Strauss shines as Somerset dominate in draw

Somerset 425 for 3 dec (Suppiah 156, Compton 88, Strauss 78) and 260 for 2 dec (Strauss 109*, Trego 85*) drew with Indians 224 (Raina 103*, Willoughby 6-76) and 69 for 0

	Suresh Raina's sparkling ton was the only bright spot for India in Taunton © Getty Images

If the forthcoming Test series goes well for Andrew Strauss and England, Somerset should be top of his Christmas card list. After finding form in the first innings, he made the most of his second knock with an unbeaten 109 as India were left with precious little to take from the match other than Suresh Raina's 103 earlier on the final day.

However, like in the first innings where Arul Suppiah outshone the England captain with a career-best 156, the limelight was taken away by another Somerset batsman as Peter Trego hammered a 57-ball 85 off the struggling Indian attack before the home side, somewhat sympathetically, declared at tea to allow the visitors another brief innings. At least Gautam Gambhir and Abhinav Mukund eased themselves to an unbroken 69 before another shower ended the match, and India headed to London with their tail between their legs.

Trego arrived with Amit Mishra on a hat-trick but wickets were soon a long way from the legspinner's mind as he was left watching the ball sail regularly into the stands. Trego's half-century came up with the third of four consecutive leg-side sixes, and the umpires twice needed to find replacement balls. At one stage Mishra had bowled three overs for 61 and it went from a being a tough warm-up for the tourists to something of an embarrassment, although they will try to play down the significance.

It was no surprise that the home side didn't enforce the follow-on after the Indians were bowled out and the Somerset opening pair again made comfortable progress. Zaheer Khan didn't take the field - and neither did Sachin Tendulkar - but the team manager insisted he was purely resting which seemed an odd decision after a wicketless first innings where Zaheer looked in far from peak form. And if he didn't want to show himself to Strauss again, that suggests the pressure has shifted.

The remaining Indian bowlers went through the motions and the pattern was similar to the first innings. Munaf Patel was steady but unthreatening while Sreesanth was expensive. Strauss dominated the scoring, although not quite in the fashion of the opening day as Suppiah rode on the confidence of his first-innings hundred.

Strauss had barely an alarm as he cruised past fifty and tucked into some friendly bowling. He took three consecutive boundaries off Sreesanth, who kept dropping short, and also came down the pitch at Mishra to drive him for a straight six - many more of those would follow. Trego's onslaught meant he was quickly catching Strauss, but the England captain went to his hundred from 122 balls with a late cut shortly before tea.

Mishra had provided the Indians with momentary relief when he claimed two wickets in two balls but they were costly successes. His figures would soon take an even greater hammering, probably leaving him wishing he hadn't broken the opening stand. Suppiah lost his shape when he came down the pitch and got an outside edge to backward point then James Hildreth edged a legbreak behind first ball.

Earlier, Raina gave the Indians their one bright spot for the match as he raced to an unbeaten century to lift the visitors to 224. He added a final-wicket stand of 84 in 12 overs with Munaf of which the No. 11 contributed six. Raina needed just 37 balls to go from his fifty to a hundred as he cut loose after Sreesanth had lost his off stump to become Charl Willoughby's sixth wicket.

Rania drove, pulled and flicked five sixes which damaged Willoughby's figures while Alfonso Thomas also took some punishment. His hundred arrived from 110 balls courtesy of a misfield at mid-off but he didn't have the chance to add many more as Munaf was lbw to legspinner Max Waller soon after.

Raina's innings - and Yuvraj's duck on the second day - will have sealed the debate over India's No. 6 spot for Lord's. Strauss probably would not have minded having an extended look at Raina, someone England haven't faced before in Tests. He has gained more than he may have expected from his brief stint in the south-west. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Somerset cash in after Strauss finds form

Somerset 329 for 2 (Suppiah 145*, Compton 88, Strauss 78) v India

	Arul Suppiah cracked an unbeaten 145 on the first day of India's tour match against Somerset © Getty Images

Andrew Strauss warmed up for next week's first Test by taking the early honours at the start of the head-to-head with Zaheer Khan on his guest appearance for Somerset, and Arul Suppiah hit an unbeaten 145 as India were made to toil at Taunton. Strauss and Suppiah added 101 for the first wicket before Suppiah and Nick Compton put on 223 between two stoppages for rain to take the home side to an imposing 329 for 2.

