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Kevin Pietersen struck with the final ball of day four to put England on course for victory in the second Test against Australia in Adelaide.

Pietersen had Michael Clarke caught at short-leg for 80 as the home side ended on 238-4, still 137 runs behind.

England had declared on 620-5 after adding 69 in nine overs, Pietersen out for a Test-best 227 and Ian Bell on 68.

Graeme Swann took two wickets but after rain Clarke and Mike Hussey took their stand to 104 before the late drama.

With bad weather also forecast for the final day of the match, the decision to bat on by England skipper Andrew Strauss with his side already 306 ahead was questionable.

But Pietersen hammered the second ball of the day to the cover fence and added another boundary to surpass his previous best of 226 before a slog sweep skewed off the bottom of the bat to slip to give beleaguered left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty a welcome wicket.

It also ended Pietersen's 116-run partnership with Bell, the fourth successive century stand of the innings, a feat achieved only twice before in Test history.

Bell played some majestic strokes including a straight drive for six in his 25th Test fifty as England reached a total of 600 for only the second time in a Test match in Australia.

Matt Prior was saved from his second duck of the series by a referral to the TV umpire after he was given out lbw to Peter Siddle and had another escape when a top edge fell to safety as Ricky Ponting and Marcus North feared a collision and left the catch to each other before finishing unbeaten on 27.

Australia's problems also included the mobility of Simon Katich, who was suffering from a badly swollen Achilles tendon, but eschewed the use of a runner as he gallantly came out to open Australia's second innings with Shane Watson.

They adopted a positive approach, taking 17 from the first two overs, and with James Anderson and Stuart Broad failing to impress, Strauss soon turned to off-spinner Swann.

He made the breakthrough soon after lunch when Katich got the faintest of edges pushing forward and was caught behind for 43.

His dismissal brought in Ponting on a king pair after a first-ball dismissal on the opening day, but he opened his account from his 13th delivery with a stylish punch off the back foot for four when Swann dropped a fraction short.

The Australia captain, who has eight Test centuries against England, the most recent of which came in the first Test of the 2009 series, aggressively swept another boundary despite the ball from Swann spitting out of the rough.

The next delivery pitched on an identical length but was a fraction straighter and when Ponting lunged forward, it held its line, took the edge and Paul Collingwood scooped up an excellent catch at slip.

With their captain gone for nine, Australia could have folded, but Watson reached his 13th Test fifty with his ninth four, a thumping drive down the ground off Broad who was clearly troubled by a stomach injury.

Once again, however, Watson failed to convert his start into a century when he edged a useful delivery from the persevering Steven Finn low to Strauss in a solitary slip position and departed for 57.

The skies darkened and held up play for 55 minutes, but once they had cleared, England were able to send down a further 19 overs before the close.

It seemed, however, that their hopes of further success would be dashed when Clarke was given out caught at slip on 67 but he immediately called for the decision to be reviewed and replays showed the ball had touched nothing but his pad.

Australia's vice-captain continued to play in bold fashion but might have fallen twice in successive balls as Swann continued to pose problems with sharply turning deliveries from wide of off-stump.

One extremely difficult chance rebounded off the knee of Alastair Cook at short-leg and the next ball looped into a gap in the close-in field after flicking his glove.

Hussey, meanwhile, dispatched a full toss from Swann for six but was fortunate to see a ball dribble agonisingly back past the stumps from the angled face of his bat as he reached 44 not out.

Pietersen was given two overs to try his luck and the change paid off for Strauss as he found sharp turn and bounce to force Clarke back, with his defensive push bouncing up off the thigh pad to be smartly taken by Cook over his shoulder at short-leg.

Clarke was initially given not out but the referral confirmed the ball had hit the face of the bat - the batsman later apologising on Twitter for not walking.

It was Pietersen's fifth Test wicket and by far the most important, but England will be up against both the remaining Australian batsmen and the elements as they seek to secure a 1-0 lead in the series.

BBC Sport

 

England bowled out Australia for 304 to win the second Test in Adelaide in emphatic fashion by an innings and 71 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the Ashes.

