The opening day of the second Test at Adelaide Oval has belonged to England’s bowlers as they demolished Australia for 245, despite another defiant knock from Michael Hussey.

Australia’s day had begun in disastrous fashion, losing three wickets to stumble to 3-2 after the first three overs, with Simon Katich and Ricky Ponting both taken for a duck while under-pressure batsman Michael Clarke was dismissed for two runs.

James Anderson was England’s chief destroyer, dismantling the Aussie’s top order as he claimed both Ponting and Clarke on his way to 4-51.

Hussey, though, backed up his 195 runs in Brisbane to post 93 before he was taken seven runs short of his second consecutive ton by Graeme Swann, who finished with 2-70.

The England spinner produced a delightful delivery which Hussey lashed out at, but the devastating turn saw the batsman prod an edge to Paul Collingwood in slip. Hussey’s dismissal led to a late collapse from the Australians, who lost their last five wickets for just 38 runs.

It was Katich, however, who started the rot as he was run out at the striker’s end without facing a ball after some quick and clever fielding by Jonathan Trott who took the bails off the stumps with a direct hit from square leg.

Ponting followed on the very next ball caught in slip by Swann from an Anderson delivery.

The pair combined again to remove Clarke and Australia were in all sorts of bother at 3-2 after three overs.

Hussey steadied the ship for the home side and racked up a 94-run partnership with Shane Watson, before the opener was taken for 51 in the second over after lunch.

Anderson claimed his third wicket when Watson was caught at gully by Kevin Pietersen.

Marcus North entered the fray and began slowly with first-Test hero Hussey. The pair managed 60 runs between them with the left-handers taking Australia’s total past 150 before North was dismissed for 26 three overs before tea.

North lazily attempted to cut a Steven Finn delivery but got a big edge leaving England wicketkeeper Matt Prior with a routine catch.

Aussie keeper Brad Haddin came in to replace North and Australia’s heroic first-Test duo resumed at 5-156 as they looked to reproduce their massive 307-run partnership from Brisbane.

This time, though, they could only add 51 runs before Hussey was eventually dismissed.

Swann’s influence grew and he went on to claim Ryan Harris lbw for a duck with the following ball in a horror return for the pace bowler in his first Test at the Adelaide Oval, but not after the former Redback appealed the decision.

There wasn’t enough evidence to overturn the decision and Australia spinner Xavier Doherty arrived at the crease with the hosts chance of a successful fight back dashed at 7-207.

Doherty made six runs before he was caught ball watching and run out at the strikers’ end with Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook teeing up Prior for an easy stumping as Australia’s tail end began to crumble.

First test hat-trick hero Peter Siddle was caught for three runs at mid wicket by Cook before Stuart Broad took the final wicket, dismissing Haddin for 56 with Finn catching just inside the rope.

England managed to fit in one over before stumps and the visitors head into day two on 0-1 with captain Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook unbeaten at the crease.

Source: Cricket Austrlia

England will take valuable momentum into the second Ashes Test in Adelaide after dominating the final day of a drawn series-opener in Brisbane.

Alastair Cook recorded a magnificent unbeaten double century and Jonathan Trott scored his second hundred in as many Tests against Australia as the tourists declared their second innings on a mammoth 517 for one – their highest total at the Gabba – to set the hosts a notional 297 for victory.

Cook’s 235 represented the largest individual score at the ground, beating the previous record of Don Bradman, while Trott had taken his score to 135 by the time skipper Andrew Strauss called a halt to proceedings 40 minutes before tea.

The second-wicket partnership yielded an astonishing 329 runs, a record stand for England in Australia, and ensured the home side had to face a testing examination with the ball before the close.

Stuart Broad raised brief hopes of an unlikely England victory when he had Simon Katich caught by Strauss at first slip in the sixth over of Australia’s innings, but Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting steadied the ship thereafter and took the score on to 107 for one before the captains shook hands on a draw.

Watson finished unbeaten on 41, having been dropped by Paul Collingwood off Graeme Swann when he had 17 to his name, and Ponting looked in excellent touch as he raced to 51 not out on an increasingly benign wicket.

But the late rally will have done little to temper England’s delight after they hauled themselves back into the match in impressive fashion on days four and five.

Australia were unfortunate to see a number of edges land safely this morning, but as the day progressed they were forced to endure an utterly torrid time in the field.

Resuming on 309 for one with Cook on 132 and Trott 54, the duo overcame some early scares at the hands of Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus to take England’s score past 350.

The Warwickshire batsman received a huge let-off on 65 as a lazy cut off Watson picked out Michael Clarke at first slip, but Australia’s vice-captain was unable to hold on to the simplest of chances, much to the frustration of the bowler.