Strauss struck 11 boundaries in bringing up his half-century from a sprightly 63 balls. All his shots were in good working order as he drove, pulled, and glanced his way into form ahead of Lord's next week. He did have a couple of close shaves: firstly on 20 when Zaheer had a big lbw shout turned down by Graham Lloyd, and then on 64 when Wriddhiman Saha, the reserve wicketkeeper playing in place of the rested MS Dhoni, dropped an edge off Amit Mishra. However, the keeper took the next chance when an edge bobbled off the pad and looped in the air as Strauss departed for 78. In the context of the runs that followed, he missed out.

The loan deal for Strauss had provoked debate, both about the whether the structure of domestic cricket does all it can to help the England team, and also what Somerset gained from the move. Despite coming off a four-day Championship match, the county fielded several first-team regulars, including England Lions captain James Hildreth, and somebody missed out to let Strauss play. However, he received a warm ovation as he left the field following his innings and, wearing his Somerset kit, appeared to have been adopted at least for the day.

"He looked very good, he was moving his feet very well and striking the ball out of the middle," Suppiah said of Strauss. "It's just a shame he got out, he probably could have got a hundred but he played really well. He looks hungry for runs, left the ball well and played straight which is the main thing for an opener."

The battle with Zaheer was a gentle precursor of what will follow in the Tests as the bowler eased himself back into action after a lengthy lay-off following the IPL. The initial overs of Zaheer's first spell were friendly, but he started to generate a touch more pace and find some swing later in an eight-over burst.

Zaheer is the only one in this India attack certain to play at Lord's next week with Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar rested following their workload in the Caribbean. It meant a chance for Sreesanth and Munaf Patel to stake a claim for the third seamer's slot, although neither made a compelling case. The attack actually looked toothless - Suresh Raina's late wicket of Compton came when the batsman reverse-swept to short third man - but India will back themselves to lift for the major challenge.

Sreesanth was tight to begin with but Strauss started to take to him with three boundaries in an over as he moved to his half-century. Patel, meanwhile, was steady but didn't provide much threat. Mishra began with three no-balls in his first three overs and Strauss picked off the legspinner with ease, pulling him over midwicket and driving through the off side, before the bowler struck back.

While Strauss's runs will be welcome, he'll know that they don't guarantee a successful start to the Tests. Ahead of the Sri Lanka series he scored two hundreds - one of them against the visitors at Uxbridge - but then struggled to convert that when the internationals began, and ended with 27 runs from four innings.

With the focus understandably on Strauss, Suppiah was a quiet partner in every sense at the other end. He didn't register a boundary until the start of the second hour when he played a lovely straight drive, but a sign of the gentle nature of the surface was that he, too, didn't have many alarms.

Rain brought a lengthy stoppage shortly after lunch but when the skies cleared, Suppiah and Compton made positive progress as India found wickets elusive. Suppiah became increasingly positive on either side of his half-century, but India missed a chance to break the partnership when Compton, on 24, was dropped at square by Sachin Tendulkar, when he pulled Sreesanth.

Compton cashed in on his chance with a series of well-timed boundaries, one of which was a stand-and-deliver cover drive off Zaheer, who was the pick of a disappointing seam attack, as he reached a half century from 74 deliveries. Mishra was taken at more than four-an-over and also dropped a tough caught-and-bowled chance off Suppiah, who was on 71. Mishra was forced to leave the field mid-over for treatment on his finger but was said to be fine. The 17 overs shared by the part-time spinners, Raina and Yuvraj Singh, cost 110 runs including 18 off one Yuvraj over.

The resumption after tea was delayed by further rain, but the final hour was possible which gave Suppiah the chance to register his sixth first-class hundred from 179 balls, and he is closing in on a new career-best. It's been a good time for Suppiah: he registered world record Twenty20 figures of 6 for 5 in a Friends Life t20 game against Glamorgan last week. And it won't have done him any harm to score runs in front of the England captain. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Epic encounter ends in thrilling tie

India 338 (Tendulkar 120, Bresnan 5-48) tied with England 338 for 8 (Strauss 158, Bell 69, Zaheer 3-64)

	Andrew Strauss led from the front with a brilliant captain's innings © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Tim Bresnan | Stuart Broad | Virender Sehwag | Andrew Strauss | Sachin Tendulkar | Michael Yardy Matches: India v England at Bangalore Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: England | India

On an evening that simply beggared belief, England tied with India in an incredible finale in Bangalore. Andrew Strauss was England's inspiration, producing an extraordinary 158 from 145 balls, the highest score by an English batsman in World Cup history, as England threatened the unthinkable, and set off in full pursuit of India's seemingly unobtainable total of 338 - a score that had been made possible by a brilliant 120 from Sachin Tendulkar.