The expected deluge of rain failed to save the Australians as they resumed in warm sunshine 137 runs behind on 238-4.

After Michael Hussey fell for 52 in the sixth full over, James Anderson struck twice with successive deliveries.

Graeme Swann took the final wicket an hour before lunch by bowling Peter Siddle to finish with figures of 5-91.

It was an exceptional performance from England, with almost everything going according to plan from the first over of the match, when Jonathan Trott ran out Simon Katich and Ricky Ponting was caught at slip off the next ball.

There was a brief moment of concern on the final morning when wicketkeeper Matt Prior failed to cling on to a thin edge from Hussey three balls after the obdurate left-hander had recorded his 23rd Test fifty, prompting fears that the man known as 'Mr Cricket' might somehow help Australia scrape a draw.

A reprieve for such a renowned occupier of the crease, coupled with uncertainty over the weather, might have led to some anxiety for England but 10 balls later Prior was relieved to see Hussey heading back to the pavilion.

The 35-year-old Western Australian attempted a reckless, out-of-character pull at the impressive Steven Finn, who used the new ball intelligently in the absence of the injured Stuart Broad, who has been ruled out for the series.

Hussey was not in control of the shot as the ball reared up higher than he expected and he could only top edge straight to Anderson at mid-on.

England still had to contend with the combative Brad Haddin, who had made a battling half century in the first innings, and he struck successive fours off Anderson.

However, the Lancashire swing bowler soon took his revenge when an exceptional delivery moved away and caught the edge, giving Prior a routine catch behind the stumps.

Ryan Harris offered no shot to the next delivery, which swung back the other way, and was given out lbw, a decision confirmed after a referral to the TV umpire.

He became only the second Australian, after legendary wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist, to be dismissed for a king pair - out first ball in both innings - in a Test match.

Marcus North was the only senior batsman left and well though he played for 22, he was sent on his way after England referred an lbw appeal by Swann and replays indicated the ball would have gone on to hit the middle stump.

Australia were capitulating dramatically in much the same way England did at the hands of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne on numerous occasions, including a final-day collapse in Adelaide four years ago.

On that day England lost nine wickets for 60 runs, a feeling Australia became increasingly familiar with as North departed to become the fourth wicket to fall in the space of six overs for the addition of only 25 runs.

Xavier Doherty's unhappy match ended when he was bowled by Swann, who fittingly ended the contest with a perfect off-break that turned in between Peter Siddle's bat and pad to give England their 100th Test victory against Australia, their first win against them by an innings for 24 years, and only their ninth in 30 Tests at Adelaide.

The final wicket also gave 31-year-old Swann, playing only his 26th Test, his 10th five-wicket haul, making him the second England spinner, after Derek Underwood with 17, to reach the mark.

For Australia, the torrential rain they had hoped for did eventually arrive late in the afternoon but by then the England celebrations were in full swing.

And, needing only to draw the five-match series in order to retain the Ashes, it is the tourists who are very much in the ascendancy as the series moves west to Perth for the third Test beginning on 16 December.

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England dropped a string of catches as Victoria declared on 216-2 in the tour match and Alastair Cook fell cheaply as the batsmen reached 50-1 in reply.

On the first day of three in Melbourne, England were asked to field first, resting their Test attack, along with Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott.

Tim Bresnan and Monty Panesar each took a wicket, with Chris Tremlett unable to obtain a breakthrough at the MCG.

Tremlett is tipped to replace the injured Stuart Broad in the third Test.

With much of the attention on the bowling of Tremlett, Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad - one of whom is certain to make their Ashes debut in Perth on 16 December - Michael Hill quietly helped himself to a maiden first-class century.

The 22-year-old was dropped four times in all on his way to 105 not out and England also missed a half-chance to dismiss David Hussey on 43.

Hill, a left-handed opener, shared an unbroken stand of 147 in 40 overs with Hussey (67 not out) before captain Cameron White ordered a sporting declaration.

And White's decision was rewarded when Cook, averaging 225 in the Test series, edged a cut shot off slow left-armer Jon Holland to Matthew Wade on 27.

