AFTER a week in which they had been plagued by ghosts and ghastly defeats, Australia's cricketers exorcised their demons at Riverside last night by brushing aside England by 57 runs.

Just four days after going down to the same opponents at Bristol, Ricky Ponting's men turned the tables to salvage a series that was threatening to turn into a worse nightmare than the one they experienced at the haunted Lumley Castle two nights ago.

Forget Lily of Lumley - it is Glenn in gold that will be giving England's batsmen sleepless nights for the rest of the summer.

Glenn McGrath proved he had lost none of his old menace by ripping out two of England's top three in the space of just three balls as the home side made the worst possible start to their pursuit of Australia's well-paced 266-5.

They eventually finished on 209-9, despite Darren Gough beating his previous one-day international best with an entertaining 46-run cameo, to administer a harsh dose of reality to the premature plaudits that had followed this week's record-breaking bash against Bangladesh.

Andrew Symonds top-scored with 73 from 81 balls as Australia's batsmen punished stand-in skipper Marcus Trescothick's bizarre decision to field first after winning a crucial toss.

But it was the total collapse of England's hitherto impressive top order that brought about their first defeat of the summer.

The game was all but over in the space of 33 balls as McGrath and Brett Lee produced an opening spell that combined electrifying pace with constricting precision.

Lee, who did not concede a run off the bat in his first three overs, started the rout as Andrew Strauss was completely beaten for pace.

McGrath then got in on the act, tempting Trescothick into an ill-advised waft that carried to Adam Gilchrist before profiting as Paul Collingwood played away from his body and chopped onto his own stumps.

Collingwood, whose dismissal left England on a catastrophic 6-3, had emulated Sir Vivian Richards by making a century and taking five wickets at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.

A second-ball duck on his home ground would not have been the way the Durham all-rounder would have wanted to celebrate his achievement.

Collingwood's exit left England all at sea but, rather than sinking without trace, Andrew Flintoff and Vikram Solanki combined to steady the ship with a fourth-wicket partnership worth 79.

The latter eventually drilled a difficult low catch to Ricky Ponting at midwicket, leaving the former to spearhead England's chase with Kevin Pietersen.

The situation called for controlled aggression but, instead, Flintoff undid all of his patient good work with an ugly slog that Jason Gillespie claimed at long on.

The Lancashire all-rounder had timed the ball perfectly to that point but, as has been the case all summer, he was only able to resist temptation for so long.

Pietersen was equally profligate six overs later, slogging to Mike Hussey on the deep midwicket boundary, and England lost their next three wickets for just 36 runs as Australia brought their big guns back into the fray.

The tourists' bowling attack had been derided when they failed to contain Bangladesh at Cardiff but, on a pitch that had posed few problems for their batsmen, Lee and McGrath in particular proved they could still unsettle an England line-up that had previously looked so resilient.

Functional rather than flamboyant, Australia's innings also proved the world champions have lost none of their composure despite last weekend's double defeat.

Despite losing two wickets in the space of five balls as they stuttered to 96-3, a diligent third-wicket stand of 142 between Symonds and Damien Martyn ensured the tourists would pose far too big a target on a Riverside pitch devoid of demons.

Symonds, who had missed Australia's previous two games after flaunting a curfew, underpinned the innings as England's bowlers maintained a disciplined line and length.

There was none of the huge hitting that had characterised the first four games of this NatWest Series - the entire Australian innings included just 21 boundaries - but there were plenty of intelligent ones and twos as the tourists merrily cruised along at more than five an over.

Symonds led the way, nudging the ball through both the on and off side before gradually upping the pace after he had reached a workmanlike half-century.

Eschewing his earlier watchfulness, the Birmingham-born Queenslander hammered the previously watertight Ashley Giles over long on for the first six of the innings before repeating the trick by hoisting Steve Harmison over the midwicket rope.

Those blows came in the 44th and 45th overs but, just as he looked to be cutting loose, Symonds paid for his own impetuosity. Risking a quick single to Trescothick at mid-off, he was out by two yards as the England skipper swooped to land a direct hit.

The dismissal failed to halt Australia's progress though, with Martyn finishing on an unbeaten 68 despite Flintoff and Gough's attempts at the death.

Flintoff accounted for Hussey with two overs left - the Durham skipper holed out to team-mate Collingwood on the long-on rope - and, in common with his fellow England bowlers, performed diligently without ever looking particularly dangerous.

Chris Tremlett had been the first to strike, luring Gilchrist into an ill-judged cut that Jones grabbed at the second attempt, but it was hometown hero Harmison that carried most threat to the Australian batsmen.

His first seven overs went for just 22 runs and, despite his next two going for the same total, the 'Ashington Express' showed enough venom and variety of length to suggest he remains England's most likely match-winner in the forthcoming Ashes Tests.

His only victim yesterday was Ponting, with the Australian skipper steering a short ball to Giles at third man, and, when Matthew Hayden edged Flintoff to Jones in the next over, Australia were tottering.

Three hours later, though, it was England who ultimately collapsed.