Such was the clarity of Strauss's strokeplay and the passivity of India's attack, at 280 for 2 in the 43rd over, England were cruising towards an extraordinary triumph. However a late intervention, sparked by a reverse-swinging Zaheer Khan, left them clawing for breath as a silenced Chinnaswamy stadium rediscovered its roar, and when the requirement shot up to two runs a ball, there seemed no way back into the contest. However, a ballsy volley of sixes from England's lower order hauled them back from the brink, and with two runs needed from the final delivery of the match, Graeme Swann drilled Munaf Patel to cover to salvage a share of the spoils.

The breathless finale was entirely in keeping with a contest that twisted and turned like an insomniac in a mosquito-pit. From the first over of the match, in which Virender Sehwag might have been dismissed three times in five balls, through the sumptuous strokeplay of first Tendulkar and later Strauss, and on through a pair of batting collapses - one apiece for the lower order of both teams - there was scarcely a moment in which normal service was permitted. Tim Bresnan, with 5 for 48 in ten unrelentingly composed overs, was the unsung star of a day that deserves to be remembered as the finest World Cup contest sincethat semi-final in 1999.

For the first 39 overs of the match, and again for the last seven, the Bangalore crowd stadium was as raucous as a monsoon wedding, as Tendulkar ignited India's first home fixture of the World Cup with his 47th ODI century, before Zaheer Khan hauled them back from the brink of ignominy with 2 for 11 in his final three-over spell. But in between whiles, the game belonged to England, as India shipped their last seven wickets in 25 balls to let their opponents regain a toe-hold in the contest, before turning the stage over to Strauss and his magnum opus.

A positive start was a pre-requisite as England embarked on their second daunting chase in as many matches, and just as Strauss had soothed his team's anxieties with 88 from 83 balls after their flirtation with humiliation against the Dutch, he was once again in the thick of things right from the start of the innings. Zaheer, who was as poor with the new ball as he was devastating with the old, bowled both sides of the wicket to gift two boundaries in six balls, and Strauss was up and running. He barely dipped below a run a ball at any subsequent stage of his innings.

He required some moments of luck, particularly on 17 when TV replays suggested he had nicked a drive against Zaheer that the Indian fielders were unable to hear against the din of the crowd, but for the most part he was rewarded for his intent and aggression, and a common-sense approach to the three key partnerships that propelled England's challenge. By the end of the batting Powerplay, England were 19 runs to the good, on 77 for 1 compared to India's 10-over total of 58 for 1, and with a stream of easy singles to offset the intermittent boundary balls, they never looked like blinking until the summit was within sight.

At the top of the order, Kevin Pietersen's stay was short, sharp and effective. He pounded four fours in eight Zaheer deliveries to rush along to 31 from 22 balls, before dumping Munaf on his backside by a brutally struck drive, only for the ball he had parried from in front of his face to plop into his right hand as he glanced up to regain his bearings. Trott proved an able ally in a 43-run stand for the second wicket before Chawla hurried one through to strike his back pad, whereupon Bell arrived to embark on what should have been the game's decisive stand - a 170-run partnership that spanned 27 overs.

Bell, England's best player of spin, was beaten twice in his first two balls as Chawla ripped first his googly then his legspinner to perfection, but his hairiest moment came on 17, when Yuvraj Singh referred an appeal for lbw that Hawkeye suggested met all the criteria for an overturned decision. However, umpire Billy Bowden, applying the letter of the law even if it meant contravening the evidence on a billion TV screens, reprieved Bell on the grounds that he had advanced more than 2.5 metres down the pitch, and that the technology's prediction could not be deemed conclusive.

The despondency of the crowd was reflected in India's subsequent bowling, as Strauss motored through to his sixth ODI century, from 99 balls, and on towards his third in excess of 150. Liberated by the match situation, he launched Yuvraj for one of the biggest sixes of his career, straight down the ground, to bring up the hundred partnership, and Bell did likewise to Chawla to rush through to his fifty from 45 balls.

