LEEDS: Peter Siddle took his Test-best figures and Stuart Clark marked his return to international cricket with three wickets as Australia bowled out England for just 102 at Headingley here on Friday.

England, who won the toss, were routed on the first day of the fourth Ashes Test with Siddle taking five wickets for 21 runs in 9.5 overs and Clark three for 18 in 10 as Australia looked to level the five-match series at 1-1.

Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, then made 78, before falling short of his third hundred at Headingley in as many Tests, to help his side to 196 for four at stumps - a lead of 94.

Michael Clarke was 34 not out and Marcus North seven not out after Ponting and opener Shane Watson shared a second-wicket stand of 119.

Clarke was hit flush on the helmet by a Stephen Harmison bouncer on 27 and then, after several minutes of treatment, survived a huge appeal for caught behind following another short ball from the Durham quick.

Australia were on the verge of building an impregnable lead when fast bowler Stuart Broad took two wickets for four runs in six balls to have both Ponting and Michael Hussey lbw.

Australia, who had lost three wickets for 18 runs in 19 balls in total, were then 151 for four.

But that was nothing compared to England's collapse.

Clark took three wickets in quick succession as England, who won the toss, slumped to 72 for six at lunch before Siddle polished off the tail with four wickets for three runs in 14 balls.

Matt Prior (37 not out) and opener Alastair Cook (30) were the only England batsmen to make it into double figures in an innings that featuring four noughts and lasted less than 34 overs.

Clark, after Australia dropped off-spinner Nathan Hauritz, made a dramatic return in what was his first Test in nine months after an elbow injury and selectorial preference had kept him out.

The 33-year-old upheld his reputation for economical accuracy by taking three wickets for five runs in 21 balls.

England, already in trouble, succumbed to Siddle, in only his 11th Test, after lunch.

The 24-year-old Victorian, on a hat-trick when he bowls in England's second innings, surpassed his previous Test-best of five for 59 against South Africa at Sydney in January

Watson completed his third Test fifty in as many innings after being recalled during the drawn third Test at Edgbaston.

But fellow opener Simon Katich was out for nought when Harmison, in for Andrew Flintoff after the pace bowling all-rounder's knee injury ruled him out, struck fourth ball to have him caught by Ravi Bopara at short backward square.

Watson and Ponting took advantage of a succession of poor deliveries and played stylishly as they built a first innings lead before Watson was lbw to Graham Onions for 51.

Ponting, once again booed to the middle by some fans despite pleas by administrators, had previously pulled Onions's first ball for six and next ball struck him for four, with 17 runs coming off the Durham quick's first over.

But his tendency to play across his front pad undid him when he was lbw to Broad having faced 100 balls with a six and 12 fours in a dominating innings.

Earlier, England captain Andrew Strauss, fortunate not to be lbw first ball after having to request a toss delay when Prior suffered back spasms while playing football in the warm-up, fell for three when was brilliantly caught one-handed above his head by third slip North off Siddle.

And 11 for one became 16 for two when struggling No 3 Bopara carelessly guided Ben Hilfenhaus to gully.

Paul Collingwood was out for a duck after edging an away-swinger from Clark, in after Australia dropped off-spinner Nathan Hauritz and went with a four-man pace attack, to Ponting at second slip.

Left-hander Cook, who resisted for 104-minutes then fell to a good length Clark ball as Ponting's prediction that England's top-order would struggle without Kevin Pietersen, ruled out after the hosts' second Test win with an Achilles injury, came true.