PERTH, Oct 24 AAP - England was crawling towards a meagre total at tea on day one of a two-day cricket tour match against Western Australia at the WACA ground.

Fringe WA quick Callum Thorp had been the pick of the bowlers with 4-41 to have the tourists at 8-126 at tea with Andrew Caddick unbeaten on six and Matthew Hoggard yet to get off the mark.

Buoyed after captaining the ACB Chairman's XI to a midweek win over the tourists, Michael Hussey sent England into bat on a pitch with a green tinge to it.

Thorp trapped England opener Robert Key (4) in the second over of play before taking a sharp return catch to dismiss Mark Butcher (7).

And the 27-year-old troubled England captain Nasser Hussain (1) from his opening ball to him and eventually had him caught behind after swinging at a wide ball.

Left-armer paceman Michael Clark completed the home team's successful opening session by removing John Crawley (0).

Opener Marcus Trescothick's (46) resistance ended just after the break after Hussey took a fine catch off former South Australian quick Paul Wilson's bowling.

Clark then claimed his second scalp when he ended Alec Stewart's (42) valiant hand as the tourists' innings came to a crawl.

The tourists registered just 53 runs in the middle session as they battled for survival.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Beau Casson bowled James Foster (11) just before the interval and tea was taken after Thorp claimed his fourth with Ashley Giles' (6) dismissal.

© 2002 AAP

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.