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Last Updated: Monday, 4 December 2006, 06:12 GMT
Second Test, day four as it happened
SECOND TEST, ADELAIDE, DAY FOUR (CLOSE):
Australia 513 v England 551-6 dec & 59-1

Matthew Hoggard took seven wickets as England bowled Australia out for 513 in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.

LATEST ACTION (all times local to Adelaide - GMT+10.5)

By Ben Dirs

Close of play

ENGLAND SECOND INNINGS

1819: Clark hits Strauss on the heel and has an optimistic lbw appeal brushed off by umpire Koertzen - going well down leg. One from the final over of the day and England hold a lead of 97 with nine wickets in hand and one day remaining. Gutsy display by England, but this match is headed for a draw. Anyway folks, I'm sure I'll see you again tonight for some more flat pitch-based entertainment. Bye. 59-1

Geoffrey Boycott
"I'd love to bat against Warne, I bet he'd give me some stick..."
Geoffrey Boycott on TMS

1814: Barmy Army really in the groove now as Bell is beaten by a fizzer. If you added up the spin Gilo got from every ball today, it wouldn't amount to the amount of spin Warne got on that one ball. Does that make sense? 58-1

Jonathan Agnew
"A lot of sillys in. It's been a silly match. In fact, it's been a silly series..."
Jonathan Agnew on TMS

1810: Clark on to Bell's legs and the Warwickshire batsman flicks him away to the mid-wicket boundary. Two overs left today and I don't know about you lot, but I'm in pieces. 58-1

1806: Warne is giving it some revs now and Strauss decides to make it easier by skipping down the pitch and making one into a full-toss. Two for it and England have 50. Warne pursing his lips and looking skyward after every delivery now, but Strauss stays back and pushes straight down the ground for another couple. 53-1

1803: Nice shot from Strauss, driving Clark into the covers for three. Bell sways across his stumps and clips another three to mid-wicket. Bell shoulders arms and Clark isn't far from his off-stump. 49-1

1758: Bell surrounded by close fielders as Warne stalks in. Slip, gully, short-point, short-leg and a short-cover. Warne serves up a juicy full-bunger and Bell flips him away for four. Do you reckon some of those fielders might be having a little natter to Belly? Another full-toss and Bell clips it away for a couple. 44-1

1755: Bell gets three for a clip to mid-wicket. Clark strangles an lbw appeal against Strauss, the ball pitching outside leg-stump. Just the three from the over and we've got six overs left today. 38-1

1751: Strauss nurdles Warne round the corner for one to get new batsman Bell on strike. Belly is squared-up by the first ball he faces, but the ball drops short of slip. Bell off the mark with a single before Strauss sweeps for one. Bell gets one more with a push to mid-off, McGrath dozing a little in the field. Wake up grandad...35-1

Wicket
1745: WICKET: England 31-1 (Cook 9)
Clark into the attack now and Ponting is mixing it up as much as he can before stumps. Clark works his magic straight up, getting Cook to fence at one outside off-stump and feather it to Gilchrist behind the stumps. Flintoff, so the chat goes, has a sore ankle. Worrying...

1739: Warne into the attack and his first ball turns almost square. Hmmm, interesting...Strauss pads up to one and Warne is convinced he's got him leg before. Umpire Bucknor shakes his head vigorously, he's having none of it. Warne reacts as if Bucknor's just strangled his cat. Strauss whips Warne off his legs before slog-sweeping for four. 31-0

1736: Lee drops short and Strauss cuts him away for four before tucking him to square-leg for one. Cook flicks the ball uppishly to mid-wicket, but gets away with it. 25-0

1731: Pigeon slides on to Strauss' legs again and is timed to the mid-wicket boundary. The Middlesex opener adds one more into the on-side 20-0

1727: Strauss plays back to Lee and the feisty paceman has a shy at the stumps. One of those pointless throws that all bowlers seem to try on nowadays. Strauss tickles one down to third man for two before clipping Lee off his legs for a single. 15-0