It was England's decision to take the batting Powerplay, at 280 for 2 in the 43rd over, that triggered the devastating late reversal of momentum. India's last chance appeared to have gone begging when Bell, on 68, was dropped by Virat Kohli at slip off Chawla, but Kohli made amends 10 balls later, when Bell miscued a tired slog off Zaheer to extra cover. With the crowd alive to the contest once again, Zaheer then put himself on a hat-trick with an unplayable late-swinging yorker that crushed Strauss's toe in front of leg stump.

With the pressure proving smothering and Chawla's variations now illegible to the new batsmen, Paul Collingwood missed a wipe across the line to be bowled for 1 from five balls, before Prior gave up all hope of threading the gaps and took a huge top-edged heave at Harbhajan to be caught for 4 from 8. Michael Yardy chipped and chivvied before dinking an attempted boundary shot straight to Sehwag at short backward square, but it was Swann's flat six off Chawla, with 29 needed from two overs, that reawakened England's challenge. Three balls later, Bresnan also put Chawla into the stands, and though he was bowled having a mow in the same over, Ajmal Shahzad sent his first ball, from Patel, in the same direction, to set up the grandstand finish. -ESPNcricinfo

Tendulkar is one of mammoths of world cricket: Strauss

BANGALORE: Many an adjective has been used to describe Sachin Tendulkar in a career spanning more than two decades and England skipper Andrew Strauss today added another one, calling him a mammoth of world cricket.


In Pic: Andrew Strauss speaks to reporters in Bangalore © AFP

Tendulkar remains a thorn in the flesh for the rival teams globally and Strauss said his consistency for the last 22 years showed how prepared he is going into their Group B match of the World Cup here tomorrow. "He is one of the mammoths of world cricket for the last two decades," Strauss told reporters ahead of England's clash with India tomorrow. "The fact that he has been doing that for so long and so consistently is a great testament to his preparations," he added.
For a man, who holds virtually every key batting record and is dreaded by bowlers world over, Tendulkar remains a big threat and England will be trying to find ways to contain the iconic batsman. Tendulkar could add only 64 runs in three matches in the 2007 World Cup, where India were knocked out in the first round and the senior batsman would look to make amends as it probably is his last World Cup. Strauss also acknowledged that there is hardly any negative point in Tendulkar and said he is a true legend. "There are normally no negative words that you can say about Tendulkar. He is absolutely a great legend," Strauss said.

Tendulkar made 50s on 17 occasions including seven times in the 2003 World Cup and was honoured for making most runs (673) in 2003. He also remains at the top for making most consecutive 50s in World Cups -- four each in successive matches in 1996 and 2003. Tendulkar has also scored 50 plus runs in most consecutive innings in two world cups. Tendulkar holds the record of most career runs at 17,657, highest individual score of 200, most matches (444), most 100s (46), most 100s against any one team nine against Australia, most 50s (93) and most boundaries (1,929). —PTI

England hold the edge despite Johnson's efforts

England 3 for 167 (Cook 61*, Anderson 1*) trail Australia 280 (Johnson 53, Anderson 4-66) by 113 runs
Scorecard

Andrew Strauss gave England's innings the perfect early momentum with a dashing 60 © Getty Images

Mitchell Johnson did his best to keep Australia alive in the final Ashes Test with a vital half-century and two key wickets on an absorbing day, but England were handily placed on 3 for 167 in reply to 280. Andrew Strauss hit a sparkling 58-ball 60 to launch England's reply following Johnson's counterattacking 53, then Alastair Cook maintained his prolific form only to lose Kevin Pietersen shortly before the close.

Strauss and Jonathan Trott fell in quick succession to leave England 2 for 99 and memories of Perth, where Johnson had sparked a dramatic England collapse, were not far away. Cook should have become Michael Beer's first Test wicket on 46, but the delivery was called no-ball after Billy Bowden asked to check the front line when Cook lofted to mid-on. However, to Beer's huge credit he remained focused on the game and was able to steady himself under Pietersen's hook shot at fine leg in what could prove a pivotal wicket.

