England close in on lead

England closed to within 113 runs of an innings lead over a battling Australia on Tuesday, edging an engrossing second day of the final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The tourists, chasing their first series win Down Under in 24 years, got off to a blistering start with a 98-run opening partnership before Australia struck back with three wickets, including the prize scalp of Kevin Pietersen.
Michael Clarke's Australians, playing to level the series after failing to regain the Ashes, could have been in an even better position at stumps had they not had a crucial fourth wicket taken off them by an umpire's referral. At the close, England were 167 for three in reply to Australia's 280, with Alastair Cook unbeaten on 61 and night-watchman James Anderson not out one.
Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott were out seven balls apart and Pietersen threw away his wicket on 36 when he was caught hooking. England could have been four down at close after debutant Michael Beer celebrated what he thought was his first Test wicket when Cook, then on 45, skied to Ben Hilfenhaus at deep mid-on only for umpire Billy Bowden to ask for the third umpire to check on a suspected no-ball.
Replays showed spinner had overstepped and Cook stayed. Hilfenhaus got the first breakthrough of the innings bowling Strauss for 60 with an unplayable ball that collected his off-stump. Strauss and Cook had put on 98 in 92 minutes with skipper Strauss leading the charge in an aggressive innings, hammering eight fours and a six off 58 balls.
Trott was out for his first Test duck in Johnson's next over, getting a thick inside edge on to his stumps. Earlier Johnson and Hilfenhaus salvaged the home side's first innings with some lusty hitting after lunch in a lively 76-run partnership for the ninth wicket. Their rear-guard heroics boosted Australia's score after the home side had teetered at 189 for eight.
Johnson was eventually bowled by Bresnan for 53 off 66 balls and Hilfenhaus was caught behind off Anderson for 34 from 58 balls. Hussey got an inside edge off his bat and thigh onto his stumps for a battling 33 off 92 balls. Smith was deceived into going after an Anderson out-swinger and found Collingwood at slip for 18 runs off 53 balls. England, who lead the series 2-1, outplayed Australia in Adelaide and Melbourne while Australia won the third Test in Perth. The first Brisbane Test was drawn. England were the last team to beat Australia at the SCG, in 2003.
Scoreboard:

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Australia first innings (overnight 134-4)

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S. Watson c Strauss b Bresnan            45

P. Hughes c Collingwood b Tremlett       31

U. Khawaja c Trott b Swann               37

M. Clarke c Anderson b Bresnan            4

M. Hussey b Collingwood                  33

B. Haddin c Prior b Anderson              6

S. Smith c Collingwood b Anderson        18

M. Johnson b Bresnan                     53

P. Siddle c Strauss b Anderson            2

B. Hilfenhaus c Prior b Anderson         34

M. Beer not out                           2

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Extras: (lb-7, w-1, nb-2, b-5)           15

Total: (all out, 106.1 overs)           280

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Fall of wickets: 55-1 105-2 113-3 134-4 143-5 171-6 187-7 189-8 265-9 280-10
Bowling: Anderson 30.1-7-66-4, Tremlett 26-9-71-1, Bresnan 30-5-89-3, Swann 16-4-37-1, Collingwood 4-2-5-1

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England first innings

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A. Strauss b Hilfenhaus                  60

A. Cook not out                          61

J. Trott b Johnson                        0

K. Pietersen c Beer b Johnson            36

J. Anderson not out                       1

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Extras: (lb-2, w-2, nb-2, b-3)            9

Total: (for three wickets, 48 overs)    167

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