Gillespie got Trescothick for the 7th time in Tests

Marcus Trescothick was lbw to Jason Gillespie for a duck and Mark Butcher perished in similar fashion, struck plumb in front of middle stump by Glenn McGrath.

Nasser Hussain looked to have steered the side safely to stumps when Andy Bichel arrived in the attack, and promptly bowled the England skipper.

That left the tourists languishing at 36 for three, still requiring 174 to make Australia bat again.

The momentum that Australia had gained from a 242-run third wicket stand between Ponting and Damien Martyn was interrupted by four quick wickets during the afternoon.

But Bichel and Gilchrist added 77 for the eighth wicket in 14 overs of mayhem against an attack minus Andy Caddick, who left the field with back spasms.

Ponting hit just nine fours in a watchful knock

Australia declared when Gilchrist was caught behind for 54, attempting an extravagant hook.

Bichel had fallen three balls earlier, denied a maiden Test half-century when he played on to Matthew Hoggard for a 56-ball 48.

After sailing wicketless through the morning, the hosts lost Martyn five short of his century, fending Steve Harmison off his hip to Hussain at leg gully.

Runs still flowed, Ponting reaching 150 from 263 deliveries with successive boundaries off Caddick and Steve Waugh easing 34 runs from 40 deliveries.

Ponting followed Martyn back to the pavilion after six overs with his skipper, though, disappointed with the hook that found Richard Dawson on the square leg boundary.

White took three wickets in the afternoon

But if his second wicket, like that of Matthew Hayden on day two was lucky, White fully deserved the other two scalps.

Left-hander Darren Lehmann was pocketed by substitute slip fielder Andrew Flintoff after flashing at a delivery that left him.

And Waugh could not control a cut, Mark Butcher the beneficiary at gully.

Shane Warne began the revival with Gilchrist, hitting a risky 25 before providing Dawson with a return catch, and a well-deserved second wicket.

And Bichel helped Gilchrist finish the job as they took the total past 500 in emphatic style.

There was a small plus for England, though, as Michael Vaughan put a shoulder injury scare behind him to pull and hook the pace bowlers on his way to 17 not out at stumps.