1723: Tight over from McGrath, but I reckon Warne could be into the attack in a couple of overs. He's one man who could be a handful on this strip. 12-0

1719: Lee serves up a bouncer and Strauss jerks underneath it. Lee up around 95mph, but it's still not much bother for the batsmen. 12-0

1715: McGrath strays on to Cook's pads and is clipped away for a couple and Cook repeats the stroke for the first boundary of the innings. Meat, drink, bread and butter for the Essex man. 12-0

"Before this series started, Strauss was almost playing too well, as though he thought he was an amalgamation of Brian Lara and Frank Woolley..."
Mike Selvey on TMS

1710: Ropey stroke from Strauss, driving loosely and almost playing on to his stumps. The ball squirts down to third man and he runs one. Cook prods to point and takes a single. 6-0

1705: McGrath shares the new ball with Lee and he will be champing at the bit wanting to prove his critics wrong. He gets one to move away from a groping Strauss before straying on to the batsman's legs and giving up a single. McGrath then beats Cook, playing slightly away from his body. 4-0

1702: Players are out and Strauss is off the mark first ball, flicking Lee off his pads for one. Cook tucks Lee away for a couple to mid-wicket. Probably and hour and a half left today folks. Flintoff left the pitch shortly before the end of Australia's innings and only bowled four overs all day. But I've just seen him, and he's still got his left boot on, so there can't be anything wrong with that ankle. Three from the first over. 3-0

Ian Chappell
"Even if they don't win this, England can unleash Pietersen and Flintoff on Australia tomorrow and put the frighteners on Australia."
Former Australia skipper Ian Chappell on TMS

Email the BBC Sport website and the TMS team on TMS@bbc.co.uk

"Over the past couple of days I've been listening to some of the English commentators on TMS more or less write Glenn McGrath off to the old people's home. Have they not heard of tempting fate?"
TJ from Leicester in the TMS inbox

Ian Chappell
"If Australia can get a couple of early wickets with the new ball then they can fiddle about with Warne and maybe feel they can go on to win the game - but you'd have to be backing the draw."
Former Australia skipper Ian Chappell on TMS

AUSTRALIA FIRST INNINGS

Batsman is out
1647: WICKET: Australia 513 all out (McGrath 1)
That's the Aussies wrapped up, McGrath feathering Anderson to Jones behind the stumps.

1646: The Barmy Army have cranked it up a notch. Who wrote that chant they sing? You know, the one that goes 'Barmy Army, Barmy Army?' Was it Cole Porter? Gilo goes up for lbw - umpire Koertzen looks at him as if he's just found him in bed with his daughter. 513-9

1641: It would surely be one of the great England bowling performances if Hoggard were to get an eight-fer on this dirty old dumpling of a deck. No wicket, but its' a maiden. 512-9

1637: McGrath is off the mark with a sweep off Giles that scatters some silver gulls at square-leg. Lee flips to mid-on for one. GILO SPINS ONE!!! It beats the lunging McGrath. 512-9

1633: Lee bags a single before Hoggard has a strangled appeal for lbw against McGrath turned down by umpire Bucknor. Decent shout. 509-9

1628: Lee pushes a single into the on-side. 508-9

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"I am sitting here at work and I have finally found a group of Australians that can sing more than 'Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi oi oi. There is a protest going on outside my office here in North Sydney, something to do with getting a fair deal for cleaners, and they have actually managed to sing three different songs in the last half an hour..."
Neil from North Sydney in the TMS inbox

1625: McGrath is last man in and he's using the second heaviest bat in Test history - 3lb 2oz to Clive Lloyd's 3lb 4oz. It must be like batting with an upright vacuum cleaner. He blocks out the rest of the over. 507-9

Out for a duck
1622: WICKET: Australia 507-9 (Clark 0)
Hoggy gets his seventh wicket, getting another to spear in and make a mess of Clark's stumps. A wonky old swipe from Clark, but a phenomonal performance form Hoggard on a horrible, horrible pitch for bowling.

