Australia paceman Peter Siddle broke through for two early wickets, but Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen stood firm to guide England to 226 for two at lunch on the second day of the fourth Test in Melbourne on Monday.
Having toiled fruitlessly for three hours late on day one, Siddle needed only 19 minutes to break England’s opening partnership, removing Alastair Cook for 82 with his 13th ball of the morning at an overcast Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Siddle coaxed the opener into a half-hearted defensive push that flicked an edge to first slip where Shane Watson took a sharp catch just above the grass.
The 26-year-old quick then had Andrew Strauss out for 69, the England captain fending away a delivery that bounced viciously to backward point where Mike Hussey jumped high and to his right to take a superb one-handed catch.
The wicket left England 170-2, having added only 13 runs to their overnight lead of 59, but Trott and Pietersen dashed any hopes of a collapse with an unbeaten 56-run stand as spectators at the half-full stadium huddled for warmth on an unseasonably chilly summer’s day.
Pietersen, who grew increasingly imperious after a watchful start, was on 30, with Trott on 31, as the tourists extended their lead to 128 runs after Australia were skittled for 98 runs in their first innings on Sunday.
The five-Test series is tied at 1-1 and holders England need only to win in Melbourne to be the first team to retain the Ashes on Australian soil since Mike Gatting’s side in 1986/87.
Pietersen, who failed twice in England’s third Test defeat in Perth, imposed himself with two boundaries in succession off Siddle and appeared in fine touch.
With the batsmen getting on top of Australia’s seamers, captain Ricky Ponting introduced legspinner Steve Smith shortly before lunch.
Pietersen welcomed the 21-year-old allrounder with two boundaries, the second a disdainful lofted drive that sailed over the 21-year-old’s head to the boundary.
Trott then scored four all run on the second-last ball before lunch with a push through midwicket before defending the last to buoy England’s hopes of building a mammoth total in the afternoon. – Reuters