For the tourists, complimented two days ago by coach Andy Flower on their "perfect" innings victory in the second Test at Adelaide, Friday's cricket produced a less impressive demonstration of their talents.

Matt Prior, relieved of his wicketkeeping duties for this match and replaced behind the stumps by Steven Davies, dropped a regulation chance at third slip when a scoreless Hill edged Tremlett in the first over.

It was Prior too who put down a tougher opportunity, diving to his right at midwicket when Hill mishit a slog-sweep off Panesar's first delivery on 21.

The former Australia Under-19 World Cup captain took advantage in a painstaking 251-ball innings, which contained 11 fours on a stodgy pitch.

Bresnan struck with only his second delivery after replacing Shahzad at the Southern Stand end. Ryan Carters was his victim, trying to pull out of a forward-defence but edging some well-directed swing behind to Davies.

Shortly before lunch, Hill had his second escape, before unveiling some attacking shots.

Two boundaries in one Panesar over were followed by a hook off Bresnan, also for four, to reach his half-century.

By then, England had picked up their second wicket, that of White for 23, who got underneath an attempted hit over the top off Panesar and holed out to Shahzad at deep mid-off.

Hill was dropped for a third time just before tea - Davies unable to cling on to an inside edge, with Tremlett again the bowler to suffer.

England's effort was undermined by two more missed chances, Hill driving Bresnan through Tremlett's hands at mid-on on 92 and a Hussey carve finger-tipped by Ian Bell at gully off Shahzad.

While Tremlett's extra height means he is expected to be Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss's choice for Perth, with its reputation for bouncy wickets, Bresnan remains hopeful he can sneak into the picture.

The Yorkshireman said: "I think I do get quite a lot of bounce. The press have billed it as a shoot-out or whatever, but we can't see it like that. We've got a job to do and a game to win.

"We've gone in with that philosophy, as we did in Hobart [in the win against Australia A and we bowled really well again, backing each other up and bowling in partnerships.

"It's not really conducive to much out there - run-scoring, or getting wickets. You've just got to hang in there, build dots, build pressure and wait for a mistake really.

"We did that well. We got some swing early, then worked hard on the ball and got it reversing - so it was an all-round good performance, I thought."

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England ended day two of the tour fixture against Victoria with their seamers still having taken only one wicket between them in the match.

Andrew Strauss (66) and Ian Bell (60 not out) guided England to 184 for two before declaring, and Victoria were 310 ahead on 278-6 by the close.

There were few clues as to who should replace the injured Stuart Broad in the attack for the third Ashes Test.

Seamers Chris Tremlett, Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad failed to take a wicket.

England resume their Ashes campaign against Australia in Perth on 16 December, and with a place up for grabs the tourists had been hoping to see their back-up pacemen star in Melbourne.

But it was the gentle medium pace of Paul Collingwood that accounted for Ryan Carters, Alex Keath and Matthew Wade, while spinner Monty Panesar weighed in with two wickets and even skipper Strauss enjoyed success with the ball as he trapped Michael Hill leg before wicket.

The second day had begun well for Strauss as England resumed their first innings on 50-1 and he quickly moved on to 66 before falling to slow left-armer Jon Holland.

Strauss's previous best from five first-innings efforts on the tour had been 14, contrasting with three hundreds in the second innings.

Bell, playing at three, posted his fifth successive 50 and Collingwood managed a couple of sixes off Holland before the tourists decided over lunch it was time to give Tremlett, Bresnan and Shahzad another opportunity with the ball.

It proved tough going on an unresponsive pitch, however, and it was Panesar who ended an opening stand of 72 when Aaron Finch went up the wicket and looped the ball high to Bell at extra cover.

Shahzad and Bresnan began to test their opponents with reverse swing but a series of lbw appeals went unanswered before Collingwood struck in his first over, bowling carter round his legs to break a second-wicket partnership of 75.

Another wicket followed in Collingwood's second over as Alastair Cook, who was back on the field after a stiff back saw him miss the afternoon session, dived to his left at short mid-off to catch a Matthew Wade drive.