Australia were struggling to make 200 before Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus combined to add 76 for the ninth wicket but their momentum was eroded as Strauss raced out of the blocks against some shoddy bowling. Hilfenhaus was especially disappointing, dropping short at a friendly pace to allow Strauss free pull shots one of which cleared deep square-leg for six

Michael Clarke made an early mark as captain when he handed Johnson the new ball for the first time since the Lord's Test in 2009, but his opening spell lasted three overs, during which he was cut by both batsmen, and Strauss was motoring along at more than a run-a-ball in a perfect tone-setting display. The England captain also drove with authority, a sign his game is in top order, as Clarke began to realise the challenges of captaincy in the current Australian era.

Strauss went to fifty shortly after tea when he scythed a cut over the slips but Hilfenhaus provided relief for Australia when he went round the wicket and took off stump with one that shaped away from the left hander. That breakthrough sparked a lift in Australia's bowling and Trott fell for his first Test duck when he dragged Johnson into his stumps.

Cook had trailed in Strauss's wake during the opening partnership but oozed the confidence that over 600 runs in the series has brought him. His fifty came from 113 balls and when he'd made 59 reached 5000 for his career with the promise of plenty more to come.

Beer's first ball in Test cricket was dispatched by Pietersen, but despite the sickening disappointing of seeing a wicket denied he held himself together well. Pietersen had taken a blow on the arm early in his innings, yet was desperate to impose himself and couldn't resist taking on Johnson despite the close being four overs away which left James Anderson to survive a late bombardment.

Smart Stats The 76 run stand for the ninth wicket between Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus is the seventh highest at the SCG and the third highest for Australia against England in Tests at the SCG. James Anderson picked up four wickets to take his tally in the series to 21, the highest among both teams. He is followed by Chris Tremlett and Steve Finn, who have 14 wickets each. Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook put on 98 runs for the opening wicket, their second fifty partnership in the series. They also have two century stands in the four Tests. They have aggregated 549 runs at an average of 78.42 while the Australian openers have scored 323 runs at 35.88. Since January 2008, Australian batsmen average 31.47 in the team first innings at the SCG, the lowest among all home grounds. Strauss scored 60 off 58 balls at a strike rate of 103.44, his highest strike rate for a fifty plus score in Tests.

Despite the two periods where runs flowed from Australia's tail and England's openers it wasn't easy when bowlers maintained consistency which is what the visitors did superbly for the first two hours. Brad Haddin set a poor tone for the home side in the fourth over of the day when he played a flat-footed waft outside off against Anderson, which wasn't the best way to start his stint at No.6. There was still life on offer in the pitch for the pacemen and both Mike Hussey and Steve Smith had to concentrate on defence.

After his double failure in Melbourne, Hussey was again looking solid but at no point did he get away from England as he had in Brisbane and Perth. Even taking into account bowler-friendly conditions and a sluggish outfield which kept boundaries to a minimum it was tough going by Australia. Paul Collingwood then claimed one of the biggest wickets of his Test career when a tight over to Hussey was rewarded with an inside edge into the pads and onto the stumps.

More galling for Hussey was that the strike came with the last delivery before the new ball and Collingwood was promptly removed from the attack. Smith had played against his natural instincts but couldn't resist flashing a drive at Anderson which went straight to third slip and it took just four balls to work over Peter Siddle who edged low to Strauss.

Johnson drove the ball as sweetly as anyone and Strauss was too quick to set his men back which conceded the advantage to a No. 8 in favourable bowling conditions. Hilfenhaus played his part, flicking Tim Bresnan over midwicket for six, and Johnson was happy to milk the deep-set field to give his partner the strike.

Johnson cut loose early in the afternoon as he launched Graeme Swann over midwicket for four followed by six then brought up his fifty with a nudge into the leg side which was greeted by huge roars. Bresnan broke through when Johnson missed an expansive drive and Anderson removed Hilfenhaus for his fourth wicket and 21st scalp of the series. However, those late-order runs could yet prove a vital factor in the final outcome. -Cricinfo

Dominant England bring Ashes triumph nearer

England 0 for 157 (Cook 80*, Strauss 64*) lead Australia 98 (Tremlett 4-26, Anderson 4-44) by 59 runs

Ricky Ponting's disappointing run of form continued when he was caught at slip for 10 © Getty Images

It was meant to be Boxing Day, not Boxing Australia Around the Ears Day. Within three sessions of complete England dominance at the MCG, they moved to within touching distance of retaining the Ashes by dismissing Australia for 98 and passing their total with no wickets down, leaving Ricky Ponting requiring a late Christmas miracle to avoid leading Australia to three Ashes series failures.

