Andrew Strauss defied Shane Warne to reach 92 not out and lead England to 213 for four at tea on the opening day of the fifth and final Ashes Test on Thursday.
The left-handed opener had put on 82 for the fifth wicket with all rounder Andrew Flintoff, who was on 39 at the interval.
The home side, needing just a draw to secure a first Ashes series win since 1986-87, recovered from 131 for four early in the afternoon after Warne had chiselled through the top order.
The leg spinner took four for 44 in a marathon 18-over spell spanning lunch.
England lead the series 2-1. Australia can retain the Ashes with a victory at The Oval.
Strauss's chanceless innings was intelligent, in stark contrast to some of the shot selection of his team mates.
His tactics were clear from the start, sacrificing his favourite square cut to kick Warne away off the front pad while cashing in on the other bowlers.
Flintoff looked almost as measured, only occasionally being tempted into trademark booming drives.
Until their partnership, the day had belonged to Australia or, more specifically, to Warne.
The Oval is a high-scoring ground and the best batting deck among England's Test venues. Having won the toss, England would have been looking to top 500 first time out.
At 82 without loss, they looked on course. At 131 for four early in the second session, though, English hopes looked horribly over-inflated.
Each of Warne's four wickets looked avoidable, but such is the leg spinner's psychological hold on batsmen that he seems capable of inducing errors at will.
The home team, having opted for an extra batsman in Paul Collingwood to replace injured fast bowler Simon Jones, were desperate to set the agenda.
MCGRATH HAMMERED
Glenn McGrath, who passed a late fitness test on an injured elbow, bowled four overs for four runs but was then hammered for four boundaries off 10 balls.
Strauss unfurled a square drive to the boundary, then drove the next wide of mid-on. Marcus Trescothick joined in with a pull and a drive past the bowler.
Brett Lee, too, was leaking boundaries, conceding five off four overs. Fast bowler Shaun Tait, in his second Test, replaced him and was sent back to the outfield after two overs costing 15 runs.
Ricky Ponting was thus forced to turn to Warne after a mere 13 overs and the wickets soon came.
Trescothick, having looked ominously comfortable in compiling 43 including eight fours, dabbed without conviction and edged to slip, Matthew Hayden taking a fine ankle-height catch.
Vaughan hit two boundaries off Warne but the England captain lazily clipped a catch straight to mid-wicket and Ian Bell departed for a duck, lbw as he pushed forward. Three wickets had gone for 22.
At 115 for three at lunch, England were kicking themselves. At 131 for four, they probably felt like kicking Kevin Pietersen, who played across a gentle leg spinner from his county colleague and was bowled for 14.
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