the series at 1-1, produced moments of brilliance on Friday, none better than an Ian Bell catch and a perfect left-arm spinner's dismissal from Giles.
Australia mirrored that with moments of uncharacteristic ineptitude, none worse that Simon Katich's shouldering arms to Andrew Flintoff, a decision which cost him his off stump.
Things went farcically wrong off the pitch as well.
Batsman Michael Clarke, sidelined since the opening overs of the match with back pains, had to be rushed to the ground from his hotel bed to bat with a runner as the Australian innings imploded. Like his team mates, though, he did not last long.
SOLID START
Australia had made a solid start to their reply shortly after lunch on a pitch which still seemed full of runs, Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden getting to 58 without great alarm.
Hayden needed some luck, surviving a big lbw appeal off Matthew Hoggard's second ball and spooning a return catch which brushed the same bowler's fingertips.
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With tea approaching, however, Giles -- and Bell -- broke through. Langer, on 31, danced forward, the ball squirted off bat and pad and Bell shot out his right hand to take an instinctive catch at short leg.
First ball after tea, Ricky Ponting went forward to Jones and looped a catch off the shoulder of his bat to gully, Bell the catcher again.
Giles then snared Hayden lbw on the back foot for 34 -- Hayden walked off with the shake of the head, considering the ball had pitched a fraction outside leg -- to make it 82 for three.
FLOUNDERING AUSTRALIA
Australia were now floundering as Giles, lambasted by the British media after the first Test and perhaps underestimated by his opponents, came over the wicket to exploit the rough while the tireless Flintoff thumped in from the other end.
With Clarke still recuperating, Katich came in but only managed 17 before falling to Flintoff, who angled a ball back and struck his off stump.
Giles then produced a beauty to rival Warne. It was not quite the ball of the century but it was a classic, pitching on Damien Martyn's leg stump and hitting off.
Adam Gilchrist was joined by Warne and the pair put on 53. Gilchrist, dropped twice in an over after just reaching double figures, threatened for a while only to snick Jones behind.
With a quarter-of-an-hour to go, Clarke bottom-handed a wild drive to mid-off after making seven and Australia had hit rock bottom.
The morning had not suggested such amateur dramatics.
England, resuming on 341 for five, had lost Bell immediately for 59 but re-asserted their authority with a jaunty 87-run stand between Flintoff and Geraint Jones.
Flintoff hammered 46 off 67 balls and Jones 42 off 51 as the Australian attack lost its length. Glenn McGrath, rushed back into the side from injury, did not take a wicket while Gillespie ended with one for 114 off 19 overs.
Both fell just before the break and the last four wickets fell for 11 runs in 25 deliveries.
Flintoff, having hit seven fours, gave his wicket away with a skied on-drive, offering Warne his 150th Test wicket against England.
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