Chris Tremlett and James Anderson collected four wickets each, backing up Andrew Strauss's decision to send the hosts in, before Strauss and Alastair Cook showed that with discipline, batting wasn't that hard on a pitch with a little juice in it. The day could not possibly have gone better for England, who finished at 0 for 157 with Strauss on 64, Cook on 80, a hefty first-innings advantage in prospect and a 2-1 series lead on the horizon.

For Australia, it was up there with the opening day at Headingley against Pakistan this year, in terms of disastrous cricketing dates. Back then they chose to bat and managed only 88, but this time there was one slight difference - their dismal performance will probably cost them the Ashes. Not since 1936 had they scored a lower Ashes total at home, and that was in the days of uncovered pitches.

It took Tremlett, Anderson and Tim Bresnan less than two sessions to run through the order as they hit consistent lines and kept the runs tight. They also exposed Australia's team-wide inability to handle seam movement and swing, which is no great revelation but could not be ignored in front of 84,345 fans on the biggest day in the Australian cricket calendar.

Every batsman fell to an edge caught behind the wicket, six to the wicketkeeper Matt Prior, two to slips and two to gully. Too many men played with hard hands away from their bodies, and they struggled to work out which deliveries to leave and which ones to play. The questions that the batting coach Justin Langer must consider surround not only technique, but also judgment.

England picked up four wickets before the first break and in one particularly impressive patch they collected 3 for 0, as Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson all failed to make solid contact with the face of the bat. A rain delay had extended lunch by nearly an hour, but even that wasn't enough to help the Australians survive until the scheduled tea break.

But England's bowlers certainly earned their wickets, especially the early strikes. Shane Watson was dropped twice on 0, as Paul Collingwood at slip and Kevin Pietersen at gully denied Anderson an early breakthrough. It was a sign of things to come, and Watson had only made 5 when he was surprised by sharp bounce from Tremlett and fended a loopy catch to Pietersen.

Smart Stats Australia 98 is their second lowest total at the MCG. They went past their 83 against India in 1981, which was previously their lowest at the MCG. This was however the lowest score in England-Australia Tests at the ground. This is Australia's fourth score below 120 since 1990 in home Tests. All ten batsmen were dismissed caught in Australia's innings. This was the 48th occasion that all batsmen have been dismissed by this mode. Matt Prior took six catches in the innings, one behind the record of seven which is shared by four keepers. James Anderson's remarkable improvement in Australia continued with another four wicket haul. He now has 16 wickets in the series so far at an average of just over 26. In contrast, in the previous series in Australia, he picked up just five wickets at an average of 82.6. Andrew Strauss became the 52nd batsman to reach the 6000 run mark in Tests. Strauss and Alastair Cook put on their 10th century stand for the opening wicket in Tests, which puts them joint fourth in the list of opening pairs with most century stands.

Soon afterwards, Phillip Hughes (16) tried to cover-drive and edged to gully to hand Bresnan his first Ashes wicket, and without further addition to the score the Australians also lost Ricky Ponting. Again it was the rising ball from Tremlett that did the job, and this one nipped away significantly off the pitch, so much so that Ponting, on 10, did well to even get bat on ball as his edge flew to second slip.

Australia's recent saviour, Michael Hussey, joined the procession in the last over before lunch, when Anderson produced a pearler that moved away from Hussey and found a thin edge through to Prior. Then came the rain, an early and prolonged lunch, and after the break the dismissals got a bit softer, as Australia's middle order failed to exercise due caution.

The hosts want Steven Smith in the side for his energy and all-round talent, but as a Test No. 6 his technique needs a lot of work, and all it took was a probing delivery outside off stump from Anderson to draw an edge behind when Smith had 6. The top scorer Michael Clarke, who made 20, also wafted outside off at a ball he could have left, and edged behind off Anderson.

And 5 for 77 soon became 8 for 77 when Haddin drove at Bresnan and gave Strauss a catch at first slip, before Johnson tickled a catch to Prior off Anderson. A few late runs came via Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle before Tremlett finished off the tail to finish with 4 for 26, a much deserved return after he was the best of the bowlers early, extracting bounce from a pitch expected to be as stodgy as leftover Christmas pudding.