John Hastings then fell to Panesar and Keath went four runs short of a maiden 50, gloving a pull behind off Collingwood, before Strauss brought himself and Middlesex team-mate Eoin Morgan on to bowl 'declaration' spin at each end.

Strauss made first-innings centurion Michael Hill his third career victim, but Clint McKay then helped himself to a career-best 58 not out and Jayde Herrick was unbeaten on 40 at the close.

"I think it was very batter friendly and all four [seam bowlers], Monty as well, have gone at two an over pretty much all game," Bell told BBC Radio 5 live. "That's absolutely fantastic, that's what you want in Test cricket, the guys bowling really consistently in good areas.

"OK, the wickets haven't tumbled all through the game but they've hit good areas, they've reverse swung the ball and on a really batter-friendly wicket they've all done very well.

"They've got overs under their belt as well, so whoever Straussy and [coach] Andy Flower pick from, they'll be ready to go. I think it's very healthy for English cricket that we've got three guys on tour who are fully fit and pushing for that spot."

And of his own performance, Bell added: "It was nice to get up to number three and face the new ball.

"I'm sure as we go into the second innings a few more of the guys will have an opportunity as well and we'll have a chance of maybe trying to chase 300, which will be good pressure for our guys to be under."

BBC Sport

 

Matt Prior hit an unbeaten century as England survived an early collapse to draw the tour fixture with Victoria after a rain-affected final day.

The visitors slumped to 55-4 as Clint McKay and Jayde Herrick made a mockery of the struggles endured by England's Ashes bowling hopefuls in Melbourne.

But Prior settled the tourists and was 102 not out when the match was called off with England on 211 for six.

The third Ashes Test gets under way in Perth on Thursday.

Victoria declared overnight, setting England a target of 311 to win, but that was always unlikely after the tourists lost Alistair Cook, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan and Steven Davies during the morning session.

When Tim Bresnan and Ian Bell were dismissed to leave England on 149-6, the touring side were in real danger of defeat but they were saved by Prior's 23rd first-class century shortly before the stalemate was agreed with an hour remaining of an awkward third and final day.

When England decided to abandon any winning intent after tea, Prior - who hit 12 fours in total - crawled from 75 to his hundred in 20 overs, eventually reaching his century ably accompanied by Andrew Strauss, who came in at number eight and finished on 22 not out as the pair put on 62 from 138 balls.

"Why would you carry on playing your shots and potentially risk losing a game? We didn't want to do that," said Prior.

"We were hell bent that we were going to get through the day. Going into lunch, we were adamant we were not losing this game.

"Winning is a habit, and one you want to protect; if we'd lost today, we'd be very, very disappointed people.

"Unfortunately it was pretty boring cricket for everyone to watch. Sometimes it's got to be done."

McKay and Herrick found more assistance from the docile MCG pitch than any of England's seamers had managed - Chris Tremlett, Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad all failed to take a wicket on day two, leaving few clues as to who should replace the injured Stuart Broad.

Bresnan was the only one of the three to take a wicket in the match, his solitary victim opener Ryan Carters during the home side's first innings.

McKay led the Victoria bowling with 4-68 from 17 overs, taking the wicket of opener Cook when the Englishman - so prolific in the two Ashes Tests so far - chopped an attempted cut on to his stumps.

With captain Strauss dropping himself down the order, Steve Davies had opened with Cook and was swiftly joined by number three Paul Collingwood.

But Collingwood was soon pinned lbw on the back foot by Herrick and immediately afterwards he was joined in the pavilion by Davies, who edged McKay to slip.

Eoin Morgan - batting for the first time for England this winter - then edged a drive behind off Herrick, who was bowling round the wicket to the left-hander.

Prior, who registered scores of 0 and 27 in the two innings he played in the opening two Ashes Tests, came to the rescue. He was fluent throughout while others were playing and missing regularly and brought up his half century off 47 balls.

Fast bowler Herrick was taken out of Victoria's attack by the umpires after bowling two full tosses above waist-height at Prior in consecutive overs in the post-lunch session.