Cook slashed Mitchell Johnson through point for four in the next over and Australia’s misery deepened as the seamer sent a horrendous delivery way down the leg side for five wides.

Back-to-back boundaries from Cook, the latter a glorious cover drive, took him past his previous highest Test score – 173 against Bangladesh in Chittagong earlier this year.

Xavier Doherty was then despatched to the fence on two occasions by Trott and the 200 partnership arrived in the next over.

With Australia now on the ropes, Cook lofted Doherty high over midwicket for his 19th boundary before seeing consecutive deliveries turn sharply past wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for four byes.

Cook soon moved to 200 – from 360 balls – with a quick single off Doherty.

And there was still time for Trott to reach his century from the penultimate ball of the session, ensuring England’s top three batsmen reached three figures in the same innings for only the second time in Tests, with Sir Jack Hobbs, Herbert Sutcliffe and Frank Woolley having accomplished the feat against South Africa at Lord’s in 1924.

Runs continued to flow after the interval, with the erratic Johnson coming in for the heaviest punishment.

The left-armer was unable to display any consistency in a dismal spell which saw boundaries conceded on either side of the wicket.

Cook survived a scare on 209 as he clipped Doherty to Ponting at short midwicket. Australia’s captain thought he had taken a clear catch, but the batsman survived as replays failed to conclusively prove whether the ball had carried.

Doherty was hammered down the ground by the left-hander in his next over and Trott repeated the trick as the partnership neared 300.

Cook had another let-off when Ponting spilled a tricky chance at slip off Watson.

By this stage, England had adopted a hugely aggressive approach, typified by a sensational lofted straight drive from Trott off Watson that flew to the boundary.

And when Cook spanked Doherty over mid-on for yet another four, he and Trott had overtaken the record partnership in Tests at the Gabba, set by Mike Hussey and Haddin earlier in this match.

Strauss decided he had seen enough soon after and Australia’s bowlers were probably grateful.

James Anderson and Broad were given the task of making a breakthrough before tea and the latter worried Katich with a beautiful delivery that swung past the outside edge.

It was a similar ball that accounted for the Essex man soon after and Anderson was unfortunate not to pick up Watson in the final over of the session as a length ball seamed away from the right hander’s defensive prod.

Watson picked up back-to-back fours off Anderson shortly after tea, prompting the duo to exchange verbal pleasantries for the remainder of the over.

Ponting greeted the introduction of Swann with an on-drive to the boundary.

The off-spinner thought he had removed Watson later in the over, only for Collingwood to spill a regulation chance at slip after a straighter delivery had taken the shoulder of the bat.

Ponting took the attack to England as the end approached, cracking Steven Finn for consecutive boundaries and collecting a huge six over wide long-on in Swann’s first over.

There was just enough time for the Tasmanian to bring up a 56th Test fifty, from just 41 balls, as Australia ended a chastening day on a high note.

Source: ECB

Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook shared a 188-run opening stand to lead England to 238-1 at tea on the fourth day as the tourists worked to save the first Ashes test against Australia.

The pair produced England’s best ever partnership at the Gabba ground before Strauss was dismissed for 110, stumped by Brad Haddin off Marcus North.

Cook was 98 not out the break with Jonathan Trott on 23. England now have a lead of 17 runs.

After looking dominant during the morning session, Strauss was more hesitant as he approached triple figures before a superb late cut off Xavier Doherty brought up his first century in Australia.

Strauss then seemed to lose his rhythm, scoring just 10 runs from his next 40 deliveries before a rash cross-batted shot caused his demise.

Cook looked the less comfortable throughout, but ground his way toward his second century against Australia, while Trott looked assured since coming to the middle

Despite overcast conditions, there has been no discernable swing for the Australian bowlers.

Strauss was given a reprieve before lunch while on 69 when he hit a Doherty ball to Mitchell Johnson at mid-on, but the chance was dropped.

Peter Siddle was also unlucky in the first session as Cook edged just wide of third slip, and later Strauss missed his leg stump from an inside edge.

England scored 260 in its first innings before Australia notched 481 in reply with centuries from Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin.

Although Sunday has lacked the drama of the first three days of the test, England will be delighted with the way they have recovered from a huge first innings deficit and are now in a position to force a draw on Monday.

Source: Yahoo Cricket

Michael Hussey and Brad Haddin wrote themselves a place in the history books with a monumental 307-run partnership as Australia took a firm grip on the opening Test in Brisbane. The mammoth stand was a record for any wicket at the Gabba and steered the home side towards a formidable lead of 221 as Hussey hit a career-best 195. Following hours of toil, Steven Finn provided England a late boost with a career-best six wickets, but it’s a huge task for them to avoid beginning their Ashes defence with defeat.