By the time Australia bowled, it looked like any spice in the pudding had lost its kick. In reality, they just didn't bowl well enough, while Cook and Strauss defended solidly and left the right balls, also ticking the score along by chasing the bad deliveries, like an uppish cut to the vacant third-man area from Cook when he was given width.

That Strauss and Cook both registered half-centuries before stumps was the perfect finale for the visitors, and Cook was already within sight of his third hundred of the series. Australia's four-man pace attack had little impact - Michael Beer was made 12th man again - and by the close, Smith had tossed up a few overs of unthreatening legbreaks, including one that was slog-swept almost for six by Cook.

Smith wasn't born last time England won the Ashes in Australia, in 1986-87. He's about to see it happen first-hand.- Cricinfo

Clarke fights, then falls, as England eye victory

Australia 245 and 4 for 238 (Clarke 80, Watson 57) trail England 5 for 620 dec (Pietersen 227, Cook 148, Trott 78, Bell 68*) by 137 runs

In pic: Ricky Ponting fell to Graeme Swann on the fourth afternoon at Adelaide and Australia ended the day four down in their survival battle © Getty Images

Kevin Pietersen gave England every chance of victory in Adelaide with his career-best 227, but it's his bowling that might have made the biggest difference. Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey gave Australia a fighting chance of escaping with a draw to head to the third Test in Perth still 0-0, but the loss of Clarke to the last delivery on the fourth day gave England a major boost amid the gloomy conditions.

Clarke had 80, and was threatening to stand between England and victory, until he inside-edged onto his pad and the ball looped over the shoulder of the short leg Alastair Cook, who took a good catch. Adding to the late drama, the umpire Tony Hill called the appeal not out, but England asked for a review and Clarke was found guilty of putting bat on ball, to hand Pietersen his first Test wicket since 2008.

It was exactly what Australia didn't need, after Clarke and Hussey put together a promising 104-run partnership. Instead of two established men walking out in the morning, the under-pressure Marcus North will join Hussey, who was on 44, with the new ball due at the end of the over Pietersen will complete with four more deliveries. And if that wasn't pressure enough for North, there is a chance of morning showers, which could mean cloud cover and swing.

Australia will be hoping the showers turn into heavier rain, and there is the chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon. The battle will be ensuring they last that long, with only Brad Haddin and a long tail to follow Hussey and North, who will resume with Australia still 137 runs behind, at 4 for 238, searching for a draw that would feel like a win.

It remains to be seen whether Andrew Strauss will rue his decision to bat into the fourth morning, despite already holding a 300-plus lead. He might have been questioning that call while Hussey and Clarke were together, batting solidly either side of a heavy downpour late in the afternoon. Clarke seemed to have shaken off his poor touch and his bad back, looking comfortable against pace and spin.

And it wasn't easy against Graeme Swann, who created the most problems for Australia. He removed Simon Katich and claimed the big wicket of Ricky Ponting, before Steven Finn chipped in by dismissing Shane Watson for another solid half-century that promised to be more. Swann was finding sharp spin from the rough and his drift and flight caused a few headaches for the Australian batsmen.

Several times, inside edges didn't quite fly to hand for the cluster of fielders surrounding the bat, and Clarke was given out caught at slip on 67 only to have the decision reversed on review; the ball had spun past his bat and lobbed up off his pad. Generally, though, Clarke handled Swann well, using his feet to smother the spin and driving hard through gaps on both sides of the wicket.

Importantly, all the Australian batsmen played positively, refusing to simply bat for time and allow England to dictate the flow. Clarke struck 11 boundaries and Hussey, who continued his excellent series, slammed Swann over midwicket for six late in the day, ensuring that any bad balls were put away, as they would be in happier circumstances.

The only batsman who really struggled was Ponting, who was mesmerised by Swann and couldn't get off the mark until his 13th delivery. Despite punishing Swann with a vicious cut for four and a powerful sweep to the boundary, Ponting was eliminated by Swann on 9 when he played for the offspinner and edged a straighter ball low to Paul Collingwood at first slip.

Swann had already ended the 84-run opening partnership when Katich tried to defend and was caught behind off a thin edge for 43. Katich had hobbled his way through the innings with an Achilles tendon injury that severely hampered his running between wickets, and although his hard work was valuable, there is every chance the Australians will need to look for another opener for the third Test in Perth if his problem persists.

