Martyn delighted with his dazzling century

Butcher battled well as the light faded, finishing unbeaten on 15 with Marcus Trescothick on 21, fighting what appears to be an impossible uphill struggle.

Rain had wiped out much of the morning session, and after Steve Waugh had fallen at the start of play, Martyn and Gilchrist combined to pile on the runs for the tourists.

The heavy downpours dampened Darren Gough's earlier efforts after he claimed the scalp of centurion Waugh with his sixth ball of the day.

The Australian captain had batted magnificently on Friday, but fell on 105 (181 balls) to the England opener leg before without playing a stroke.

England failed to capitalise after their early success but they weren't without their chances.

Gough finished with three wickets, but Andy Caddick will feel unlucky not to have claimed Gilchrist on two occasions.

The wicketkeeper edged over third slip when on five, and, just after lunch, flashed at another but the diving Craig White could not hold at gully.

Waugh fell to Gough after a fine knock of 105

With Gough's opening delivery after lunch it was Martyn's time to benefit, as both Atherton and Alec Stewart failed to get hold of a thin edge.

Butcher started the Australian mini-collapse, claiming Martyn for 105, caught spectacularly by Marcus Trescothick, just minutes after he reached his milestone.

Jason Gillespie (0) then fell leg before, while Brett Lee (0) and Shane Warne (8) both got snapped up in the first slip by Atherton.

Then upstepped Gilchrist to continue his heroics in battering the bowlers, before being caught by Caddick off White to finish the innings.

The 50 last-wicket partnership with McGrath had been amazingly completed without the fast bowler getting off the mark.

The day belonged totally to Gilchrist and Martyn with their swashbuckling innings.

How England could do with two centurions to keep them in touch in this highly entertaining opening Ashes Test.

England: N Hussain (Essex, capt), MA Atherton (Lancashire), ME Trescothick (Somerset), MA Butcher (Surrey), IJ Ward (Surrey), AJ Stewart (Surrey, wkt), U Afzaal (Nottinghamshire), C White (Yorkshire), D Gough (Yorkshire), AR Caddick (Somerset), AF Giles (Warwickshire).

Australia: SR Waugh (capt), ML Hayden, MJ Slater, RT Ponting, ME Waugh, DR Martyn, AC Gilchrist (wkt), SK Warne, B Lee, JN Gillespie, GD McGrath.

Umpires: SA Bucknor (WI) & G Sharp (Eng).