Facing a tough hour, Andrew Strauss survived a huge appeal lbw first ball when he padded up to Ben Hilfenhaus and Ricky Ponting asked for a review but it had been correctly ruled to be heading over the stumps. However, it was a heart-in-mouth moment for Strauss, who was on a pair until he tucked a single to square leg. He and Alastair Cook fought hard to get through to the close, yet it’s only the start of what has to be a huge rearguard and at least two batsmen need to follow the lead of Hussey and Haddin.

Their stand will go down in Ashes folklore and finished second to the 346 added by Don Bradman and Jack Fingleton in 1936-37 in Australian partnerships against England. Hussey played like the man who dominated world cricket for three years after his debut before the lean time that brought his career into doubt. He reached his 12th Test century off 197 balls and celebrated with a huge release of raw emotion. It meant consecutive Ashes hundreds after his futile 121 at The Oval in 2009, but this one has given his team a huge advantage and has put to bed any debate about his place in the team.

Haddin’s innings was his finest at Test level because of the way he adjusted his game to weather an early barrage from the new ball before blossoming towards a 222-ball hundred, which he reached with a straight six off Graeme Swann. He was given a life on 63, with Australia just 39 ahead, when Cook spilled a tough chance and another on 113 when James Anderson dropped a top-edged pull as England’s fielding showed a few cracks – a bit like the Gabba surface – before eventually being well caught at slip to end the visitors’ 93-over wait for a wicket.

Finn then nipped in for a commendable six-wicket haul, but the pick of England’s attack by a mile was Anderson, who somehow went wicketless during a brilliant morning burst in a period of play that is likely to define this Test. On 82, Hussey was given lbw by Aleem Dar, but instantly called for the review and was correctly reprieved as the ball had pitched outside leg stump. Then another shout, with the batsman on 85, was stone dead only for Dar to say not out as he heard two noises – which proved to be both pads – yet England had no reviews left themselves.

Anderson wore a rueful smile, and shared a few words with the batsmen, but continued to have the ball on a string with a succession of unplayable deliveries. The opening 10 overs of the day went for just 13 runs and the first boundary didn’t arrive until Haddin drove Finn straight after 50 minutes play.

That was a signal for Haddin to play a few more shots, having had to battle against his natural instincts to repel the early barrage. He late cut Finn through gully then drove Anderson on the rise over mid-off as Australia closed in on England’s disappointing 260. Anderson finished an eight-over spell at the cost of 14, but it was the perfect example of when statistics don’t even tell half the story.

Haddin’s aggression took Australia into the lead and Hussey moved through the 90s when he used his feet against Swann in the offspinner’s opening over. Moments later, Hussey had his landmark and the ground went wild with similar ferocity as greeted Peter Siddle’s opening-day hat-trick.

England’s story of near-misses continued when Cook couldn’t quite back-pedal under a high catch offered by Haddin as he drove aggressively at Paul Collingwood’s first delivery. The importance of Haddin’s innings can’t be overstated because if the lower order had been exposed to the new ball England would have sensed their opportunity.

The pitch was still good for batting, but the widening cracks and hint of occasional balls disturbing the surface emphasised the importance of the lead. After lunch, the pair put their foot on England’s throat with dominant batting as the visitors became increasingly forlorn. A problem for Strauss was that Swann remained below his best and was comfortably picked off by Hussey and Haddin.

They ticked off a host of records including the 276 added by Bradman and Lindsay Hassett against England in 1946 as the best stand on the ground, which was brought up with an inside edge past the stumps by Haddin off Anderson, and also into second place for Ashes sixth-wicket partnerships. After two wicketless sessions, thoughts turned to whether Australia would declare in the evening, but that decision was taken out of Ponting’s hands as England showed resilience.

Swann pushed one across Haddin from around the wicket and Collingwood showed sharp reflexes, then Hussey was removed five short of a maiden Test double when he miscued a pull to deep midwicket. It had been a profitable shot throughout the innings and he left to another standing ovation.

Mitchell Johnson had been padded up all day and couldn’t get off the mark during an uncomfortable 19-ball stay before he missed a drive and Siddle was early on a pull which he gloved to slip to give Finn his third five-wicket haul. Xavier Doherty (16) suggested he can provide useful runs down the order until handing Finn his sixth as the last five wickets fell for 31. England’s bowlers did a good job against top and bottom of Australia’s, but one magnificent partnership dominated the innings.