1620: If Flintoff is the heart of this England team and Pietersen the Machiavellian mind, then Collingwood and Hoggard are the lungs. At the moment, Gilo's that bit of shrivelled skin on your elbow. Lee gets one with a push into the covers. 506-8

1617: New batsman Clark gets a spearing yorker first ball, but the ball was going down leg-side. Hoggy now stands alone as England's eighth highest wicket-taker - 230 from 60 matches at 29.80. 505-8

Wicket
1612: WICKET: Australia 505-8 (Clarke 124)
Clarke is out playing an ugly swipe, caught by Giles at short mid-wicket. Fine innings, but that was a real rush of blood, it came from nowhere. Six wickets now for Hoggard.

"I loved Ivor the Engine. I do not remember much happening, but the theme song was catchy, and the Welsh accents sounded foreign for a Berkshire lad."
Peter Marshall in the TMS inbox

1610: Clarke turns Hoggard to leg for one. Cook's clearly bored, I just caught sight of him with his finger jammed halfway up his left nostril. Hoggard has equalled Darren Gough's tally of 229 Test wickets, and is eighth in England's all-time list. 505-7

1605: Clarke gets one with a push to mid-on and Lee covers up for the rest of Giles' over. 503-7

1600: Players are back out, including new batsman Lee. He defends the final ball of Hoggard's over. 502-7

"Here in Monterrey, the Mexicans don't seem to have heard of cricket, but there's a small band of avid fans hanging on your every word here. My wife's watching some ballroom dancing programme on satellite TV. No sign of Ramprakash - though there might be an opening for Monty if the selectors aren't thinking of picking him Down Under."
Richard Harrold in the TMS inbox

"England look OK, but you do wonder - games have been lost from these positions before. No-one will be saying it, but a few of them will be thinking 'hang on a minute, we could be in trouble here...'"
Former England bowler Angus Fraser on TMS

Wicket
1540: WICKET: Australia 502-7 (Warne 43)
Warne plays a very deft stroke, twirling the wrists and sending the ball down to the third-man boundary. But Warney's out next ball, Hoggard getting one to swing in and trapping him leg before. Umpire Bucknor takes about a fortnight to make the decision and when it comes, Warney isn't very pleased with it. Hoggard is a ruddy legend - manful figures of 5-106 now.

1537: Gilo is clipped away for a couple by Clarke. 498-6

1535: Clarke whips the Hogster away for a single. Hoggard then gets a bit of inswing that keeps a little low on Warne, but Warney keeps it out with the minimum of fuss. 496-6

1529: Gilo shuffles in and Clarke drags him away for a single. Flintoff has bowled only four overs today - hope he hasn't done himself a mischief. One from the over. Tell you what I used to find really boring - Ivor the Engine. For non-English readers, it was a cartoon about some Welsh bloke called Jones and his train, which was called Ivor. Very primitive, very melancholic, and buttock-achingly dull. 495-6

"Every time Gilo shuffles in for another delivery I feel like topping myself. For the sake of the fans and my sanity, can we please have Monty in the next Test? It's getting unbearable."
Jake Brown in the TMS inbox

1526: Clarke glides Hoggard away for a couple before playing a delicate cut to third man for three. Hoggard then goes up for an lbw against Warne, but it was going over the top. 492-6

Email the BBC Sport website and the TMS team on TMS@bbc.co.uk

1520: Warne rocks back and brings up the 100 partnership with a square-cut for one off Giles. Clarke twirls one through the covers for a couple. 487-6

"Listening to poor Jonathan's Test bowling average being impugned in my sleep-deprived delirium prompted me to trawl the archives for some pertinent stats. I'm happy to inform Aggers that his first-class batting average is superior to Samuel Beckett's, although admittedly inferior to that of Arthur Conan Doyle."
Sheridan Elliot from Dublin in the TMS inbox

