Aug. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick combined to add 67 runs as England reached 93-1 against Australia at lunch on the first day of the third Ashes cricket Test.

Captain Vaughan, who had scored 32 runs in his four innings in the series so far, struck six boundaries to reach 41 not out, while Trescothick added 35 on a sunny opening morning at Old Trafford, Manchester. Fast bowler Brett Lee recovered from a knee infection to bowl Andrew Strauss for six.

Australia's leading paceman Glenn McGrath was declared fit about half an hour before the start of play, one week after he tore ankle ligaments in the warm-up for the second Test. Showing no signs of the ailment, he gave up 29 runs in eight overs in an opening burst this morning.

England, seeking a first series victory over top-ranked Australia since 1987, followed a 239-run defeat in the first Test at Lord's by edging the second contest by two runs at Edgbaston to square the contest at 1-1. Of 27 Ashes Tests at Old Trafford since 1884, England and Australia have each won seven, with 13 draws. The Australians triumphed in the last three Tests there.

After Vaughan won the toss and elected to bat, McGrath's second ball reared up off a length, caught the top of Trescothick's bat and flew over the slips for four. In Lee's second over, Strauss edged the ball just short of third slip.

Having advanced to 13, Trescothick chased a McGrath ball outside off stump and was dropped by a diving Adam Gilchrist, who needs three victims to become the fourth wicketkeeper to achieve 300 Test dismissals. He later fumbled a Jason Gillespie delivery and allowed the ball to run away for four byes.

Yorker

Lee struck Strauss on the side of the head with an 88.9 mile- per-hour bouncer, leaving the batsman requiring attention, before snaring him in his next over with a slower, yorker-length ball that turned as it pitched and knocked over his off stump. It was his 150th Test wicket.

Gillespie, who has two wickets in the series so far, replaced Lee and allowed 10 runs from his first over as Vaughan twice found the offside boundary. The bowler allowed 33 runs from his seven overs. Shane Warne, seeking to become the first cricketer to take 600 Test wickets, has yet to bowl.

Vaughan struck three centuries against Australia in the 2002- 03 Ashes series to become the world's top-ranked batsman. He's since slumped to No. 30 after registering four scores above 50 in his last 21 Test innings.

Crutches

McGrath, the world's top ranked bowler, twisted his right ankle when he stepped on a cricket ball about an hour before the start of the play at Edgbaston. He hobbled around on crutches as his team was outplayed.

Following continuous treatment from team physio Errol Alcott, McGrath bowled in practice yesterday and passed a fitness test this morning.

In the first Test, he became the fourth cricketer to pass 500 Test match wickets as he tore through England's top order on the opening day, before mopping up the tail with four scalps in the second innings.

Lee spent two nights in a Birmingham hospital after being diagnosed with a knee infection three days ago. He joined the team yesterday morning and proved his fitness later that day.

Australian batsman Michael Clarke was forced from the field in the second over after suffering spasms in his back. He's being assessed by Alcott, Cricket Australia spokesman Jonathan Rose told reporters.

To contact the reporter on this story: Sam Sheringham at Old Trafford, Manchester on at ssheringham@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: August 11, 2005 07:46 EDT