Andrew McGlashan is an assistant editor at Cricinfo

England 332 and 373 for 9 dec beat Australia 160 and 348 (Hussey 121, Ponting 66, Swann 4-120) by 197 runs…

England won back the Ashes when they beat Australia by 197 runs on the fourth evening at the Brit Oval, capping a terrific series which offered a surprise at every turn.

At 17.49pm, Mike Hussey, who had held England at bay for 236 balls in scoring an excellent 121, prodded Graeme Swann to Alastair Cook at short-leg.

England showed great character to win the series 2-1. When they escaped at Cardiff, they responded by winning by 115 runs at Lord’s. Their capitulation at Headingley Carnegie a fortnight ago was followed by this utterly concentrated bowling show.

Despite overwhelming odds against his side, Hussey did his best to delay the inevitable with a gritty century on a day of brave Australian resistance.

When he and Ricky Ponting put on 127 for the third wicket, Australia harboured genuine hopes of pulling off the most unlikely chase in Test history.

Having taken the first tentative steps to chasing down a would-be record fourth-innings score of 546, the game turned emphatically on two inspired pieces of fielding just after lunch that left Australia 220 for four.

First, Hussey attempted a single to Andrew Flintoff at mid-on, only for the departing all-rounder to throw down the stumps of the ambling Ponting at the striker’s end.

Three runs later, Michael Clarke was a victim of the closest of decisions. Andrew Strauss reacted to a ricochet off short-leg’s boot by running out the advancing Clarke, who was yet to score.

TV replays showed that Clarke’s bat was on, rather than over, the line as the bails were removed.

Australia began the day 80 without loss, but Simon Katich and Shane Watson were both sent back having barely added to their overnight scores.

England were immediately encouraged by a pitch offering variable bounce out of the footholes.

Stuart Broad, England’s hero of the first innings, was entrusted the first over, and immediately had the ball spitting at Watson.

The elusive breakthrough arrived in the third over, when the doughty Katich, on 43, fatally padded up to Graeme Swann’s arm ball.

Watson followed to Broad in the next over for 40, lbw to a ball striking him on off stump. Watson felt that he had edged the ball on to his pad, but Asad Rauf’s decision appeared correct.

With defeat looming, Ponting was staring at the unenviable feat of becoming the first Australia captain to relinquish the Ashes twice.

He received a rapturous reception from the Oval crowd, though he may yet appear in this country next summer in neutral Tests against Pakistan.

He was patently desperate to ensure any defeat was met with the greatest resistance possible and, after being troubled by Swann’s variable bounce, played a sweet pull off Broad, and drove Swann for two successive fours.

He almost lost Hussey in the 42nd over, when the left-hander edged Swann between Paul Collingwood’s legs at slip.

To the first ball back after lunch, Ponting greeted Broad’s full toss by thrashing him through cover for four. He reached a 48th Test fifty soon afterwards.

In the 54th over, Ponting escaped when he edged a low chance on to Collingwood’s boot. The ball bounced behind the slip fielder, who vainly scrambled to try and catch.

But in his final Test, Flintoff was determined to have his say any which way. Taken out of the slip cordon, and struggling with creaking knees, he nonetheless stooped with his large frame to collect Hussey’s prod and end Ponting’s innings.

When Clarke followed, Australia’s hopes lay squarely with Hussey, who showed remarkable application for a man who is essentially out of nick. He was given a further reprieve when Collingwood dropped a straightforward chance at slip.

Marcus North had scored 10 when Swann’s off-break ripped past his attempted sweep. He failed to get his foot back over the line before Matt Prior removed the bails, just reward for his improved glovework.

When they returned after tea, Hussey further entrenched himself, leading Strauss to take the new ball after 84 overs.

The new nut was more unpredictable in its bounce, and Brad Haddin responded by throwing the bat at anything wide.

Haddin could have fallen three times in an Anderson over, clipping the ball through the hands of substitute Graham Onions at midwicket, and playing two airy drives past cover.

The wicketkeeper hung around long enough to see Hussey to his elusive hundred with two checked drives in the 89th over. Hussey’s 10th Test hundred, and first in 29 innings since a 2008 Test in Bangalore, came from 219 balls.

Haddin threw away his wicket on 34, when he attempted to carve Swann into a heavily populated leg side. The ball fell tamely to Strauss at midwicket.

From thereon in, Australia fell like a pack of cards. Collingwood finally held on to an sharp chance offered by Mitchell Johnson.

Then Steve Harmison threatened to steal the show. He forced Peter Siddle into a leading edge to Flintoff at extra cover, and from the next ball, Stuart Clark nudged to short-leg.

Ben Hilfenhaus withstood the hat-trick ball, but with Hussey farming the strike, the centurion eventually played an uncontrolled nudge to Cook to cue England’s delirium.