1517: Clarke gets forward to Hoggard and gets three through mid-off. Warne goes for one and Harmison prevents the run at mid-on, toppling to the floor like a stack of Jenga bricks. 480-6

1513: Clarke clips Gilo off his pads for one. What's the most bored you've ever been? I saw a Danish play about incest in the West End last year, I thought I was going to top myself. 477-6

1509: Sorry folks, but this is getting a little but desperate here. Hoggard back into the attack, can he bag a well-deserved five-fer? Warne square-cuts for a couple before finding himself deceived by a slower ball, but the ball loops over the fielder's heads at mid-off. 476-6

1506: Warne uses his feet and crashes Gilo straight down the pitch for one, singing the bowler's fingers in the process. Sorry Monty, he's OK. 471-6

"Playing poker online whilst listening to the cricket. Has that Boycott fella got any advice on the best way to play Pocket Aces?"
Graham in the TMS inbox

Batsman scores 100
1457: Anderson bumps Warne and the batsman takes the bait, swinging him away for one to mid-wicket. Clarke pushes into the off-side to bring up his third Test century. It took 181 balls and it's his first against England. Good knock that, and the Aussie selectors have a big decision to make for Perth - if Watson plays, who makes way? Clarke, or Martyn on his home patch? Warne carves Anderson away for three before Clarke succombs to cramp. Obviously not used to batting for a long time, says Boycott on TMS.

1453: Clarke defends another Gilo over. 464-6

Email the BBC Sport website and the TMS team on TMS@bbc.co.uk

1450: Clarke moves to 92 with a flick off his legs and that's his highest score against England, passing the 91 he made at Lord's last year. He gets two more for another tickle down the leg-side and then unfurls a glorious cover-drive that races away for four. Anderson getting some fearful tap so far this series. Pup moves to 99 with another nurdle down leg-side. 464-6

1447: A rare bit of aggression from Warne, punching Gilo over long-off for a couple. 455-6

Geoffrey Boycott
"All the players know that this is a pointless exercise. In terms of a contest, it's totally useless. I'd rather have results pitches and if England lose 3-0, then they aren't good enough."
Geoffrey Boycott on TMS

1440: Anderson, striving for the yorker, is whip-cracked through the covers for four. Australia trail England by 98 runs now. Clarke 90, Warne 25. 453-6

1436: More leg-side nonsense from Gilo and Warne happy to kick it all away. He does get one with a ballooning outside edge while Clarke grabs a single with a push down the ground. 449-6

1433: No runs from that over by Anderson, who's getting a bit of shape on the ball. 447-6

1428: Three from Gilo's over and I need a stiff gin, or perhaps a Hot Toddy. In fact, I'd like a Hot Toddy, a bit of Ella Fitzgerald on the stereo and a bumper pack of Horizons - 40 fags in one box! These Aussies know their onions. 447-6

"If they're not going to do anything about these modern bats, I believe they should bowlers two-piece balls or allow them to tamper with it."
Jim Maxwell on TMS

1426: Anderson into the attack. Clarke throws the kitchen sink at one and KP makes a good save in the covers. Pup does get one for a clip off his pads. 444-3

1423: Giles sends down another maiden, and that's 19 dot balls in a row now. The game had been trotting along quite nicely, but it's almost as if it's suffered a sudden stroke and expired on the pavement. 443-6

1419: Another maiden over from Harmison, bang on the money. He really deserves a wicket because he's grafted like a navvy for no reward for the last two days. 443-6

1415: Gilo giving Warne a dose of his own medicine, pitching outside leg-stick and Warney happy just to kick him away. 443-6

1412: Clarke could set the cat among the pigeons by getting a ton here. Most people had expected him to be axed for the next Test, with all-rounder Shane Watson coming in, but Martyn could be sweating on his place now. If Clarke was a pop group he might be Simple Minds circa 1990 - you thought he was going to be absolutely massive but he hasn't really lived up to his ealy promise. Still young though, still plenty of time. He turns Harmy off his legs for a couple. 443-6

1408: Warne rocks back and cuts a short one from Giles into the covers for three. Looks like Gilo will be getting through a fair few overs today. 441-6

1404: Warne pushes Harmison into the covers and Anderson fields rather awkwardly, like a Thunderbird puppet with a few strings missing. If Australia could get a lead of 100 or so, they could make life a bit tricky for England out there. Warne looks pretty set out there now, three singles from the over. 438-6

1359: Warne nudges Gilo back down the pitch and the ball falls just short of the spinner's right hand. Warne clips one off his legs and the 50 partnership has crept up from nowhere. Three singles from the over and it's meandering a bit out there. 435-6

Email the BBC Sport website and the TMS team on TMS@bbc.co.uk

"We think that Bearders is the unsung hero of the show! Loving the seemingly instantaneous stats and info, pure class. Get that man a pie!"
Hull Uni's Harry Hamster and Luty Love-Child in the TMS inbox

1355: Harmison somehow extracts a bumper from the pitch - and umpire Bucknor calls wide. Bit harsh, he should be given the freedom of Adelaide for being able to be bounce the ball head-height on this pitch. Another short one from Harmison and Warne upper-cuts him for four. This is the eighth Adelaide Test in succession in which Australia have scored more than 400 in their first innings. 431-6

1351: Warne gets one for a sweep and Harmison will get a go at him now. 425-6

"I don't think Gilo's got a slider. In fact, I don't think he's got the one that turns..."
Mike Selvey on TMS

1348: Warne winds up outside off-stump against Harmison, but withdraws his bat at the last moment. He does get one for a clip off his pads. 424-6

1344: Clarke leans back and carves Giles away for four. Warne attempts a big old heave and gets one for it to move to 13. 423-6

Jonathan Agnew
"I don't want to put you off, but it looks as though we're heading toward a draw - and Ashley Giles is coming on to bowl..."
Jonathan Agnew on TMS

1339: It's my ninth day into this Ashes series and I feel like Tolstoy must have felt a few years into War and Peace, although literarily it's probably more like Roger Hargreaves putting the finishing touches to Mr Tickle. The England players are back out after lunch and Warney and Clarke follow closely behind.

Scott Heinrich
"There was talk after the first Test in Brisbane that the Gabba would present the only pacy, bouncy pitch of the series. This looks set to be the case. There is great concern among people in the know that the Waca ground in Perth, historically a fast, exciting pitch, will rival Adelaide for docility."
Scott Heinrich, BBC Sport in Adelaide

"Geoffrey Boycott is best supplemented with a strong cup of Yorkshire Tea Gold, slightly more expensive than standard Yorkshire Tea but worth the little extra. Christopher Martin-Jenkin's dulcet tones harmonise well with the delicate taste of the lightly golden Darjeeling, with a small slice of lemon to add a bit of zest.

"We thought Twinings Everyday for Aggers, with a chocolate hobnob accompaniment, a crunchy adjunct to a sturdy tea. We noticed in the previous test that Henry Blofeld is perfectly matched by the strong smoky character of Lapsang Souchong."
Kristian and Alex from Manchester in the TMS inbox

Email the BBC Sport website and the TMS team on TMS@bbc.co.uk

"I too am a student trying to write a dissertation on Aboriginal Music for my music degree. Not going too well! My housemates and I were discussing Gilo and have decided that he could be one of the coolest guys in cricket."
Leeds Uni's Anthony, Dave and Ben in the TMS inbox

"Off they go for some lunch, in Warne's case a burger and some pasta..."
Jim Maxwell on TMS

1300: Just a couple from the last over before lunch and Clarke still there on 68 and Warne 12. Australia's morning and this one's got 'draw' written all over it in six foot high letters. 417-6

Geoffrey Boycott
"If Watson is fit for Perth, would they dare drop Martyn on his home ground? I think he'll keep his place, he played well in the Champions Trophy. Clarke will go."
Geoffrey Boycott on TMS

1256: Harmison gets up on tip-toes and carves Harmison away for one. This is a thankless task for Harmison, but he's keeping his discipline, which is all you can ask. 415-6

1253: Clarke turns KP round the corner for two. Warne goes back and forces Pietersen to mid-wicket for a single. More than 100 in the session by the Aussies. 414-6

1249: Clarke pushes into the off-side and runs one. Harmison now has Warne in his cross-hairs. Neat shot by Warney, flicking Harmison off his pads for one. Clarke nicks the strike, getting up on hind legs and pushing the ball into on-side. 410-6

1245: Warne tries an extravagant sweep off KP and misses, but succeeds with another and gets four for it to bring up Australia's 400. KP very nearly cleans Warne up next ball, getting one through the gate and just missing off-stump. Poor glovework by Jones, the ball dribbling between his legs and running away for three. 407-6

1241: Harmison back on. Warney looked as though he had a moan about something inbetween overs, not sure what his beef is. Harmison flicks one off his legs for two before playing a dreamy cover-drive for four. Feel a bit sorry for Harmison here, he's not actually bowling that bad. 399-6

Geoffrey Boycott
"It will be interesting to hear what Pietersen says to Warne here because Warne has enough to say to him when he's batting."
Geoffrey Boycott on TMS

1237: Pietersen into the attack, and this could be interesting against Warne. I reckon KP would gladly lop a few years off his life in exchange for getting Warne out cheaply here. Shane survives. 393-6

"Warne will not be keen to get out to Giles because Warne has made it very clear in his public utterances that he thinks Panesar is a better bowler."
Christopher Martin-Jenkins on TMS

1233: Warne misses with a sweep and Giles, who can taste Aussie blood now, goes up for a strangled lbw appeal, but it comes to nothing. 392-6

"Greetings Aggers and Co. Retirement suddenly makes sense! I can listen all night and sleep all morning and nobody even notices."
Hugh texts from Glasgow

1230: Clarke on-drives sweetly for three. Clarke doesn't play like most Australian batsmen. He's less nuggety, more free, a young World War l poet surrounded by a trench-fall of professional soldiers. New batsman Warne, who can be dangerous, plays uppishly into the covers before easing Anderson to the boundary for four through the off-side. 391-6

1223: WICKET: Australia 384-6 (Gilchrist 64)
Oh my giddy aunt, thank heavens for that. Gilchrist attempts to whack Giles out of the ground and holes out to Bell at deep mid-wicket. Gilly was threatening to really go quite mad there. All hail the King of Spain, very respectable knock by Gilchrist.

Batsman scores 50
1222: Clarke brings up his 50 with a nurdle off Giles before Gilchrist plays a savage sweep for four.

1218: Flintoff turns to Anderson and Clarke drives him through the off-side for three. Poor bowling from Anderson, straying on to Gilchrist's legs and the batsman clipping him away for four. England really need to rip Gilchrist out now - and they nearly do, Gilchrist skewing a drive to Bell at gully but the ball falling just in front of him. Gilchrist drops his strides and has a bit of a fiddle to compose himself. 379-5

Batsman scores 50
1214: Gilchrist brings up his 50 with a push into the covers for one before Clarke whips Giles away for a single. Clarke nurdles to mid-on and scampers one. Gilchrist looking extremely ominous now, chassezing down the pitch and timing the ball to the extra-cover boundary. 370-5

1207: Australia avoid the follow-on, Gilchrist turning Harmison away for one. Gilchrist then straight drives for four and gets another couple to mid-off. 360-5

Ian Chappell
"It's been tough Test cricket so far this morning. Flintoff's bowling and field-placing was good this morning, but it looks to me like Adam Gilchrist is just starting to come round and middle a few."
Former Australia skipper Ian Chappell

1203: Clarke clips Gilo away for one to bring up the 350. Australia need just two to avoid the follow-on. You get the feeling Gilchrist is going to go raving mad at any moment. Indeed, Cook wears a full-blooded pull from Gilchrist full on the helmet. Not nice at short leg. Cook has obviously got a hard head - the physio's on, but he's OK. Nice chap Gilchrist, looked genuinely concerned. He gets one for a push to mid-off. 350-5

1156: Clarke moves to 41 with a flick to third man for one. Gilchrist latches on to a Harmy half-bunger and strokes him through the covers for four and follows up with another boundary through the same area. Better shot, hit that on the up. Gilly has a go at another, but Anderson out at deep mid-wicket saves four. Gilchrist is straining at the leash, England don't want to let him off it. 349-5

1152: Hang on to your hats ladies and gents, it's Gilo time. He gets one to turn and almost traps Gilchrist in front, but the batter gets an inside edge. Gilly then tries to give Giles the hammer, but fails to make contact. Good first over from Giles, a maiden. 338-5

"It's an important innings for Michael Clarke because he could be the future of this Australia team."
Mike Selvey on TMS

1147: Harmison joins in the Clarke-baiting with four successive deliveries outside off-stump before the batsman bites and gets four for a thick outside edge. 338-5

1142: Hoggard plonks one in short and Gilchrist slaps him away for four. Gilly pushes into the covers for two before Hoggard has a fairly vociferous lbw appeal turned down by umpire Koertzen. 334-5

"Durham Uni student here. I'm writing my Alexander the Great essay listening to TMS, hope Hoggs and Freddie can inspire me! Colly pleased the locals, hopefully Harmy can too. Keep up the good work!"
David Broadbent in the TMS inbox

1139: Harmison into the attack and he looks to have found his mojo, almost cleaning up Gilly first ball half-bunger that spits out of the bowlers' footmarks. Gilchrist then gets a thick outside edge that runs away for three. Looks like a walking wicket at the moment Gilchrist. Harmison then gets one to jag back and slice Clarke in two. Harmison has gone from Devon Malcolm to Joel Garner all of a sudden. 328-5

"I'm another student awake listening to your fantastic coverage in Exeter. I'm just enquiring as to where Geoffrey purchases his fantastic hats from? I've got a Christmas party on friday and have to dress as a sporting legend. I was hoping to go as the man himself!"
David Springthorpe in the TMS inbox

1133: Another maiden from Hoggard, acting as a teasing bowler this morning, but Clarke refusing to take the bait just outside off-stump. 325-5

Geoffrey Boycott
"The pitch is like the dough my mum used to flatten out and use to make fruit pies, it's that slow..."
Geoffrey Boycott on TMS

1129: Gilchrist plays an unconvincing, uppish drive and the ball skews away to point for one. Clarke always looks scrubbed up and pine fresh. Someone once said of WG Grace, 'I've never kept wicket behind a dirtier neck', but I reckon Jones has never kept wicket behind a cleaner neck than Clarke's. Clarke drives pleasantly down the ground and gets three. 325-5

"I wonder if Geoffrey has ever seen a student in the morning. I can assure him that we are not fresher. And TMS is a superior prospect to an early morning!"
Chris from Leeds uni in the TMS inbox

1125: Another maiden from England, Hoggy providing it. The Aussies are digging in for the long slog. 321-5

"I'm at work at The Sauce Company in Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire - my night shifts have been brightened up listening to you lads sat in the sun while it's freezing cold and windy here."
Malc in the TMS inbox

1121: Flintoff has Gilchrist feeling for one outside off-stump. Two slips, a gully and a couple of drive men in for the Aussie wicket-keeper. Gilly can't resist and cuts - but it bounces just short of Bell at gully. Some of the England fielders thought they had him, but Gilly was quite in control. 321-5

1116: Hoggard pitches one outside off-stump and the ball dies and hits wicket-keeper Jones on the ankle. Leg-bye, but no blame on Jones. It's like the groundsman has rolled some suet into the pitch. Gilly clips another ball on his pads away for a single. 321-5

1112: Flintoff slides another one into Clarke's legs and 'Pup' flicks him away for one. 319-5

Geoffrey Boycott
"Is there a little stiffness in the bowlers today? They've just given Clarke three singles off his legs. I like The Seekers, but I think the England bowlers are seeking the right line...Ice baths - can you imagine Fred Trueman having one of those?"
Geoffrey Boycott on TMS

Email the BBC Sport website and the TMS team on TMS@bbc.co.uk

1108: Nudging 30C in Adelaide this morning, which is far hotter than it's been in the previous three days. Hoggard takes the second over and is worked away off his pads by Clarke. Gilly gets a few tempters outside off-stump but does get one with a clip off his legs. 318-5

"Come on Harmy, skittle a couple early doors and we'll knock them over for less than 450 and set a nice little target!"
Adam Dawes in the TMS inbox

1104: England's captain Freddie Flintoff delivers the first ball of the day and Clarke turns it off his legs for one. Gilchrist drives gracefully through the covers for a couple. Bit of pressure for Gilly, he hasn't been in crash hot form since the last Ashes series. In fact, if Gilchrist was a pop group, he'd be the Red Hot Chili Peppers - exhilirating in his day, but the suspicion is he's on the wane. Three from the first over of the day. 315-5

1057: Flippin heck, I'm in. More than £100 a month on trains and they don't work. Players are out and this is, as I'm sure you're already aware, a crucial session. England really need to mop Australia up before or just after lunch to have a chance of winning this.


Ben Dirs, your usual driver, is stuck on a train somewhere in central London so let's peruse the Aussie newspapers while we wait for him to storm into BBC TV Centre.

Steve Waugh claims he never uttered the famous phrase about the World Cup but if he were somewhere near the square leg boundary on Sunday he may have been tempted to say to Ashley Giles, "Mate, you just dropped the Ashes".

Instead it is left to the Aussie news sheets.

"For all the debate which surrounded the modest bowling of spinner Ashley Giles heading into the second Test in Adelaide, it was his fielding which did England the greatest disservice," The Australian newspaper said.

"Indeed, he may very well have dropped the Ashes after putting down a straightforward catch off Australia captain and century-maker Ricky Ponting.

The Age of Melbourne noted: "A cricket match takes days to win, a series months, a reputation years - but all of them only a fraction of a second to lose.

"This was one such fixed sliver of time. The erring player will argue that the proposition that a catch can decide a series is difficult to prove, but remain haunted eternally by the fact that it is impossible to disprove."

Meanwhile Sydney's Daily Telegraph, usually the most partisan of tabloids, has been indulging in some navel-gazing and is desperate for all-rounder Shane Watson to recover from a hamstring injury.

"Australia may yet come out of this slow-moving Adelaide Test with their house in order but must heed the warning signs if they are to avoid further trouble," it said.

"Australia's attack is getting older and, while still strong, is struggling for penetration on home wickets which have lost their zing."

BBC Sport's own Scott Heinrich was on hand to see Giles' gaffe.

"I'd like to say the ball hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity, but it didn't. The length of time I was given was 1.38 seconds from bat face to Giles' hands, which, extended above his head, couldn't do what the brain asked," he writes in the TMS Blog.

"The pro-Aussie crown on the western side lapped it up. 'You're Monty in disguise,' bellowed some wit."

Michael Slater
"There is only one side that can win it; there was only one side that could win it two days ago - England. It has that Edgbaston feel [when England came back to square the last Ashes series]. I don't think it will come to that but England are very much in the box seat."
Former Australia opener Michael Slater on BBC TV Ashes highlights

Geoffrey Boycott
"If England bowl Australia out with a lead of 150, they could get a couple of hundred runs then they might give Australia five hours of batting on the final day and that could be awkward."
Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott

Email the BBC Sport website and the TMS team on TMS@bbc.co.uk

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