But McKay continued to trouble the England batsmen for the right reasons and he had Bresnan caught behind before dismissing Ian Bell, who missed a half-century for the first time in six innings when he drove a slower ball straight into the hands of cover.

He also came close to taking the wicket of Prior on 61 but Michael Hill could not quite hold on to a difficult chance at midwicket.

England now travel to Perth on Monday to begin their preparations for the third Ashes Test.

BBC Sport

 

England took a firm grip on the third Ashes Test in Perth after bowling Australia out for 268 on the first day.

Chris Tremlett vindicated his selection with three fine wickets as the hosts slumped to 69-5 shortly after lunch.

Mike Hussey, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson all hit fifties before a last-wicket stand of 35 between Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus boosted the total.

But it was another superb day for England as Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook reached 29-0 at the close.

Another commanding performance with the bat on Friday would put the tourists on course to secure the victory that would give them a 2-0 series lead and ensure they retain the Ashes with two Tests remaining.

For the second Test in a row Strauss's bowlers tore through Australia's top order in the first hour of the match, retained their composure through a middle-order rally, and bowled them out for less than 300 inside the first day.

And while England's decision to select the 6ft 7in Tremlett in place of the injured Stuart Broad paid off, Australia's muddled selection policy was exposed once again as Phil Hughes (two) was found wanting at the top of the order and all-rounder Steve Smith (seven) looked out of his depth at number six.

The duo were two of four changes to the Australia side that surrendered so meekly in Adelaide, as the hosts opted for a four-pronged pace attack and left out left-arm spinner Michael Beer.

But England's decision to bowl first on a green-tinged track meant the spotlight fell first on the home side's rejigged batting line-up.

In keeping with the first two Tests, those who had made it to the Waca in time for the start of play were rewarded with some early drama.

James Anderson, resuming new ball duties after his 20,000-mile round trip to England for the birth of his second child, thought he had dismissed Shane Watson in the first over of the match when Matt Prior took a flying catch down the leg side.

Umpire Billy Doctrove gave the batsman out but Watson was reprieved on review when replays showed the ball had missed the bat, brushing his side on the way through to the keeper.

Surrey paceman Tremlett, winning his fourth Test cap, had already roughed up Hughes with a pair of short deliveries in his first over when he sent down a full, straight ball. Attempting to work it to the leg-side, the left-handed Hughes played around the delivery and was comprehensively bowled.

Watson was almost dismissed in Tremlett's next over when Strauss failed to hold on to a catch well above his head, but once again England's disappointment was short-lived.

Ponting, who had already edged between the slips and gully, prodded defensively at Anderson and Paul Collingwood pulled off a superb one-handed catch high to his right at third slip.

Michael Clarke was the next to fall, getting a thin edge to a pacy, straight delivery from Tremlett, leaving Prior to snaffle the catch.

Steve Finn was the next England bowler to strike, trapping Watson leg before wicket with a superb yorker to leave Australia in disarray at 36-4.

Tremlett snared his third victim in the second over after lunch as Smith prodded hard at a routine delivery outside off stump and fed a gentle catch to Strauss - the England captain seeming to break into a grin even before he had the ball safely in his grasp.

Off-spinner Graeme Swann did not enter proceedings until midway through the afternoon session and his first over was a forgettable one as Haddin helped himself to a four and a six off successive balls.

The counter-attack continued in the next over as Hussey passed 50 for the fourth time in as many innings this series with three boundaries off Finn, who had to leave the field of play with what appeared to be cramp.

But just when Australia's two form batsmen looked to be getting them back into the contest, Swann hit back, as a quicker delivery drew a faint edge from Hussey's bat and Prior took the catch behind the stumps.

Haddin and Mitchell Johnson continued to rebuild Australia's innings with a partnership of 52 before Haddin slashed wildly at Anderson and Swann took an athletic two-handed catch above his head to dismiss the batsman for 53.

Anderson, fresh from a hearty exchange of words with Johnson, bowled Harris with a yorker for three but Siddle managed to hang around to provide support to the increasingly menacing Johnson.

