England faced a long battle to save the first Ashes Test at the Gabba, after Michael Hussey and Brad Haddin's twin hundreds helped forge a monumental sixth-wicket stand of 307.

Hussey (195) and Haddin (136) put on a ground record for any wicket to help Australia pile up a first-innings total of 481 all out, and lead of 221, by mid-evening on day three.

That left an awkward period for England's openers to face before stumps but, despite a close lbw shout against Andrew Strauss from the first ball of the innings, they held out to reach the close at 19-0.

With the Australian pair resuming on 220 for five, England's four-strong frontline attack did not flag up to lunch but wilted afterwards. Steven Finn (six for 125) then took the last four wickets at a personal cost of 14 runs - but none of that altered the fact England would have to bat for the next day-and-a-half at least to stop their hosts going 1-0 up.

England suffered an early psychological blow when Hussey overturned an lbw decision on 82 after simulation indicated the ball from Anderson pitched just outside leg-stump. Hussey survived again when Aleem Dar this time turned down a similar appeal by Anderson - which might have proved successful, had England still had recourse to the third umpire.

It was not until Andrew Strauss introduced Swann, with Australia nine runs in front, that Hussey recorded his first four of the day. Haddin was starting to go through the gears, and when England resorted to Paul Collingwood, the wicketkeeper-batsman immediately went over the top.

His first attempt, on 63, gave England a half-chance. But Alastair Cook could not cling on with outstretched fingers running back from mid-off. By the time Anderson missed a similar, but easier, chance - at mid-on when Haddin mis-pulled Broad on 113 - it was clear England were suffering from their long toil.

England finally ended the stand, more than 24 hours after it started. Hussey got lonely without his long-term partner - holing out in the leg-side deep off Finn to make it two wickets in three overs for the addition of eight runs. Haddin had fallen to a one-handed diving catch at first slip by Collingwood, Swann finding the defensive edge from round the wicket.

Neither those wickets - nor that of Mitchell Johnson, bowled off his pads by Finn for a tortured, 19-ball duck, Peter Siddle or last out Xavier Doherty - significantly improved England's perilous position, though.

Strauss was spared the ignominy of a pair when he left the first ball of the second innings only to see it swing back and rap him on the pads. Aleem Dar was unmoved and a review showed he was right to judge that the ball was snaking just over the stumps. Ricky Ponting used five bowlers in the session without success and England will need much more of the same on day four to stand a chance of salvaging a draw.