Another bag of five Shane Warne wickets has kept alive Australia's Ashes aspirations in a topsy-turvy first day of the deciding Test against England at The Oval.

It was fitting one of cricket's most gripping series produced another arm-wrestle on a day which ended with England slightly in front at 7-319, needing only a draw to regain the Ashes.

The stars for the home side were opener Andrew Strauss, who batted just short of six hours to make 129, and Andrew Flintoff, who scored 72 and shared in a crucial 143-run fifth-wicket partnership with Strauss.

Their stand prevented the Warne wrecking ball smashing through England's innings.

But the legspinner still finished the day with 5-118 from 34 overs on a good batting wicket that home captain Michael Vaughan had no hesitation in batting first on.

If Australia manages to win the Test and retain the Ashes, it will have Test cricket's leading wicket-taker to thank, as Warne produced another amazing effort to almost single-handedly keep his side in the contest.

Warne's 31st five-wicket haul, and ninth against England, took his series tally to 33 scalps.

He is poised to become the most successful bowler in history against England, trailing Dennis Lillee's mark of 167 scalps by just two dismissals.

But of vastly more importance, his artistry prevented England from running away with the fifth Test and series.

Warne took the first four wickets of the day to plummet England from an assured 0-82 to a wobbly 4-131 after lunch.

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