Source: ECB

Australia 160 and 80 for 0 (Watson 31*, Katich 42*) need 466 more runs to beat England 332 and 373 for 9 dec (Trott 119, Strauss 75, Swann 63, North 4-98)

Australia will need to smash Test records if they are to deny England from reclaiming the Ashes in the decisive final Test at the Brit Oval.

Using Jonathan Trott’s maiden Test match century as their bulwark, England thrillingly blazed Australia’s ragged bowlers to all parts in a second-innings total of 373 for nine declared.

Andrew Strauss’ declaration arrived upon Trott’s dismissal for 119, leaving Australia a target of 546 to win the fifth Test. In the history of Test cricket, no side has ever successfully chased more than 418 to win in the fourth innings.

In keeping with a wonderful Test match, Australia took a positive approach to this huge ask, closing on 80 for no wicket.

Aside from three wickets either side of lunch, England were rarely thrown off-course as they set about building an unassailable lead.

When Strauss was dismissed for 75 in the final over before lunch, Andrew Flintoff (22 from 18 balls), Stuart Broad (29 from 35), Graeme Swann (63 from 55) ensured that runs came too quick for Australia to control.

Having begun the day on a potentially tricky 58 for three, Strauss and Trott accumulated runs at ease and added 99 together before lunch in a stand of 118 for the third wicket.

On a turning pitch, their relative ease against Marcus North made folly of Australia’s decision to leave out their only frontline spinner, Nathan Hauritz.

Having correctly survived Peter Siddle’s vociferous shout for lbw to the first ball of the day, Trott brought up the fifty partnership with a pull to the fine-leg boundary.

Strauss began to open his arms after reaching his fourth half-century of the series, striking two successive cover drives off Stuart Clark. They were shots that until recently he seemed to have removed from his armoury.

Ricky Ponting turned to part-time spin from both ends before lunch in an attempt to force a rash stroke – and after a near-miss, Strauss attempted a square drive and was caught by Michael Clarke at slip.

The flip-side to Ponting’s strategy had been apparent two balls earlier, when Clarke’s short ball allowed Trott to carve him for four and bring up his maiden Test fifty, compiled from 89 deliveries.

Trott lost Matt Prior upon the resumption, when Katich threw down the stumps at the non-striker’s end to a misjudged single.

The stage was set for Flintoff to sign off from Test cricket with a typically belligerent innings, but it was to be a curtailed swansong.

After settling down from a rapturous welcome in Kennington, Flintoff carved his second ball to the midwicket fence. His standout boundary was a terrific pull off Siddle.

But having escaped a leading edge off Mitchell Johnson’s first ball, he top-edged North to deep midwicket for 22.

Broad took a liking to North – in the course of the same over he twice struck the off-spinner over the top, and also carved him to deep square-leg. On 29, Broad hit straight up in the air in the search of more runs.

The wicket changed little, with Swann striking five boundaries before tea, taking England’s tally for the session to 133.

Swann then embarked upon an even more withering assault, unfurling a glorious punched cover drive off Siddle.

After edging a tough chance to Ponting at slip, Swann brought up his third Test fifty. He had hit nine boundaries when he miscued a pull off Ben Hilfenhaus to Brad Haddin. He contributed 63 to a stand of 91 with Trott.

Swann’s huge hitting allowed Trott to take his time over his hundred. The Warwickshire batsman eventually guided Hilfenhaus behind square for two, to become the 18th England batsman to reach three figures on Test debut.

More pertinently, it was only England’s second century of the series.

No-one would have castigated Strauss for declaring there and then, but the England captain elected to wait until a tired Trott carved Clark to point, whereupon the lead was an almost unthinkable 545.

Australia had 20 overs to negotiate in the evening, and they gave the impression of a side who reckoned their best chance of saving the Ashes was to attack the target, rather than flat-bat.

After a couple of hair-brained singles that yielded run-out chances to Ian Bell, Watson decided to pull anything short and defend fuller balls stoutly.

The right-hander survived three strong appeals for lbw caught on the front foot. In one Steve Harmison over, he escaped with the faintest of inside edges onto the pad.

Katich, the more fluent of the two, did well to drop his hands when edging Broad in the next over.

Katich closed on 42 not out, within sight of a second half-century in the game. Watson was unbeaten on 31.

Despite their admirable resistance, convention dictates against an Australia win. The highest successful fourth-innings chase to win on this ground is a mere 263 for nine, made by Archie MacLaren’s England in the 1902 Oval Ashes Test.

West Indies hold the Test record, when they made 418 to beat Australia on the flattest of tracks at the Antigua Recreation Ground in 2003-04.