The man who threatened to be Australia's anchor was Watson, who batted confidently with his usual aggression and well-timed drives, but once again he failed to convert a strong start. Watson has passed fifty on 15 occasions in Test cricket but only twice have those half-centuries turned into hundreds, and if ever Australia needed triple figures from him, it was this time.

It was the patience of Finn, who peppered away consistently just outside off stump, that did for Watson when he edged to first slip for 57. The inability of Australia's batsmen to capitalise on their starts was all the more frustrating for them given the monstrous scores racked up by England's batsmen, led by Pietersen with his double-century.

Pietersen added 14 to his overnight score but it was enough to beat his previous Test best of 226, which he made against West Indies at Headingley in 2007. He eventually fell caught by Katich at slip, when he misjudged a slog sweep, and it was a consolation wicket for Xavier Doherty, who finished with 1 for 158 and looked nowhere near as threatening as Swann.

England's batsmen scored their runs briskly after Strauss decided against declaring overnight, and in nine overs they pushed the total up by 69 before Strauss called a halt to the innings. Ian Bell had moved on to an unbeaten 68 and Matt Prior was on 27, which guided England to 5 for 620 - their highest Test innings total in 20 years and their fifth-best of all time against Australia.

The visitors would be sorely disappointed if that effort doesn't turn into a win. They'll want a lift from James Anderson, who didn't bowl at his best, while a stomach strain could keep Stuart Broad from playing much of a part on the final day. England can only hope the weather doesn't play any role either.

Australia team restores advantage against England

Brisbane: Australia's top scorer Mike Hussey feels the first Ashes Test is there to be won by either team, after his unbeaten 81 today got the hosts out of trouble on day two and poised to take a first-innings lead. Hussey and Brad Haddin combined for an unbeaten sixth-wicket stand of 77 to put Australia on 220-5 at stumps, chasing England's total of 260. The pair combined with Australia in trouble at 143-5, and while the hosts had wrested back a marginal ascendancy, Hussey felt the game remained in the balance. "The game is 50-50 at the moment," Hussey said. "We'd love to be two or three down and the same as them scorewise but the two teams are very tight. "Its going to ebb and flow throughout the Test match.

In pic: Australian batsman Michael Hussey plays a shot during the second day of Ashes Test

We are very close and it could well come down to pivotal moments in the game. One ball or one diving catch." Australia began today on 25-0 and extended the opening partnership to 78 before James Anderson dismissed Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting either side of lunch. Steven Finn, on his Ashes debut, followed that up by snaring Simon Katich (50) and Michael Clarke (9) before Marcus North (1) fell to Graeme Swann, leaving Australia still 117 adrift of England's first innings total with the top order already removed.

Hussey belied the pressure of intense scrutiny upon his position in the team, combining with Haddin to bat Australia out of trouble with some assured strokeplay before bad light then rain cut the day's play about an hour short. England will take the new ball when play begins on day three half an hour early to make up for time lost today. Hussey almost went first ball, nicking a Finn delivery just short of Swann at second slip. Immediately he took advantage of that reprieve with the first of a series of aggressive pull shots for boundaries and the Test's first six, hitting Swann over long on.

Hussey insists he did not have any pre-conceived intentions to play more positively but acknowledged he felt more confident playing on a pitch that was more like his high-bouncing home ground in Perth than the usual low seam-friendly conditions at the Gabba. "Nothing's changed at all, I just tried to stick with what works for me," Hussey said. "My mind is a bit clearer and I'm maybe seeing the ball clearer out of the bowler's hand. "At other times, particularly in the last couple of years, there's negative thoughts or situations that go through your mind; about the game or what the pitch is doing so it stops you playing with the same freedom."

Earlier, the lone wicket to fall in the first session came when Watson nicked an Anderson off-cutter to Andrew Strauss in the slips. The ball before his dismissal Watson survived an lbw appeal which was turned down but then referred to the video umpire. The review showed the ball may have clipped the top of leg stump, but was inconclusive enough for the initial not-out decision to stand. Katich also survived a video referral in the first session after he was initially given out lbw when on 29 but replays showed the ball would have bounced over the stumps. The opener could also have been run out earlier in his innings had Alastair Cook connected with a direct throw from midwicket.