MELBOURNE, Dec 27 — Australia paceman Peter Siddle broke through for two early wickets, but Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen stood firm to guide England to 226 for two at lunch on the second day of the fourth test in Melbourne today.

Having toiled fruitlessly for three hours late on day one, Siddle needed only 19 minutes to break England's opening partnership, removing Alastair Cook for 82 with his 13th ball of the morning at an overcast Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Siddle coaxed the opener into a half-hearted defensive push that flicked an edge to first slip where Shane Watson took a sharp catch just above the grass.

The 26-year-old quick then had Andrew Strauss out for 69, the England captain fending away a delivery that bounced viciously to backward point where Mike Hussey jumped high and to his right to take a superb one-handed catch.

The wicket left England 170-2, having added only 13 runs to their overnight lead of 59, but Trott and Pietersen dashed any hopes of a collapse with an unbeaten 56-run stand as spectators at the half-full stadium huddled for warmth on an unseasonably chilly summer's day.

Pietersen, who grew increasingly imperious after a watchful start, was on 30, with Trott on 31, as the tourists extended their lead to 128 runs after Australia were skittled for 98 runs in their first innings yesterday.

The five-test series is tied at 1-1 and holders England need only to win in Melbourne to be the first team to retain the Ashes on Australian soil since Mike Gatting's side in 1986/87.

Pietersen, who failed twice in England's third test defeat in Perth, imposed himself with two boundaries in succession off Siddle and appeared in fine touch.

With the batsmen getting on top of Australia's seamers, captain Ricky Ponting introduced legspinner Steve Smith shortly before lunch.

Pietersen welcomed the 21-year-old allrounder with two boundaries, the second a disdainful lofted drive that sailed over the 21-year-old's head to the boundary.

Trott then scored four all run on the second-last ball before lunch with a push through midwicket before defending the last to buoy England's hopes of building a mammoth total in the afternoon. — Reuters 

 

MELBOURNE, Dec 27 — England seized control of the fourth Ashes test by skittling Australia for a record low of 98 yesterday then compounded the hosts' misery by building a lead of 59 runs without loss at the close of the first day.

With the series tied 1-1, victory in Melbourne would ensure England retained the Ashes they regained at home last year.

The England pace attack scythed through Australia's top order before lunch then rattled through their last six wickets for the loss of only 40 runs before tea to stun the crowd of more than 84,000.

Australia's paltry first innings total was their lowest against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground since the inaugural match of England's first test tour in 1876-77.

England openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook rubbed salt in the hosts' wounds by surviving more than three hours to take the tourists to 157 at the close, profiting from sunny afternoon conditions which tamed a pitch that earlier proved a handful for Australia's batsmen. Captain Strauss was on 64 and Cook 80 at the close.

Chris Tremlett and James Anderson each finished with four wickets, while Tim Bresnan, who replaced Steve Finn, took two for 25.

Strauss won the toss and sent Australia into bat on a moist, grassy pitch that offered swing and varying bounce from the first ball on an overcast morning.

The hosts' top order has been brittle throughout the series and they surrendered their first four wickets for just 58 runs.

Tremlett and Bresnan removed openers Shane Watson (five) and the struggling Phillip Hughes (16) respectively, the latter gifting his wicket with a miscued drive that flew straight to Kevin Pietersen at gully.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting's woeful series with the bat continued as he was out for 10, edging Tremlett to Graeme Swann in the slips.

The prolific Mike Hussey, forced into the role of rescuer throughout the series, edged Anderson just before lunch to wicketkeeper Matt Prior and was out for eight.

SPECTATORS LEAVE EARLY

A rain shower that brought lunch five minutes early and delayed the second session by 45 minutes compounded Australia's misery as the ball continued to skid and lift in the early afternoon.

Anderson struck twice shortly after lunch, removing Steve Smith for six and Michael Clarke for 20, both caught behind by Prior with similar deliveries that swung late.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin then flashed at Tim Bresnan, his flat-footed drive flying straight to Strauss at first slip and sparking England's ecstatic Barmy Army into renditions of "God Save the Queen."

Anderson's dismissal of Mitchell Johnson for a duck was England's third without a run conceded after lunch, as Australia crashed from 77-5 to 77-8.

Australia's tail added another 21 runs, with Peter Siddle's 11 finishing the third-highest score of the innings.

With the afternoon sunshine drying out the pitch, Cook and Strauss were rarely tested by Australia's seamers.

Cook, who scored a match-saving double-century in Brisbane but failed twice in Perth, raised his half-century by cutting a loose delivery from Johnson for four in the 32nd over.

Strauss reached his half-century five overs later, tucking a single off leg-spinner Smith to deep mid-on.

Johnson had sparked Australia's 267-run win in Perth with a match-winning six-wicket haul in the first innings but was hit for 11 runs off his first over and finished with unflattering figures of 0-42 off seven overs.

With Australia's batsmen embarrassed and their pace attack thwarted, spectators deserted the 100,000-capacity stadium in droves, leaving their bowlers to toil fruitlessly in front of rows of empty seats for the last hour.

"At no point did we get carried away, even when they were six down, seven down," Anderson told reporters.

"We just kept going and did what we were trying to do, create pressure.

"There was definitely some movement. The grass that was on the pitch did help and the overcast conditions helped it swing as well. We've had one good day, one great day, but there's still four days of hard work left. — Reuters