It would also require a task greater than the record first-class fourth-innings chase – the 513 for nine scored by Sri Lankan side Central Province in the same winter.

Source: ECB

The loss of five wickets in the evening session undermined England’s hopes of posting a commanding total in the decisive final Ashes Test against Australia at the Brit Oval.

Ian Bell matched Andrew Strauss’ feat in passing 50 as England, chasing the victory which would see them regain the Ashes, moved on to a potentially dominant 176 for two.

However, the tireless Peter Siddle orchestrated a slide that saw five wickets tumble for 92 runs as Australia mounted a fightback made all the more impressive by the fact that their seamers received precious little assistance from a flat, dry surface.

Siddle followed up his early dismissal of Alastair Cook by removing Paul Collingwood and Bell, for 72, either side of tea, while Matt Prior and Andrew Flintoff perished in the space of 14 balls from Mitchell Johnson.

When Test debutant Jonathan Trott, who belied his nerves to make a measured 41, was superbly run out by Simon Katich at short-leg, England were wobbling on 268 for seven and in danger of wasting their fine start.

Stuart Broad, whose batting was one of the few bright spots in the innings defeat at Headingley Carnegie, checked the slide with assistance from Graeme Swann, but Siddle capped a sterling day’s work by finding Swann’s edge off what proved to be the last ball of the day to leave the hosts 307 for eight.

While England will surely be disappointed not to have made better use of the platform provided by Strauss and Bell, the value of a total in excess of 300 is heightened by the fact that Australia, who opted against picking a specialist spinner, are likely to have to bat last on a pitch showing significant signs of wear and offering appreciable turn midway through the opening day.

Winning the toss on a typically flat Oval surface represented a major boon for England, but the tourists landed the first significant blow when Siddle removed Cook in the sixth over of the day, smartly taken at second slip by Ricky Ponting after being squared up on the back foot.

Initially watchful, Strauss got moving with successive off-side boundaries at Ben Hilfenhaus’ expense, while Bell survived a caught behind appeal of his wrist down the leg side off Siddle to drive the same bowler wide of mid-on, steer him past the slip cordon and clip him off his hips for four.

Despite the pitch offering the quicker bowlers little in the way of bounce or sideways movement, the introduction of Mitchell Johnson immediately discomforted Bell, who was fortunate to glove the third of three successive bouncers safely wide of short-leg before he had scored.

A composed Strauss continued to prosper off his legs and, although Bell received treatment from physio Kirk Russell after complaining of pain behind his left knee, boundaries flowed remarkably freely thereafter.

Siddle was punished for overpitching three times in an over, Strauss following up an immaculate straight drive with a sweetly timed clip through midwicket to go to an 89-ball half-century containing 10 fours.

That Bell was noticeably less secure – he sliced Hilfenhaus over gully and watched an inswinger arrow in through the gate and narrowly miss off stump – mattered little to the England fans who saw their side surpass their first-innings score of 102 at Headingley for the loss of a solitary wicket.

Their optimism was dented, however, when Strauss perished for 55 in the third over after lunch, hanging his bat limply at a delivery from Hilfenhaus which slanted across him and providing wicketkeeper Brad Haddin with a straightforward catch.

Bell, no doubt mindful of the importance of this period of play, responded admirably. Though there was an occasional loose stroke outside off stump, he batted with commendable application to bring up his fifty, which spanned 73 balls.

Australia’s tactics of frustrating the England batsmen may have appeared negative, but they proved successful as Collingwood, in chasing a wide, full delivery from Siddle, skewed a drive to gully, where Mike Hussey held a sharp chance to his left.

Trott, who needed 12 balls to get off the mark, saw Bell perish to his first ball after tea, bowled via an inside edge as he too paid the price for playing away from his pad.

Prior never hinted at permanence before he fell for 18 to Johnson’s well-disguised slower ball, failing to check his drive and finding a leaping Shane Watson at point.

The fairytale innings that Flintoff, and the rest of the population, hankered for did not materialise – he was caught behind swishing inelegantly at Johnson – and Trott’s largely assured contribution, which featured plentiful clips of his pads and a handful of punchy drives, ended in unfortunate fashion.

He advanced down the track aiming to whip part-time off-spinner Marcus North through midwicket, but Katich showed magnificent reactions and great awareness to collect the ball on the bounce and hit the stumps to beat Trott’s dive.

Broad and Swann combined careful defence with rare moments of aggression, carrying England beyond 300 before Siddle, armed with the new ball, located Swann’s edge to leave players and spectators alike wondering where the balance of power lay.

