Stewart was 53 not out and all-rounder Craig White was on one as England went to lunch at 5/119.

They trailed by 91 runs after losing two wickets for 83 runs in the first session.

Stewart came out after the loss of Robert Key (1) and took it upon himself to get the innings moving. He played aggressively and positively and looked to make runs. The 39-year-old got off the mark with a four to the square leg boundary.

Michael Vaughan started the day on 17 not out and was soon out-scored by Stewart on his way to 8000 Test runs.

Andrew Bichel got the first wicket of the morning and his second of the innings. Key played a lazy pull shot and found Darren Lehmann at mid-on who took the catch. At this stage, the paceman had two for none but with Stewart now at the crease he was soon punished for seven runs.

Stewart and Vaughan then upped the tempo and, for the first time in this innings, actually took on the bowlers. The two piled on 74 runs and added some credibility to England's top and middle-order.

Yet, it was Glenn McGrath magic in the outfield, not at the bowling crease, that gave Australia the breakthrough they needed. Vaughan, wanting to pull Shane Warne, didn’t quite get a hold of it and McGrath at his diving best caught the opener at deep mid-wicket.

McGrath’s brilliant catch may just have broken England’s back. The lanky paceman, dove fully out-stretched and the ball popped into his left hand, then into his right for one of the best catches of the season.

Until Vaughan's wicket fell, England had levelled the playing field quite a bit and had Steve Waugh’s men under pressure.

Australia will be keeping one eye on the batsman and one eye on the weather as rain has been forecast for 3pm local time.