England responded to the partisan atmosphere of Edgbaston by exploiting Australia's injury-hit attack and dominating a dramatic opening day to the crucial second Ashes Test.

Having set the standards for high entertainment on the first day of the first Test at Lord's - when 17 wickets fell as Australia closed in an emphatic 239-run victory - England surpassed even those dramatic scenes by setting out on a boundary spree.

Despite pre-match talk of a wicket filled with gremlins following last week's tornado, England trusted their shot selection and launched a savage onslaught on an Australian attack desperately missing the control of injured seamer Glenn McGrath.

Roared on by a football-style sell-out crowd, England approached the supposedly dangerous wicket in adventurous fashion and hammered 10 sixes and 54 fours before being dismissed for 407 shortly before the close of the opening day and leave Australian captain Ricky Ponting regretting his decision to bowl first.

Attempting to strengthen the stranglehold his bowler's seemed to have established at Lord's, Ponting's decision looked as foolhardy as England captain Nasser Hussain's identical choice during the opening Test at Brisbane two years ago which resulted in Australia piling up a daunting 364 for two by the close.

Today's total may not have reached those standards, but it was England's highest first day total to a Test since facing Pakistan at the Oval in 1962 and only the second time since the war they have surpassed 400.

In reaching such a daunting total they have also ensured that Australia must break Edgbaston history to win, as no side who have totalled 300 in the first innings of a Test at this ground has ever lost.

Already lifted by the news of the absence of McGrath, who tore his right ankle ligaments treading on a ball during the warm-up and could also miss next week's third Test at Old Trafford, England enjoyed all the good fortune which deserted them so spectacularly at Lord's.

Both openers were given reprieves during a 112-run opening stand which set the tone for their innings, while Andrew Flintoff was fortunate to survive on nought with a looping shot just over mid-on prior to launching a blistering counter-attack of 68 off 62 balls which propelled England to their highly competitive total.

Yet England's fortunes could have been so different had Australia taken an early opportunity to remove Andrew Strauss on four in the fourth over of the day when he edged Jason Gillespie low to Shane Warne at first slip.

On this occasion, Warne's ability to seize the moment deserted him and he missed the chance at the second attempt to gift England an early reprieve and allow Strauss to contribute 48 to an encouraging opening stand.

Marcus Trescothick also escaped after driving Michael Kasprowicz, McGrath's replacement in Australia's line-up, straight to gully only for umpire Rudi Koertzen to signal another life for England by calling a no-ball for over-stepping.

Just as the Edgbaston crowd began to sense a special England display, however, Australia's attack struck back and claimed four wickets in 11 overs either side of lunch, begun almost inevitably by Warne.

Having played Warne confidently until then, Strauss was undone by a fiercely-turning leg break which span viciously into his stumps as he rocked onto the back foot attempting to cut in the over before lunch.

Kasprowicz showed his worth six overs after the interval by claiming two wickets in an over, firstly tempting Trescothick into pushing outside off stump and edging behind 10 runs short of his century while Ian Bell's wretched Ashes series continued when he followed in identical fashion by pushing forward to an outswinger.

Having battled through a painful elbow injury to retain his place, captain Michael Vaughan should perhaps have made the most of his opportunity but after starting brightly again he unwisely attempted to pull Gillespie but only found the safe hands of Brett Lee in the deep.

At 187 for four, England were again on course for another under-par batting display until Lancashire all-rounder Flintoff once again responded to the roars and cheers of Edgbaston to produce his best innings of the summer.

His 167 against West Indies was one of the highlights of last summer - particularly after he picked out his Dad Colin in the crowd with one six - and after an uncertain start when he chipped Warne just out of reach of Kasprowicz at mid-on, Flintoff began to dominate.

Even with a strokemaker as powerful as Kevin Pietersen at the other end, Flintoff became the dominant member of a 103-run partnership off 105 balls, which he contributed 68 towards, and hammered five sixes and six fours during his brilliant innings.

As Edgbaston's increasingly rowdy crowd began to sense another Flintoff century, the tea break interrupted his concentration and he edged Gillespie behind just three balls after tea.

Pietersen, though, picked up Flintoff's mantle and became increasingly aggressive in his strokeplay before falling for a superb 71 - his third half-century in as many Test innings - which was expertly judged throughout his 72 minutes at the crease.

Even after his departure, the hard-hitting skills of Steve Harmison and Simon Jones enabled England to add 59 for the final two wickets before Warne polished off the innings and claim his fourth wicket of the innings.

Warne and Lee both conceded over 100 runs during the onslaught, but with just less eight overs remaining light rain prevented Australia starting their reply as they attempt to match England's stunning strokeplay.