Aussies crush 18-year Ashes curse in 'astonishing' first Test turnaround

Tim Paine has vowed to keep the lid on and foot down as Australia hunt a landmark Ashes series win, having crushed England by 251 runs to cap a remarkable comeback at Edgbaston.

Nathan Lyon claimed the prized scalp of Joe Root in a haul of 6-49, his best figures from 19 Ashes Tests, and Pat Cummins snagged the other four wickets to fall on day five of the series opener.

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England were rolled for 146 in the middle of Monday's post-lunch session, fittingly the final wicket came as the ball landed in the safe hands of Steve Smith at second slip.

Four hours on, Australia were still soaking up victory at the same ground that launched their successful 2001 campaign.

Australia hadn't won a Test in Birmingham for 18 years, a barren stretch in which they've also suffered four Ashes series losses in England.

Paine will hope the comprehensive victory, set up by Smith's man-of-the-match knocks of 144 and 142 in his "dream" Test comeback after a year-long ban, proves an omen.

But the captain was at pains to point out the job isn't done as his team prepare for a tour game in Worcester that starts on Wednesday, plus next week's second Test at Lord's.

"You've got to keep a lid on it. There's still four Tests to go and we aren't here to win the first Test at Edgbaston, we're here to win the Ashes," Paine said.

"It's a huge step in the right direction but we're certainly not satisfied.

"We're over here to do something that a lot of teams from Australia have struggled to do.

"We realise that if we can do it, it will be spoken about for a hell of a long time, and that's what is driving us."

Aussies complete ‘astonishing’ turnaround

Root was the most imposing obstruction standing between the visitors and a 1-0 series lead after Paine declared at 7-487 on day four, setting the hosts a target of 398.

England's captain departed amid Monday's collapse of 6-37.

Root, who punched the bat after offering bat-pad Cameron Bancroft a sharp catch, will wonder where it all went wrong after England twice relinquished the upper hand in the Test.

Smith is largely to blame but finding a solution to that problem won't be easy.

The hosts reduced Australia to 8-122 on day one, only for Smith to somehow build a total of 284.

England then claimed a first-innings lead of 90 runs and had Australia 2-27, only for Smith to again steady.

"He's got to start again when he gets to Lord's. We've got to make sure that we make it very difficult for him to get in," Root said.

"New week, new ground, new conditions.

"We've got to make sure we don't have any hangover of how he's played (at Edgbaston) ... that bowlers are very clear on how they want to approach getting him out."

Root insisted England can bounce back from 1-0 down and win the series, as was the case in 2005.