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England face battle to save Test England falter in survival battle
(about 11 hours later)
England face a mammoth challenge to rescue the first Ashes Test when play resumes on day four in Brisbane. England made a dismal start to their attempt to bat out a draw in the first Ashes Test when they lost two wickets at the start of their second innings.
Having opted not to enforce the follow-on, Australia were 181-1 overnight, holding a lead of 626. Australia declared on 202-1 after Justin Langer had reached his 23rd Test century, giving them a lead of 647.
Captain Ricky Ponting (51) and Justin Langer (88) will look to bat for much of the morning before declaring. Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook made a solid start for England but Strauss then hooked Stuart Clark to fine leg.
England, bowled out first time for 157, would then have to bat through five sessions on a pitch beginning to crack, with spinner Shane Warne a key factor. He went for 11 and Ian Bell was lbw for nought to Shane Warne three overs later as England went in to lunch on 43-2.
The touring team's bowlers looked completely demoralised on Saturday after Ponting's surprise decision to bat again. Alastair Cook was unbeaten on 25 after looking commendably solid from the outset, but new partner Paul Collingwood had a couple of anxious moments before returning to the dressing room on three not out.
"We've gone out there and batted well and that has to have a demoralising effect on English batsmen," said veteran paceman Glenn McGrath. The day began with the majority of the home fans hoping for an early declaration from Ponting after the anti-climax of the final session on day three.
606: DEBATE class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A17677696">England need to move Pietersen up to number four and try to get their bowling unit into form RS class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/606/default.stm">606: Have your say He duly obliged after one ball of the sixth over, which Langer dabbed away for a single to bring up a 146-ball hundred.
"When your confidence is down and you go out and bowl again and you go for plenty and don't get many wickets it can have an even worse effect on your confidence." Langer's 100 not out was his fifth century against England
One crumb of comfort for England is that a record-winning margin looks out of reach for the hosts. Ponting's share of an unbroken stand of 134 was 60 not out but worryingly for Australia, he sustained a back problem during the mini-session and was unable to take the field with his players at the start of England's innings.
England beat Australia by 675 runs in Brisbane in 1928/29 but to gain a similar result Australia would have to bat for most of the day, cutting the time available to bowl England out. Strauss opened the scoring for England by easing Brett Lee away through cover for three runs and collected four off the same bowler through mid-wicket in the fifth over.
Ian Bell was the only batsman to stand out in England's first innings with a half century and is already steeling himself for the prospect of taking strike again. Lee and McGrath found the cracked pitch unresponsive and it looked as if a long attritional struggle lay in store for both sides.
"We've got to believe we can do it and that's the challenge, to fight as hard as we can and keep Australia out there as long as possible," said Bell. But with the score on 29-0, Strauss paid the price for another injudicious stroke as he hit a rising ball from Clark straight to substitute fielder Ryan Broad.
"We've got to send the message that we're not just here to be walked over." It was the second time in the match that Strauss had succumbed attempting the hook shot.
England's first innings was a rarity in that Warne, the most successful bowler in Test history, failed to pick up a single wicket.
He was not to be denied a second time, however, as Bell missed the slider, a front of the hand delivery which goes straight on, as he pushed forward defensively and umpire Steve Bucknor sent him on his way.
Bell was replaced by Collingwood who was beaten outside off stump by two successive Clark deliveries and almost gave a catch to Damien Martyn at short cover from the next.