Australia made the perfect start to its Ashes defence by beating England by 239 runs in the first cricket Test at Lord's.

Rain prevented any action for the first two sessions on day four, but paceman Glenn McGrath made up for the lost time by taking four wickets in 23 deliveries.

Australia bowled England out for 180 in its second innings, as the home side lost 5-24 in 61 balls.

McGrath finished with 4-29 to accompany his 5-53 in the first innings, when he took his 500th Test scalp. He finished with match figures of 9-82 to win the man-of-the-match award.

Legspinner Shane Warne took the other wicket to fall and finished with 4-64 and six wickets for the match.

McGrath once again gave his side a dream start when England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones (six) played a terrible, miscued pull shot and was caught easily by Jason Gillespie at mid-on off the 15th delivery of the day.

McGrath made it two wickets in three balls when Ashley Giles (duck) was snapped up in the gully by Matthew Hayden.

It became three wickets in 16 balls when he had Matthew Hoggard LBW out for a pair.

Warne then trapped Steve Harmison leg before first ball and took a catch off McGrath's bowling to dismiss last man out Simon Jones. England's last four batsmen all made ducks.

Australia's win extended its unbeaten run at Lord's to 18 matches and put it in a commanding position to win its ninth-straight Ashes series.

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