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Australia fightback stuns England Australia fightback stuns England
(20 minutes later)
England's grip on the Ashes urn looked to be slipping away after Australia ended day two of the Perth Test on 119-1 - a lead of 144. England's grip on the Ashes urn appeared to be slipping away after Australia ended day two of the Perth Test on 119-1 - a lead of 148.
England need to at least draw the third Test after going 2-0 down to keep their defence of the Ashes alive. They need to at least draw the third Test to keep their defence of the Ashes alive after losing the first two games.
But they were dismissed for 215, Kevin Pietersen top-scoring with 70 and Monty Panesar and Steve Harmison adding 40 for the final wicket. But they were dismissed for only 215, despite Kevin Pietersen making 70 and Monty Panesar and Steve Harmison adding 40 for the final wicket.
At the close, Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden were both on 57. At the close, Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden were both on 57 for Australia.
Matthew Hoggard had given England hope when he found some inswing to dislodge Justin Langer's middle stump for a first-ball duck. onClick="javascript:launchAVConsoleStory('6182551'); return false;" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/video_and_audio/help_guide/4304501.stm">Interview: England batsman Kevin Pietersen
But England's joy was short-lived as Hayden and Ponting looked increasingly assured at the crease, although Ponting had a couple of uncomfortable lbw moments, with umpire Rudi Koertzen turning down England's appeals. Matthew Hoggard had given England hope when he found some inswing to dislodge Justin Langer's middle stump and send him on his way for a first-ball duck.
Ponting, averaging more than 100 in the series, recorded his 36th Test fifty and Hayden, whose place in the side had been under threat, chipped in with his 27th half-century. But their joy was short-lived as Hayden and Ponting looked increasingly assured at the crease after a couple of uncomfortable moments for Ponting when umpire Rudi Koertzen turned down confident lbw appeals.
It had been a poor day for England in a match they needed to avoid defeat in to stand any chance of defending the Ashes. Ponting, who is averaging more than 100 in the series, registered his 36th Test fifty and Hayden, whose place in the side had been under threat, chipped in with his 27th half-century.
The were some bright spots with Kevin Pietersen smashing 70 and Monty Panesar and Steve Harmison's entertaining partnership. Overall, it was a hugely disappointing day for England, who had been hoping to build a substantial first innings lead after bowling Australia out for 244.
Pietersen hit eight fours and a six in his 70Pietersen hit eight fours and a six in his 70
But on a day when England were hoping to gain a big first innings lead they failed miserably in the critical sessions with the bat and the ball. They resumed on 51-2 but Australia's seamers made life very difficult for Paul Collingwood and Andrew Strauss and sure enough the breakthrough did not take long in coming.
England had resumed on 51-2, looking to build a big lead, but Australia's seamers made life very difficult for Paul Collingwood and Andrew Strauss. In the fourth over of the morning Collingwood, on 11, was enticed into a loose shot by Glenn McGrath and the chance was snaffled by Hayden at gully.
And sure enough the breakthrough did not take long in coming. The onus was then on Strauss and Pietersen but just as they were beginning to look comfortable at the crease, luck turned against them.
In the fourth over of the morning Collingwood was enticed by Glenn McGrath and his slice shot was snaffled by Matthew Hayden at gully for 11 to leave England on 55-3, adding just four runs to the overnight total. After moving on to 42, his highest score of the series, with a glorious four, Strauss was adjudged to have edged behind off Stuart Clark.
And just as Strauss and Pietersen were beginning to look comfortable at the crease, there was heartbreak for Strauss. He seemed shocked to see umpire Rudi Koertzen raise his finger and replays showed no apparent contact between bat and ball.
After reaching his highest score of the Test series, 42, with a fantastic four, Strauss was adjudged to have edged behind, off Stuart Clark's bowling. It was the second time in successive Tests he had been on the wrong end of a decision, having been given out caught off Shane Warne in Adelaide when the ball came off his pad.
Strauss looked shocked to see umpire Rudi Koertzen raise his finger and replays showed Strauss had a strong argument as there did not appear to be any contact between the bat and the ball but he had to walk. England were reeling on 82-4 and the wave of unease continued as captain Andrew Flintoff failed once again, caught by Warne in the slips off medium-pacer Andrew Symonds for 13.
It was the second time in the last two Tests he has been on the wrong end of a decision. Geraint Jones then lasted all of four balls for the first duck of his Test career in his 52nd match, which had been a world record, and there was no excuse for his sloppy shot off Symonds which was caught by Justin Langer, sending England in to lunch at 122-6.
England were reeling on 82-4 and the wave of unease continued for the tourists as captain Flintoff, who had batted poorly all series, could not bring about a change in England's fortunes.
He became part-time medium pacer Andrew Symonds' first victim when he edged to Shane Warne in the slips for 13.
Geraint Jones then lasted all of four balls to score the first duck of his Test career in his 52nd match, which had been a world record.
There was no excuse for his sloppy shot off Symonds which was caught at gully by Justin Langer and England went into lunch at 122-6.
Symonds, playing in his first Test of the series after the retirement of Damien Martyn, was delighted with his four over spell which yielded two wickets and cost just eight runs.Symonds, playing in his first Test of the series after the retirement of Damien Martyn, was delighted with his four over spell which yielded two wickets and cost just eight runs.
The demise continued soon after lunch with Sajid Mahmood, batting at number eight, top-edging Clark for 10. And England's decline continued soon after lunch when Sajid Mahmood, batting at number eight, top-edged an attempted cut off Clark to the keeper and went for 10.
But there was some stubborn resistance out there with Matthew Hoggard hanging around with Pietersen for 47 minutes and adding 27 runs for the eighth wicket. Matthew Hoggard hung around with Pietersen for 47 minutes as they added 27 for the eighth wicket and it gave Pietersen the chance to record his eighth Test fifty.
It gave Pietersen the chance to record his eighth Test fifty before Hoggard was eventually outdone by a leg-break by Shane Warne and was caught at slip by Hayden after a nurdling 39-ball four. Hoggard was eventually fooled by a leg-break from Warne and was taken at slip by Hayden after making four off 39 balls.
Pietersen was then given a second chance after being dropped by McGrath on 53 but after smashing a six, a boundary and a few singles, he went for another big heave-ho and was caught by Symonds in the deep for a 123-ball 70 which included eight fours and one six. Pietersen was dropped by McGrath on 53 but paid the price for another heave-ho when Symonds took a catch in the deep to give Brett Lee his second wicket of the innings.
Then came the fun and games with Harmison and Panesar providing entertainment for nearly an hour before tea with the bat as they smashed whatever Australia threw at them. Then came the fun and games from Harmison and Panesar, who smashed everything Australia could throw at them in the highest partnership of England's innings.
Harmison finally went for 23, leaving Panesar stranded on 16 not out but their valuable 40-run partnership was the highest of England's innings. Harmison finally went for 23, leaving Panesar stranded on 16 not out, as Clark struck again to finish with 3-49.
England got the immediate breakthrough they needed but found it a struggle to make any more in-roads and it looked as though their title of Ashes holders would be short-lived. The final session was all Australia after the shock of losing Langer and by the time Hayden glanced the last ball of play to the fine-leg boundary, it looked as the title of Ashes holders which England won only 15 months ago would be short-lived.