Ashes PHOTOS: Siddle takes five before England's bowlers fight back

Australia pacer Peter Siddle took five wickets to bundle out England for 215 in their first innings on day one of the first Ashes Test in Trent Bridge, on Wednesday.

James Anderson and Steven Finn led England's fightback with the ball with two wickets apiece to reduce Australia to 75 for four at stumps on the opening day, with Steven Smith on 38 and Phil Hughes on seven.

- SCORECARD: Ashes first Test

Captain Michael Clarke failed to deliver with the bat as he was bowled by James Anderson for a duck. Opener Chris Rogers (16) also didn't last long and was trapped leg before wicket by Anderson despite taking the review as Australia kept losing wickets at regular intervals in the final session.

Australia got off to a perfect start in the Ashes when pacer James Pattinson claimed the key wicket of England captain Alastair Cook for 13 in the morning session.

- SCORECARD: Ashes first Test

Cook, who elected to bat after winning the toss, chased a wide delivery but got an edge and was pouched by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, in the ninth over of the innings.

The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, The Red Arrows, performed an exhilarating flypast over Trent Bridge to mark the start of the Ashes Series, just moments before Alastair Cook faced the first ball of the series.

Before the flypast, the ceremony began with a pyrotechnics show along with a guard of honour, the Coldstream Guards military band, and opera singer Lesley Garrett who sang the national anthems.
 
Flying the Hawk aircraft at the front of the nine-jet formation over Trent Bridge was Red 1 -- Squadron Leader Jim Turner, Team Leader of The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows -- in its 49th display season.

England, who chose to bat, picked Steven Finn as their third fast bowler ahead of Tim Bresnan and Graham Onions. Australia opted to play leg-spinning all-rounder Steve Smith at number six and awarded a first cap to 19-year-old left-arm spinner Ashton Agar.

Australia made a surprise decision to leave out opener David Warner and relegate him to the Australia A team to play in Zimbabwe and South Africa. As a result, Steve Smith will stay on with the Ashes squad for the full tour in England, Cricket Australia announced.

Australia skipper Clarke was more than happy to accept his team were underdogs going into the start of the five-match series on Wednesday while England leader Cook was confident his side would handle the pressure of being favourites.

"We have been favourites in other series as well and I think it sits well," Cook said on Tuesday. "But cricket is not played on paper and it is all about delivering on the pitch.

Joe Root, opening for the first time in Tests, struck six neat fours in his patient knock of  30 but he was completely deceived by the first ball of Peter Siddle's second spell, a rapid full-length yorker which crashed into his stumps to end a second-wicket partnership of 51 with Jonathan Trott.

Kevin Pietersen, returning to the team after injury, was almost caught by a diving Brad Haddin down the leg-side but the tall right-hander looked in good touch and Trott drove Pattinson elegantly through the covers for his eighth boundary just before the interval.

Jonathan Trott was unbeaten on 37 at the interval with Kevin Pietersen on 10 as England reached 98 for two at lunch during an enthralling morning session.

Kevin Pietersen, returning to the side after injury, nibbled at a Siddle outswinger in the first over of the afternoon session and was well caught by Australia captain Michael Clarke at second slip for 14.

Jonathan Trott struck eight sweetly-timed fours and was two runs short of his fifty when he carelessly dragged a wide Siddle delivery on to his stumps to leave England in trouble at 124 for four.

Jonny Bairstow and Ian Bell shared a fluent 54-run partnership for the fifth wicket before Bell, on 25, limply hung his bat at a Siddle outswinger and edged a catch to Shane Watson at first slip.

Matt Prior then swatted a wide ball from Siddle straight to Phil Hughes at point to give the bowler his eighth five-wicket haul in Tests.

Jonny Bairstow made 37 before he was bowled by left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc as he tried to play a full delivery across the line but missed.

Starc got Steven Finn caught behind off the next delivery before Graeme Swann (1) was snapped up by Pattinson to end England's first innings.

England were dismissed for 215 having lost their last four wickets for two runs.

Steven Finn led England's fightback with the ball as he claimed two wickets off successive deliveries in his second over.

Shane Watson stroked 13 with the help of three boundaries before he was caught by Joe Root at third slip and Ed Cowan fell for a first-ball duck when he edged behind and was caught by Swann at second slip.