I MANCHESTER England. June 5: David Boon. Aus-trallas best bat sman over the past three years.

led from the front as Australia took command of the first Test against England on Saturday, reports Reuter.

Boon struck an unbeaten 85 as Australia stretrhed their lead over England to 310. At the close of the third day the tour ing team were 231 for three with captain Allan Border 29

The Australians batted with remorseless discipline and concentration against some indtf fere nt spin bowling after England had been dismissed for 210 tn their first innings. Opener Mark Taylor (9) and Michael Slater (27) were both tn the pavilion with the score at 46 but Mark Waugh, his Test

place in danger, batted with his customary elegance for 64 to take Australia out of any possible danger.

Ausiralia clinically wrapped up the England innings when play resumed on a hot, sunny day at Old Trafford

Leg spinner Shane Warne, whose first ball dismissal of Mike Gatting sparked a terminal decline in the England first innings on Friday, took a further wicket to finish with four for 51.

He was ably assisted by Merv Hughes who took four for 59 on a pitch offering no assistance to the pace bowlers.

England skipper Graham Gooch Introduced Peter Such early into the attack and the off spinner, who took six wickets in the first innings on his debut Test, added to his tally with the wickets of first inning century maker Taylor and Slater.

Unhappily for England that was to prove the high point of the day as the Australian batsmen took advantage of some poor day bowling by left -armer Phil Tufnell.

Tufnell pitched almost ex' chistvely outside the leg stump and the Australians accordingly prospered with Waugh striking five fours and a six during his 107 ball Innings before he was bowled by Tufnell.

The dismissal brought little relief for England as Border. the most prolific Test batsman of all time, lent able assistance to Boon

Earlier on Friday, Australia fought back fiercely in a fasci noting first Test with England to regain the upper hand after two days.

The tourists let slip a major advantage by sliding from 221 for two to 289 all out. but. spearheaded by leg-spinner Shane Warne, they had recaptured the initiative by stumps on the second day. with England 202 for eight

England had appeared to be coasting at 80 for one, following an opening partnership of 71 between Graham Gooch and Mike Atherton, which ended when Atherton, on 19. deflected a Merv Hughes delivery into Ian Healy's gloves.

There was no real panic in the England ranks, though, until Warne was belatedly introduced for the 28th over.

The bleached-blonde Victorian deliberately aimed for a rough patch fully nine inches outside Mike Gat ting’s left stump and then jumped for joy as the ball turned viciously to hit somewhere near the top of off stump.

Gatting stood motionless for several seconds as if wanting an explanation. Finally, he dragged himself away and pottered back to the pavilion, still shaking his head in disbelief, having made Just four.

One can only guess at the reaction in England's dressing room after their pitiful efforts at playing the Indian and Shri Lankan spinners during their disastrous close-season tour there.

Robin Smith emerged like a man walking out to meet a fir ing squad and although a straight-drtven boundary off Warne suggested his discomfort was an illusion, In the next over he pushed stiffly forward and edged a catch to slip.

Suddenly England were 84 for three and what followed from a side who have lost five consecutive Tests was only too predictable.

Gooch, having batted beautl fully for 65 to end an alarming personal trot of 17 international Innings without a half-century, drove a Warne full toss to Brendon Julian at mid on.

Soon afterwards Graeme Hick, on 34, slashed a wide, long hop from Merv Hughes Into the covers, where Allan Border held a leaping chance.

Chris Lewis was brilliantly taken at the second attempt by David Boon at short leg for nine to give Hughes another success, before debutant Julian completed England's misery with two quick strikes.

First Phillip DeFreitas fell lbw six to the tall left-arm pace bowler. Then Alec Stewart — the last of England's front-line batsmen — was bowled for 27. aiming across the line at a swinging delivery.

Instead of sitting in the dressing room with his feet up and a satisfied smile on his face after returning figures of six for 67 earlier in the day, Peter Such suddenly found himself keeping the Australians at bay for the final five overs in company with Andrew Caddick.

The off-spinner, having taken three wicket on Thursday, grabbed three more on Friday as the tourist stumbled from an overnight 242 for five to 289 all out

But that mattered little when Warne got to work and left England looking down the barrels of another defeat.

Both England manager Keith Fletcher and Australian coach Bobby Simpson regarded Gatting's dismissal as the key moment of the day.

That ball was quite a shock to Gatt as well as to us," said Fletcher, while Simpson said: "It put the cat among the pigeons, didn’t it ? "Psychologically ft was enormously important to us and the English At the end of the game that might be the moment that seta up the re-•uh

The Gattlng wicket was the moat important one for ua. We have a great respect for him and getting a wicket like that at that time was absolutely vi tai'

Fletcher and Simpson agreed they had never seen the ball turn so far tn a Test In England, but Fletcher felt England round have batted better.

"Warne’s a fine bowler but he only got three of the wick ets and one of those was with a full toss," he explained.

Tm more disappointed with the fact we lost five other wickets to their seamers And It's especially disappointing to lose both Gooch and Graeme Hick to bad balls

"But we’ve got two spinners tn our side to their one and we still stand a chance If It keeps turning.

"I don't know what the pitch will do over the next few days, but 250 will take some getting in the fourth innings.'

Not surprisingly Simpson was the more contented boss as the tourist eyed big first Innings lead.

Tm pretty happy to be 87 runs In front." he said. That’s all were concerned about at this stage and It’s a good position to be In."

Simpson also paid tribute to Hughes, who has taken three for 52.

He said: "He's always hustling and no one should ever underestimate him. He's a proven wicket-taker, he s got Bair and produces the goods every time you ask him."