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Second Ashes Test, Adelaide:
Australia 245 & 238-4 v England 551-4 (day four, stumps)
Venue: Adelaide Oval Date: 3-7 December. Play resumes 2330 GMT on 6 Dec Coverage: Listen live on Test Match Special on BBC Radio 4 LW (starts 2302 GMT), 5 live sports extra and online; live highlights and day's review on the TMS podcast ; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles and live on Sky Sports 1
Match scorecard
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.
Earlier England declared on 620-5 after adding 69 in nine overs, Pietersen out for 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 rain almost certain on the final day of the match and time likely to be of the essence, many will question the decision by England skipper Andrew Strauss to bat on despite an overnight lead of 306.
The England batsmen did their bit, however, as Pietersen hammered the second ball of the day to the cover fence.
He added another boundary to eclipse 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 ended Pietersen's 116-run partnership with Bell, the fourth successive century partnership of the innings, a feat only twice before achieved 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 added a cameo 27, having been saved from his second duck of the series by referral to the TV umpire after he was given out lbw to Peter Siddle, and also when a top edge fell to safety as Ricky Ponting and Marcus North feared a collision and left the catch to each other.
That, and the sight of Simon Katich limping because of a badly swollen Achilles gave the Australians the despondent air of a beaten side but they adopted a positive approach when it was their turn to bat again.
Katich and Shane Watson took 17 from the first two overs and 30 were on the board before the ball beat the outside edge.
With James Anderson and Stuart Broad failing to impress, Strauss turned to Swann for the 10th over and he bowled 34 consecutive overs.
He made the breakthrough soon after lunch in his 11th over when Katich got the faintest of edges pushing forward and was caught behind for 43.
His dismissal brought out Ponting on a king pair after his 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 ball 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 as Broad continued to look ineffective, troubled by a stomach injury.
Once again, however, Watson failed to convert his assured innings 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.
Skies darkened to such an extent that no further play looked likely but although they lifted to allow 19 overs it seemed as though there would be no further success for England.
Clarke was correctly reprieved by referral on 67 after being given out caught at slip when the ball brushed nothing but the pad.
He continued to play in bold fashion but might have fallen twice in two 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 to safety after flicking the glove.
Hussey dispatched a full toss from Swann for six but was fortunate to see a ball dribble agonisingly past the stumps.
However, Pietersen was given two overs to try his off-spin and he found sharp turn and bounce to force Clarke back, the defensive push floated up off the thigh pad and was smartly taken by Cook over his shoulder at short-leg.
Clarke was initially given not out but the jubilant England fielders were convinced he had touched it and the referral confirmed the ball had hit the face of the bat.
It was Pietersen's fifth Test wicket and by far the most important, but England will be up against both the Australian batsmen and the elements as they seek to secure a 1-0 lead in the series.
Listen to commentary highlights from day four (UK users only)
TMS podcast: Agnew and Boycott's review (available worldwide)
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Australia 245 & 238-4 v England 551-4 (day four, stumps)
Venue: Adelaide Oval Date: 3-7 December. Play resumes 2330 GMT on 6 Dec Coverage: Listen live on Test Match Special on BBC Radio 4 LW (starts 2302 GMT), 5 live sports extra and online; live highlights and day's review on the TMS podcast ; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles and live on Sky Sports 1
Match scorecard
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.
Earlier England declared on 620-5 after adding 69 in nine overs, Pietersen out for 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 rain almost certain on the final day of the match and time likely to be of the essence, many will question the decision by England skipper Andrew Strauss to bat on despite an overnight lead of 306.
The England batsmen did their bit, however, as Pietersen hammered the second ball of the day to the cover fence.
He added another boundary to eclipse 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 ended Pietersen's 116-run partnership with Bell, the fourth successive century partnership of the innings, a feat only twice before achieved 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 added a cameo 27, having been saved from his second duck of the series by referral to the TV umpire after he was given out lbw to Peter Siddle, and also when a top edge fell to safety as Ricky Ponting and Marcus North feared a collision and left the catch to each other.
That, and the sight of Simon Katich limping because of a badly swollen Achilles gave the Australians the despondent air of a beaten side but they adopted a positive approach when it was their turn to bat again.
Katich and Shane Watson took 17 from the first two overs and 30 were on the board before the ball beat the outside edge.
With James Anderson and Stuart Broad failing to impress, Strauss turned to Swann for the 10th over and he bowled 34 consecutive overs.
He made the breakthrough soon after lunch in his 11th over when Katich got the faintest of edges pushing forward and was caught behind for 43.
His dismissal brought out Ponting on a king pair after his 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 ball 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 as Broad continued to look ineffective, troubled by a stomach injury.
Once again, however, Watson failed to convert his assured innings 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.
Skies darkened to such an extent that no further play looked likely but although they lifted to allow 19 overs it seemed as though there would be no further success for England.
Clarke was correctly reprieved by referral on 67 after being given out caught at slip when the ball brushed nothing but the pad.
He continued to play in bold fashion but might have fallen twice in two 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 to safety after flicking the glove.
Hussey dispatched a full toss from Swann for six but was fortunate to see a ball dribble agonisingly past the stumps.
However, Pietersen was given two overs to try his off-spin and he found sharp turn and bounce to force Clarke back, the defensive push floated up off the thigh pad and was smartly taken by Cook over his shoulder at short-leg.
Clarke was initially given not out but the jubilant England fielders were convinced he had touched it and the referral confirmed the ball had hit the face of the bat.
It was Pietersen's fifth Test wicket and by far the most important, but England will be up against both the Australian batsmen and the elements as they seek to secure a 1-0 lead in the series.
Listen to commentary highlights from day four (UK users only)
TMS podcast: Agnew and Boycott's review (available worldwide)
Print Sponsor
Powered by WizardRSS | Best Membership Site Software