Hundreds from Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook and a half-century by Jonathan Trott put England on course to escape the Gabba with an unexpected draw against Australia.

Strauss (110) had last managed three figures 25 Test innings ago, against these same opponents at Lord's in July 2009 - while Cook (132 not out) began this tour worryingly short of runs. However, Strauss refused to let Australia's bowlers dictate proceedings, running well between the wickets and hit 15 boundaries from 224 balls.

Cook was a crucial anchor to England's rearguard, having reached his second 50 of the match just before lunch and duly 'converted' straight after tea when he cut Ben Hilfenhaus for only his ninth four from the 204th delivery he faced. By the time bad light brought a premature end England were 309 for one, for a lead of 88, with Trott unbeaten on 54.

From a starting point many deemed verging on the hopeless on Saturday night, after Michael Hussey and Brad Haddin's monumental triple-century stand, England's openers returned fire with their own partnership of 188.

The first hour of a cloudy day was a mixture of plays and misses against good pace bowling, occasional edges safely wide of the slips and a clutch of resounding boundaries from England's left-handed openers.

Cook had a minor moment of fortune on 35 when he failed to control a slog-sweep at Xavier Doherty but collected two runs as the ball fell well out of reach of three converging fielders.

Strauss brought up England's first century stand of the series with an extra-cover drive for four off Peter Siddle but the Middlesex man needed a telling moment of fortune when on 69 he went up the wicket to hit Doherty over mid-off. Mitchell Johnson jumped and ought to have held on with two hands high above his head but spilled the clear-cut chance.

There was one more false shot from Strauss, just after lunch, when he miscued two more runs to go from 88 to 90 - high over gully and wide of point, trying to pull Ben Hilfenhaus.

Otherwise, his performance was unblemished until he was drawn out of his ground by part-time off-spinner Marcus North and stumped after failing to cover the turn and it therefore fell to Trott to help Cook push England into credit.

The second-wicket pair went on to share an unbroken stand of 121 either side of tea, Cook having given his first chance - hooking Hilfenhaus on 103 but surviving when Peter Siddle could not hold a difficult, tumbling catch at deep fine-leg, while Michael Clarke also dropped Trott at point off Siddle's bowling when England's number three was on 34.