LEEDS, England -- England fast bowler Andrew Caddick insisted England were not downcast despite Australia finishing the first day of the fourth ashes test here at Headingley well placed at 288 for four from just 66.3 overs.

Ricky Ponting was the star of the show with an impressive 144 but Caddick had the last word, having mark Waugh caught off the day's final ball for 72.

"The mood in the camp is very good, very positive. We've no got two new batsman at the crease," said Somerset quick Caddick, England's most successful bowler with three for 97.

"If we can bowl them out for 350 tomorrow (Friday) that will be good but now that I've said that they'll probably get 600," joked Caddick, who added that fast-scoring Adam Gilchrist, deputising for the injured Steve Waugh as Australia captain, would be a key target.

Caddick's comic aside hinted at a depressing fact for England: in Australia's last three ashes test innings on this ground their lowest score is 501 for nine declared in 1997. The other two were both over 600.

The result has been two victories by an innings and one by 210 runs.

Already 3-0 up in the five match series, Australia won the toss and chose to bat. It turned out to be a good decision, Headingley belying its reputation as a terror track,' where seamers habitually wreak havoc.

"It's not a true Headingley wicket. It's very bare and didn't live up to its reputation as a seamers' paradise," said Caddick.

But England's four man pace attack did not always help themselves as ponting pointed out.

"There was just enough in it for the bowlers all day. But the English bowlers just bowled a few too many bad balls and they got punished for it," said Ponting.

Unsurprisingly, Caddick disagreed. "Ricky Ponting might as well turn round and say he played some bloody good shots -- because he did," said the New Zealand born paceman.

"Yes, we bowled a couple of bad balls. But if we had kept getting the swing we were getting to start with those balls would not have been produced, I can promise you."

Ponting was reprieved by third umpire Neil Mallender when, before he had scored, he edged Caddick to mark Ramprakash at third slip.

The fielder thought he had taken a clean catch but replays were inconclusive and Mallender gave Ponting the benefit of the doubt.

"Obviously the third umpire makes that decision and hopefully he gets it correct -- but after that the ball stopped swinging for some reason," said Caddick.

The England bowlers will need to make it start moving again quickly Friday or another impregnable Australian total could be on the Headingley scoreboard.