The recalled left-hander smashed eight fours and a six in a valuable knock before a mis-timed pull off the otherwise expensive Finn presented Anderson with a straightforward catch at square-leg.

A dose of old-fashioned slogging from Siddle and Hilfenhaus lifted the Australia total past 250 with Tremlett and Finn briefly put to the sword.

A concerned-looking Strauss turned to Swann, and the off-spinner delivered the last wicket as Siddle glanced the sixth ball of his first over to Cook at short leg.

England had a close shave in the second over of their innings when Strauss edged Ryan Harris just short of Ponting at second slip.

But Cook (17 not out) continued to look in superb touch, cutting Harris for six as England rounded off a fine day's work.

BBC Sport

 

Mitchell Johnson produced a devastating display of swing bowling as Australia roared back into Ashes contention on day two of a riveting Perth Test.

England were 78-0 when the left-armer (6-38) turned the game on its head with a spell of four wickets for seven runs.

Only Andrew Strauss (52) and Ian Bell (53) offered any resistance as the tourists collapsed to 187 all out.

Shane Watson then scored 61 not out as Australia, trailing 1-0 in the series, reached 119-3 for a lead of 200 runs.

This was the day when the Ashes series came to life as Australia, outplayed for eight straight days of cricket and pilloried in their national press, took England's batting apart and put themselves in a great position to square a series that looked to be slipping away only 24 hours ago.

Johnson, dropped for the second Test defeat in Adelaide after a dismal display in the drawn first match in Brisbane, rediscovered his best form in stunning fashion on the ground where he took 8-61 against South Africa two years ago.

Running in for the first ball of his seventh over on Friday with series figures of 0-187, the left-armer was gifted his first wicket by a loose shot from Alastair Cook.

But what followed was a wonderful spell of fast inwingers which accounted for England's engine room of Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood.

The paceman's dream spell transformed a day that had begun with a moment of Australian ineptitude which has become all too familiar in this series.

In the third over, Strauss got a routine edge to a Ryan Harris delivery and the ball dissected the gap between wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and first slip Watson.

Inexplicably, neither player made an attempt to catch the ball in an incident which perfectly encapsulated the malaise afflicting Ricky Ponting's team.

Australian heads visibly dropped as Strauss, grateful for the lifeline, helped himself to three meaty fours in Harris's next over. The momentum was firmly with England, who sailed from their overnight position of 29-0 to 78-0 inside the first hour.

It was therefore a total surprise when the previously untroubled Cook wafted loosely at a wideish delivery from Johnson and Mike Hussey took a low catch in the gulley.

Suddenly, Johnson was a different player, rediscovering in the blink of an eye the gifts which once saw him ranked the number one bowler in Test cricket.

New batsman Trott was given a working over with some short-pitched balls before playing around a fast inswinger which trapped him lbw for four.

Three balls later, an almost identical delivery accounted for Pietersen and for the first time since day three in Brisbane, Australia were on top.

Strauss brought up his half-century before nicking Harris through to Haddin and Johnson produced another magical inswinger to remove Collingwood leg before, with the Australians successfully reviewing umpire Marais Erasmus's incorrect decision to call it not out.

Bell announced his arrival at the crease with an immaculate drive down the ground for four and showed admirable composure to see England through to lunch and a much-needed chance to regroup.

After the interval, Bell and Matt Prior took their partnership to 47 before England's wicketkeeper was undone in unfortunate fashion.

Attempting to fend off a bouncer from Peter Siddle, Prior deflected the ball on to his side, back on to his bat and watched agonisingly as it dropped on to his off stump.

Bell was once again in sublime touch, finding the fence with drives, pulls and cuts, the ball seemingly magnetically attracted to the sweet spot on his bat.

At the other end, Graeme Swann showed courage in the face of a barrage of bouncers from Siddle and Johnson. He had battled his way to 11 before a regulation nick off Harris carried through to Haddin.

That was the catalyst for the second collapse of the innings as England's last four wickets fell for only six runs.

Bell, perhaps sensing the need to strike out with only tail-enders to accompany him, sliced an away swinger from Harris to Ponting at second slip.

