England collapsed to 129 all out, handing Australia the chance to steal an unexpected victory in the second Ashes test at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.
England lost their last nine wickets for just 60 runs to leave Australia chasing 168 from a minimum of 36 overs to win the match and take a 2-0 lead in the series.
Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne was the architect of England’s batting collapse, capturing four for 49 off 32 overs after taking just one for 167 in the first innings.
He dismissed Andrew Strauss (34) and Kevin Pietersen (2) before lunch, and Ashley Giles (no score) and Matthew Hoggard (4) in the second session.
Brett Lee removed Andrew Flintoff (2) and Geraint Jones (10) and Glenn McGrath polished off the England innings when he trapped Steve Harmison (8) and James Anderson (1) lbw.
Paul Collingwood, who made a double century in England’s first-innings 551 for six, was unbeaten on 22 after defying the Australian bowlers for more than three hours.
The match had seemed certain to end in a draw after both teams piled on more than 500 runs in their first innings on a typically flat Adelaide Oval pitch that was showing no signs of life until deteriorating on the last day.
England, 1-0 down in the series, started the day on 59 for one and leading by 97 but signalled their intention early to bat for a draw, allowing the Australians to attack.
Warne started to turn the ball sharply out of the footmarks and it was skidding through at varying heights for the seamers but many of England’s batsmen contributed to their own downfall.
Warne made the initial breakthrough with the total on 69 when Strauss was given out by umpired Steve Bucknor when Mike Hussey claimed a catch at short-leg.
Television replays were inconclusive as to whether Strauss had hit the ball but there were no doubts about the next three dismissals.
Ian Bell was run out for 26 at the bowler’s end after a horrible mix-up with Collingwood, Michael Clarke firing the ball back to Warne who underarmed it on to the stumps before he had made his ground.
Then Warne bowled Pietersen around his legs when the first-innings centurion failed to make contact with an unnecessary attempt at a sweep.
Flintoff gifted a catch to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist when he chased a wide ball off Lee and Jones slashed the express paceman to Matthew Hayden at gully.
Hayden caught Giles at slip, Warne bowled Hoggard with a wrong ‘un, and McGrath finished off the innings after Harmison (26 minutes) and Anderson (41 minutes) had frustrated the Australian attack. – Reuters