Shane Watson has warned prospective England batsmen of the pressure they face gatecrashing an Ashes series.

Australian Watson has first-hand experience after being drafted in as a makeshift opener two Tests into a five-match campaign, which is now perfectly set up at 1-1 ahead of next week’s Brit Oval decider.

His response to replacing Phillip Hughes has been emphatic – three half-centuries in as many visits to the crease.

But with a host of names also mentioned as potential call-ups for next Thursday’s fifth npower Test, the 28-year-old said: “When you do come in halfway through a series you are expected to perform because someone has been dropped because they haven’t performed.

“There is extra pressure on you to put your hand up and fulfil the role they are looking for you to fulfil.”

Watson’s presence at the top of the order provided Australia with stability at Edgbaston and Headingley and having adapted to his new position – he had never previously batted above six in Tests – he is now looking to convert starts into a maiden hundred.

“My dream as a young kid was to get a Test hundred,” said Watson, who has fallen three times between 51 and 63.

“I have been lucky enough to get a one-day international hundred and the goal is the Test one now.

“My issue has been that once I have got to 50, I have started to get a bit too far ahead of myself instead of worrying about the next ball and concentrating every time. It is a mental barrier I have to get over.

“The most important thing is to get through the new ball because that is a period in which you can get knocked over.

“But I feel I have put my finger on what it is that is costing me – wanting it too much.

“When I have got big scores in the past I haven’t been thinking about scores at all, I have been thinking about batting time.

“When I am batting long periods of time I know I am going to get a big score.

“When I think about my score I get a bit too nervous and it all goes awry, unfortunately.”

“The advice received was that the swelling in his knee has significantly eased following the decision by the England management team to rest him from the last Test Match and that subject to further rest and intensive treatment, he will be available for selection for the 5th npower Ashes Test at The Brit Oval,” the ECB said in a statement

The assessment tallies with Flintoff’s own take on events, because he himself believed he could have taken part in the Headingley debacle. In his absence, England lost by an innings and 80 runs inside two-and-a-half days, but Flintoff later claimed that his participation was vetoed by the captain Andrew Strauss and the coach, Andy Flower. “He told them that he was fit enough to get through,” his agent, Chubby Chandler, told The Times, “but they didn’t want him.”

News of Flintoff’s return to fitness will buoy Flower, who on Sunday warned that England could not afford another repeat of Headingley. Flintoff was only informed of his omission on the eve of the match, and the official announcement was held back until an hour before the toss, disrupting team selection. “I think we’d like to know before that,” he said. “I don’t think we’d want to leave it very late.

“He wanted to play, he was desperate to play but he acknowledged that he wasn’t fully fit and he was struggling a bit, so we couldn’t play him under those circumstances,” said Flower. “If the advice is that he will be fit enough to take part as an allrounder at The Oval, then we will listen to that advice and listen to Fred’s information about his own body as well.”

A fully fit Flintoff would be the perfect tonic for a beleaguered team, but Flower denied that his fitness battle was having a destabilising effect on the team, as they attempt to mount a comeback in the series, and seal the Ashes for only the second time in the past 20 years. “We’ve gone whole series waiting on his fitness, so this match is no different,” he said. “I would think we’ll get some good information back from the specialist, and also some information from him on how he feels, because there’s a good chunk of time between now and The Oval, so we’ll have a better indication.”

Either way, Flower and the England think-tank are already braced for life after Flintoff, and the selection dilemmas inherent therein. “The balance of the side when you haven’t got an allrounder at 6 or 7 is always the problem, and it’s one we’re going to have to face up to because Flintoff is retiring from Test cricket,” he said. “That is a problem, because [without him] we seem light either on the batting or the bowling side. If he’s not fit for The Oval, we’ll have to make a decision on where we settle for our strong point.”

England received further positive news on Monday, with James Anderson cleared of a serious hamstring injury. Anderson suffered a slight strain while running between the wickets in the first innings at Headingley, but is expected to play at The Oval.

“As there is no evidence of a significant tear, it is anticipated that (Anderson) will also be available for selection for next week’s final Test,” the ECB released stated.

Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo

Australia 445 (North 110, Clarke 93, Ponting 78, Broad 6-91) beat England 102 and 263 (Swann 62, Broad 61, Johnson 5-69, Hilfenhaus 4-60) by an innings and 80 runs…

Australia required a session and six overs on the third day at Headingley to wrap up a thumping innings-and-80-run victory against England, and so draw level at 1-1 in the Ashes with just the fifth Test at The Oval to come in a fortnight’s time. Mitchell Johnson had the honour of sewing up the contest with his fifth wicket of a resurgent performance, when he bowled Graham Onions for a duck to confirm his return to his best and most hostile form, and underline the fact that Australia have suddenly emerged as firm favourites to complete their 10th Ashes victory in their last 11 contests.