Johnson completed his five-wicket haul with another fine inswinger that flattened Chris Tremlett's off stump, and two balls later Anderson prodded outside off-stump to gift Watson a simple slip catch.

Australia made a solid start to their second innings, seeing off James Anderson's opening spell before Watson helped himself to three fours off Steve Finn's first over.

But the tall paceman, who conceded 86 runs off his 15 first innings overs, rebounded to remove Phil Hughes and the out-of-sorts Ponting.

The left-handed Hughes was squared up by a ball angled across him, a thick edge carrying through to Collingwood.

Ponting, desperately seeking a big score to impose himself on the series, managed only one run before glancing a leg side delivery to Prior. The batman was initially given not out, but the TV review showed clear contact between ball and glove, meaning Australia's captain had to trudge reluctantly back to the pavilion.

Clarke, another player of pedigree woefully out of touch, came out swinging from the hip, smashing 20 off 17 balls before he chopped a ball from Tremlett on to his stumps.

At that stage, England may have sensed the chance to put themselves back in the driving seat, but the dependable duo of Watson and Hussey (24 not out) mixed textbook defence with some lusty blows to keep Australia in command.

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England face a monumental task to avoid defeat in the third Ashes Test in Perth after slumping to 81-5 in pursuit of an improbable victory target of 391.

A Mike Hussey century and 95 from Shane Watson lifted Australia to 309 all out in their second innings on day three.

England's Chris Tremlett took his first Test five-wicket haul.

Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris both struck twice as England lost their top five batsmen cheaply, leaving Australia on the brink of squaring the series.

With two matches remaining in the series, a victory would give Ricky Ponting's men the momentum going into the fourth Test in Melbourne, starting on 26 December.

It was a dismal final session for England, as the fired-up Australia bowlers made hay in the evening sun.

Alastair Cook was beaten for pace by Harris and trapped in front for 13 before Strauss prodded at Johnson and edged through to Ponting in the slips.

That brought Kevin Pietersen to the crease, with England in desperate need of a repeat of his Adelaide heroics, but the batsman could only last 23 balls for three runs before wafting his bat loosely at a Ben Hilfenhaus delivery well outside off stump.

Jonathan Trott worked hard to reach 31 before Johnson struck for the eighth time in match, drawing the edge of the Warwickshire man's blade.

Ponting got his hands on the ball, deflecting it into the air, where it was gratefully taken by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.

A sensational day for Australia was complete when Collingwood nicked Harris off the final ball of the day, and Steve Smith dived to his left from third slip to take a brilliant catch.

Much of the credit for Australia's position of strength must go to Hussey, who became the first man to go beyond fifty in six successive Ashes innings en route to 116 - his 13th Test century at his home ground.

Australia started serenely on Saturday, building steadily on the lead established on Friday when they turned the match on its head by skittling England out for 187 before advancing to 119-3.

The closest England came to a wicket in the first half hour was an appeal for caught behind after Watson played no stroke to an Anderson delivery.

Replays showed the ball brushed the batsman's elbow before narrowly missing his bat handle, vindicating umpire Marais Erasmus's decision to give him not out.

That scare aside, Watson looked in total control, waiting for anything wide or over-pitched and dispatching it to the boundary.

The opener has taken a particular liking to England's Steve Finn, sending successive balls from the tall seamer through the covers for four before scampering a single to move into the nineties.

At the other end, Hussey's superb series continued, delighting the crowd with a beefy pull off Tremlett which bounced just inside the ropes.

England's breakthrough finally arrived just over half an hour before lunch when Watson missed a straight one from Tremlett and was rapped on the pad. The batsman sent the decision for review and looked very reluctant to walk despite replays confirming no contact with his bat.

Smith had an eventful start to his innings, earning a reprieve on review after being given out caught behind, skying a pull shot that landed just short of a fielder and almost running himself out.

England targeted the new man with a succession of short-pitched deliveries but Smith coped well with the barrage and survived through to lunch.

