Atherton and veteran pair Graham Gooch (47) and Mike Gatting (50 not out) helped England, who won the toss, to 196 for two at the close of a rain-hit opening day at the Adelaide Oval.
Gatting, promoted to number three after Graeme Hick was ruled out by a back injury, and Graham Thorpe (16 not out) survived a tricky 15-minute period before the re-scheduled close after bad light and rain stopped play for 67 minutes during the final session.
England were one specialist batsman short because of the absence of Hick, who joined opener Alec Stewart and middle-order batsman Neil Fairbrother on the treatment table.
All-rounder Chris Lewis, who was playing club cricket in Melbourne when he was summoned to join the squad Tuesday, was thrown straight into the fray and will bat at number six.
Atherton and Gooch shared a patient opening partnership of 93 -- the team's highest first-wicket stand of the series -- and the England skipper then added 82 for the second wicket with Gatting.
Australia, for whom swing bowler Damien Fleming took both wickets, have already retained the Ashes after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the five-test series.
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