Rory Burns was eyeing a maiden Test century as Australia finally saw the back of England captain Joe Root in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston on Friday.
England were 170-2 at tea on the second day of the first Test, 114 runs behind Australia's first-innings 284.
England still had plenty of work to do to get back on level terms but this was a vast improvement on their first-innings 85 all out in a Test win over Ireland at Lord's last week.
Surrey opener Burns was 82 not out and fellow Ashes debutant Joe Denly nine not out at tea, with Root the only batsman dismissed in a session that yielded 99 runs in 27 overs.
Australia's total had been built on a superb 144 from Steve Smith in the former captain's first Test match since completing a 12-month ban for his role in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
The tourists been struggling at 122-8 before their last two wickets more than doubled their score.
England were 10-0, with left-hander Burns four not out and Surrey team-mate Jason Roy six not out, when play resumed Friday in slightly overcast conditions.
Roy made a blistering 85 in eventual champions England's World Cup semi-final win over Australia at Edgbaston last month.
But in just his second Test, he never looked comfortable against Australia's fast bowlers and, on 10, he edged a good length ball from James Pattinson low to Smith at second slip, with England then 22-1.
Root had returned to number three from four in a bid to lead from the front.
- Fortune favours England -
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