It was not, however, a day that went entirely to plan for Australia, who were frustrated – not for the first time in the series – by England’s tail, not least Stuart Broad, who added a boundary-laden 61 from 49 balls to his earlier six-wicket haul, as he became the first England cricketer to achieve such an Ashes double since Darren Gough at Sydney in 1994-95.

On Saturday evening, Board had promised to provide late-innings resistance for England’s beleaguered cricketers, and he was true to his word as he and Graeme Swann compiled a spirited and thrilling eighth-wicket stand of 108 in just 12.3 overs. The tempo of the stand, at more than eight-and-a-half runs per over, was the second fastest for any partnership over 100 in Test cricket, behind Nathan Astle and Chris Cairns at Christchurch in 2001-02, and then as now, it was glorious in its futility. It could not save England from a hefty defeat, but it might just preserve a modicum of their self-respect.

Such a prospect didn’t seem to be remotely on the cards when James Anderson fell meekly to the third ball of the morning, immediately after cutting Hilfenhaus to the boundary, thus extending his “duckless” streak to 54 Test innings. Anderson hung out his bat limply to a shorter delivery and edged to Ricky Ponting at second slip. Head down, shoulders slumped, and reeking of the bad body language for which Justin Langer has taken him to task in today’s leaked dossier, Anderson took an eternity to trudge from the playing surface. It was an image that summed up England’s match.

Matt Prior did what he could to stem the tide, slashing Mitchell Johnson behind square three times in two overs to rattle along at the run-a-ball tempo that makes him most comfortable. But no sooner had Broad nudged a leg-bye to take England past their heaviest home defeat of all time (an innings and 226 runs against West Indies in 1973), Hilfenhaus lured Prior with a perfectly pitched outswinger, which Brad Haddin scooped one-handed in front of first slip, to leave his team just three wickets from victory.

That, however, was the cue for England to raise their game, somewhat belatedly given the match situation. Initially Swann endured a torrid time at the crease, inside-edging Hilfenhaus millimetres past his leg stump, then wearing a Peter Siddle bouncer on the point of his elbow before pulling him inelegantly, and with eyes wide shut, through midwicket for another chancy boundary. But at the other end, Broad grew into his role of chief resistor, and four fours in a single over from Stuart Clark – three intended, one fortuitous – saved England from another unwanted notch in the record books, their heaviest home Ashes defeat, an innings and 180 runs at Trent Bridge in 1989.

Siddle responded to Clark’s indignity with a hot-headed over that went for 17, including back-to-back bouncers that soared away for five wides each, and was concluded with a larruped four straight back down the ground, as Broad – who by now had exceeded his father’s highest score in a home Ashes Test (37 on this very ground in 1989) – motored towards his second half-century in consecutive matches.

Now it was Swann’s turn to get properly stuck into the action. For the second over running, Clark was clobbered for 16 in an over with three more fours, including a perfect pull shot that bisected the field at midwicket. A flat-batted smear off Siddle followed three balls later, whereupon Broad climbed into the biggest and most extravagant thwack of the day, a full-blooded swing that climbed high and handsomely towards Johnson on the long-off boundary, who could only parry a tough chance over the ropes for four.

Six balls later, and Broad once again took the aerial route, straight through the fielder’s hands, as he connected with a pull off Clark and left Simon Katich sprawling as he sprinted round to intercept at backward square leg. But the fun could not last forever, and Siddle was the man to make the breakthrough, as Broad failed to get on top of another energetic swipe, and Shane Watson clung on gratefully at deep midwicket. He departed to a standing ovation from a newly invigorated Barmy Army, who had been understandably subdued for much of the morning, but found their voice as the run-rate climbed.

With the duck-happy Steve Harmison now joining him at the crease, Swann decided it was not the time to stand on ceremony, and an effortlessly timed pull through backward square sailed all the way for six to bring up a richly deserved half-century, from only 53 balls. Harmison chimed in with a slashed four over the slip cordon to get his innings up and running, as England went to the break still trailing by 98 runs, but with their morale lifted for the first time in the game.

After the resumption, however, the end came swiftly. Swann’s uncompromising performance came to an end when he swished outside off to Johnson and was adjudged caught-behind for 62 from 72 balls, whereupon Onions – on a king pair after his first-innings extraction – was struck on the gloves first-up by a ball that very nearly dribbled onto his stumps. In the event, he survived just seven deliveries as Johnson nipped one off the seam to peg back his off stump, and Australia march south to London with their morale sky-high.

Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo