Andrew Flintoff and Muttiah Muralitharan triggered an Australian batting collapse of 5-30 off 17 overs to give the World XI a glimmer of hope for a come-from-behind victory in the Super Test in Sydney on Sunday.
Australia were travelling smoothly at 164 for two at lunch, but wickets clattered after the interval, with Muralitharan and Flintoff combining to have the home side struggling for runs.
The Australians, with a 155-run innings lead, pushed their advantage to 349 runs when they went to an early tea at 194 for eight after bad light and imminent rain.
Brett Lee was on three and Glenn McGrath not out two.
Flintoff captured 3-48 off 16 overs and Muralitharan 2-55 from 23 overs to put an edge back into the game.
Skipper Ricky Ponting only added two runs to his lunch-time score before he was caught by Mark Boucher off Flintoff for 54 off 111 balls.
Simon Katich, who looked all at sea against the mesmerising Muralitharan, gave a leading edge and offered a return catch to the Sri Lankan for two in the next over. Katich’s tortured innings occupied 22 balls.
Adam Gilchrist, who narrowly missed out on a century in the first innings with a typical swashbuckling 94, went for one off three balls, caught at slip by Jacques Kallis off Muralitharan as Australia slithered to 170 for six.
Shane Warne survived a referred close-in catch, but paddled to Rahul Dravid at mid-wicket for seven, giving Flintoff his second wicket in five overs.
Shane Watson went to a referred catch behind for 10 in an hour attempting to hook and giving Flintoff his third wicket.
England’s Steve Harmison struck twice before lunch with the wickets of Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke.
Hayden was on course for his third consecutive Test 100 after a dismal Ashes series in England before the giant Durham fast-bowler struck in his ninth over.
The left-handed opening batsman scored 111 in Australia’s first innings, but he was bowled by a Harmison yorker for 77, put together in 189 minutes off 120 balls with nine boundaries.
Hayden put on 122 runs for the second wicket with Ponting.
Clarke only lasted eight balls before he was bowled for five in Harmison’s next over. — Sapa-AFP