PERSISTENT paceman Peter Siddle willed his way through the English batting lineup to keep the Ashes decider on level terms at The Oval.

On a dry and dusty deck offering little assistance for the quicks, Siddle (4-63 off 18.3 overs) produced a typically wholehearted performance as the home side slipped to 8-307 at stumps on day one of the final Test.

England were on track to set an imposing first innings total at 2-176 before the Victorian collected the key scalps of Paul Collingwood (24) and Ian Bell (72) either side of the tea break to turn the game.

Troublesome tailender Stuart Broad (26no) was left unbeaten at the close after Siddle dismissed Graeme Swann (18) off the final ball of the day.

Mercurial quick Mitchell Johnson (2-69) played his part in Australia's revival in the final session by removing the dangerous pair of Matt Prior (18) and Andrew Flintoff (7).

There was already dust flying off The Oval pitch and part-time off-spinner Marcus North (0-33) bowled 14 overs on the opening day as Australia pondered the wisdom of selecting a four-man pace attack and no specialist spinner.

Siddle's four scalps made him the current leading wicket-taker in the series and continued his recovery since having his place in the side come into question following the Edgbaston Test.

He believed there would be a result with England needing victory to regain the Ashes.

"We're going to have five days of good weather so there's definitely going to be a result, that's for sure," he said.

Topscorer Ian Bell (72) said it was an unusual pitch for The Oval which is known for generally having a bit more carry and bounce than other pitches in England.

"This to me feels like a day three wicket really," he said.

"It will be interesting to see how this game unfolds really, whether it does deteriorate or carry on being a pretty good wicket."

Siddle said he was glad to be contributing more following his inconsistent showings in the opening three Tests.

"With how I started in the series I was a little bit disappointed personally," he said.

"To now be a little bit more on track and bowling to how I like to play, I have been lucky enough to have had a bit of success."

The tourists enjoyed some luck with both Andrew Strauss (55) and Bell appearing to be dismissed off no-balls, the bowlers overstepping the mark with both umpires Billy Bowden and Asad Rauf at fault.

Not that Bell wanted to make too big deal of it afterwards.

"In a series like this it's swings and roundabouts," he said.

"Australia are going to get some as well so you've just got to move along."

After England opted to bat first, Siddle looked immediately in the groove and picked up Alastair Cook (10) in the sixth over with a ball that angled across the opener.

He welcomed Bell to the crease with a nasty short ball that flicked the batsman's wrist and Johnson ramped up the attack with his first three balls all short at Bell's body.

On another day he might have lost his wicket to any of them but Bell survived and it was a resolute performance from the much-maligned batsman.

Strauss took action and farmed the strike against the left-armer and Johnson started to have a recurrence of the control problems in the capital that he suffered at Lord's last month as England progressed to 1-108 at lunch.

But after doing all the hard work, the English skipper fell soon after the break, hanging his bat out against Ben Hilfenhaus who had clearly stepped over the line.

Australia started to dry the runs up and Siddle livened up proceedings with a fiery spell that included 2-1 in 19 balls either side of tea.

Debutant Jonathan Trott (41) and Prior steadied England's innings before Johnson worked over Prior and the farewelling Flintoff.

Trott fell late in the day to a superb piece of fielding at bat pad by Simon Katich and Siddle returned at the death with the second new ball and had Swann caught behind to finish the day with a smile on his face.