Just before the interval came a potentially crucial moment as Hussey, backing onto his stumps, was given out leg before by umpire Erasmus. But once again, the review went Australia's way as the replay showed the ball was going just over the stumps.

Smith survived another referral after lunch despite the ball appearing destined for leg stump but his luck finally ran out with a leg-sided glove through to Tremlett.

Brad Haddin got off the mark with a six off Swann, who was bizarrely ignored by Strauss until 20 minutes into the afternoon session. But this time, the wicket-keeper batsman's innings did not last as he chopped a rising Tremlett delivery onto his stumps and was out for seven.

Johnson, England's tormentor with bat and ball in the first innings, did not last long second time round as he pushed part-time bowler Collingwood to Bell at short extra cover.

The same fielder proved a reliable catcher once again when Harris was lured into a leg-sided heave and was well-taken at square-leg.

The flurry of wickets almost continued when Siddle drove uppishly at Collingwood but Swann put down a tricky chance at cover.

After tea, Anderson had Siddle caught at slip by Collingwood for his 200th Test wicket, becoming the second fastest Englishman after Ian Botham to reach the landmark.

Then Tremlett brought an end to Hussey's latest vigil, and the Australia innings, as the left-hander launched a pull straight to deep square leg where Swann atoned for his earlier spillage with a tidy catch.

Hussey's work for the day, however, had already been done.

BBC Sport

 

Australia needed only 50 minutes on the fourth day to take England's last five wickets and wrap up a 267-run win in the third Ashes Test at the Waca.

The emphatic victory levels the five-match series at 1-1, with the contest moving to Melbourne on Boxing Day.

Ryan Harris finished with a Test-best 6-47 as England were all out for 123.

The tourists resumed at 81-5, seeking an unlikely 391 to win in Perth, but Harris took four of the last five wickets and England folded meekly.

Having produced some disappointing cricket on days two and three, and in a hopeless position overnight, there was little indication England had much appetite to force the game as far as lunch on Sunday.

Australia had endured some sticky moments in a match they had to win. First they crashed to 69-5 on day one, then their eventual 268 looked certain to be surpassed when Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook put on 78 for the first wicket in England's reply.

But from the moment Cook was dismissed by Mitchell Johnson on Friday morning, Australia dominated affairs to an ominous degree - so much so that England began day four rated 50-1 no-hopers to pull off a shock victory.

Even those odds looked generous once Harris and Johnson - who each finished the match with nine wickets - began to work over an unusually tentative James Anderson.

In the fourth over of the morning, undecided whether to come forward or back, England's night-watchman was clean bowled by Harris.

It began a depressing sequence: Ian Bell hit some typically pleasing shots before attempting to hit Harris across the line and missing.

As the ball thudded into his pads off a full length, he was obviously lbw to a delivery that would have knocked out middle stump - but England reviewed the decision in desperation as captain Strauss looked on ruefully from the dressing room balcony.

Matt Prior looked suspect against the short ball in both innings and three balls after removing Bell, Harris had his third victim of the day. It came from a ball of extra pace which Prior fended off the shoulder of his bat to Mike Hussey, the only centurion of the match, positioned at gully.

The end came quickly. Swann interrupted the sequence of Harris wickets, aiming an ambitious drive at Johnson which crashed into his stumps off a crooked inside edge, and Steven Finn's edge off Harris was comfortably taken by Steve Smith at third slip.

Though Australia were excellent value for their win, all is not lost for England. Conditions will be very different at Melbourne, where a damp build-up has ensured there is no chance to recreate the hard, bouncy Perth wicket that played into Australia's hands.

The drop-in pitch at the MCG will be well grassed to start with, but will generally play flatter and may behave more like the one in the previous Test at Adelaide, where England won by an innings.

Hours after their win, Australia named an unchanged 12-man squad for Melbourne - with the 11 players on duty at Perth joined by uncapped left-arm spinner Michael Beer, who was left out of the side on the first morning.

If a stand-by player is required as cover for captain Ricky Ponting - who did not take the field on Sunday after fracturing the little finger of his left hand while fielding late on Saturday - his identity will be announced in due course.