Overview

England looks on course to take a first-innings lead in the fifth Ashes Test, closing day two on 3/167 in reply to Australia's 280.

Alastair Cook will begin day three on 61 with nightwatchman James Anderson alongside him at the crease on 1.

Play began half an hour earlier than scheduled, to make up for time lost to rain on Monday and the early start meant that most supporters making their way to the SCG missed the most pivotal action of the day. The game was always likely to hinge on the partnership between Australia's form batsmen Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin so when Australia's wicketkeeper departed inside 15 minutes everything looked set for another day of English dominance.

Haddin will be disappointed with his dismissal. Promoted to six ahead of Steve Smith, the wicketkeeper's job was to rebuild. Seemingly ignorant of this responsibility, Haddin made six and then slashed off-balance at a wide James Anderson delivery, sending an edge through to Matt Prior.

The early dismissal forced an already circumspect Australian batting performance further into its shell. Some tight England bowling and exceptional fielding further strangled the life out of any possible recovery.

Mike Hussey, the likeliest source of a fightback battled to 33 but as the second new ball was in his sights he chopped a Paul Collingwood indipper onto his stumps.

Steve Smith ground out 18 off 53 deliveries but his patience snapped when he launched a full-blooded drive at a full, wide, away-swinger from James Anderson. The ball fizzed off Smith's edge to Paul Collingwood at third slip and another opportunity for the young New South Welshman to stake his claim as a top-order batsman passed him by.

Seven down became eight almost immediately. Peter Siddle made just two before another Anderson outswinger found Andrew Strauss at first slip via Siddle's outside edge.

That left Australia 8/189 with Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus at the crease and England expecting to be chasing under 200 before lunch. Such a prediction failed to account for the second Mitchell Johnson assault of the series. He top-scored with a flamboyant 53 in a partnership of 76, Australia's biggest of the innings, with Hilfenhaus.

Like in Perth, Johnson took the attack to a confident England unit and quickly forced Andrew Strauss onto the back foot. For a brief spell England forgot its lines and lengths and the score moved from embarrassing to somewhere approaching par in the blink of an eye.

Johnson eventually fell for 53, playing around a full inswinger from Tim Bresnan and Hilfenhaus (34) was not far behind, top edging a pull off James Anderson through to Matt Prior.

The final wicket fell for an innocuous looking 280 with debutant Michael Beer unbeaten on 2.

Apart from Johnson and Hilfenhaus' brief fightback England bowled with discipline and fielded superbly. Anderson (4/66) was again the pick but Tim Bresnan (3/89) and Chris Tremlett (1/71) further justified their selections. Graeme Swann (1/37) and Paul Collingwood (1/5) chipped in with vital wickets at crucial times.

It is worth noting that no England bowler conceded more than three runs per over as the tourists suffocated its host.

In contrast, England raced to 98 at 4.5 runs per over in reply. Andrew Strauss set the tempo, reaching a 49 ball 50 inside 18 overs.

The first big call of Michael Clarke's captaincy in the field saw Mitchell Johnson share the new ball with Ben Hilfenhaus. Unfortunately for the new skipper, the left-hander sprayed the ball to all parts and cut an increasingly frustrated figure before Peter Siddle replaced him.

Everything looked easy for England with runs coming freely without even a hint of a wicket. Strauss and Alastair Cook seemed set to celebrate a century partnership when out of nowhere Ben Hilfenhaus sent down an unplayable delivery. From around the wicket the Tasmanian swung the ball into the left-hander but managed to hit the seam perfectly to enable the ball to hold its line after pitching, beating Strauss' leg-side push and colliding with his off-stump.

The wicket sparked something in Australia and almost immediately another wicket fell. The previously wayward Johnson looked like a different animal and it was he who secured the wicket of run-machine Jonathan Trott. The unpredictable left-hander slung one wide and full to Trott who failed to move his feet as he inside-edged an off-drive onto his stumps for his first Test duck.

Suddenly England was under pressure. The ball started to swing and seam and edges became the norm. In these circumstances Michael Beer was introduced into the attack to try and buy Kevin Pietersen's wicket. Unfortunately for the debutant, England's aggressive number four smacked Beer's first Test delivery along the carpet through extra cover.

It got worse for Beer before it got better as his first Test wicket was chalked off for a reviewed no-ball. On 46, Cook miscued a lofted on-drive to Hilfenhaus at mid-on only for Billy Bowden to signal that he wanted to check the spinner's front foot. Despairingly for the debutant the replay showed a clear no-ball and celebrations had to be curtailed.

The West Australian finally got his name in the scorebook for the right reasons five overs before the close, holding onto a catch at fine-leg to dismiss Kevin Pietersen. England's enforcer had moved to 36 and looked in the mood for a big score but he miscued a hook from a revitalised Mitchell Johnson that got big on him and Beer did the rest.

James Anderson and Alastair Cook saw out the rest of the day without much alarm to leave England trailing by 113 with seven wickets in hand.

The view from Australia

Among the myriad problems that have emerged for Australia during the summer, the most disconcerting has been the successive first-innings failures. The 280 Australia achieved today was its second-highest first-innings score of the summer.

The view from England

England didn't bring its A game today but showed the fighting qualities that mark this group out from previous touring sides. Its fielding in particular has been of a high standard all series and once again England backed up its bowlers superbly. The reliable slips held a number of sharp catches and the outfielder's excellent ground fielding maintained the pressure on Australia's batsmen.

Hero

Andrew Strauss. Australia's 280 is at least 50 runs more than England would have expected to be chasing at lunch on day 2 and will have given England's openers plenty to think about. Andrew Strauss' response, a run-a-ball 60 revealed the 280 to be the under-par total Australian supporters feared. By scoring so heavily so quickly Strauss hammered home the gulf in class between the two sides and has set up the 3-1 series victory that would accurately reflect England's superiority this summer.

Villain

Brad Haddin. The middle portion of this match was going to be shaped by Australia's fifth wicket. Haddin and Mike Hussey have been Australia's form batsmen this series and began the day with their side 4/134. Their target should have been to get through to lunch unscathed and look to build a total in excess of 300. Mr Cricket could be relied upon in a situation like this but for Haddin, batting at six, this was a huge chance to establish himself as Australia's all-rounder.

That he lasted just 15 minutes effectively ended any chance Australia had of posting a challenging first-innings total. That he was out to an ugly swipe outside his off stump in such a situation should effectively end his chances of becoming Australia's long-term number six.

It is in Haddin's nature to counter-attack but the nature and timing of his dismissal bordered on the irresponsible.

I'm not sure anyone else noticed but...

Warnie still had the ball on a string when giving a leg-spin masterclass for Channel 9 during the lunch break.

What's next?

With play beginning half-an-hour early on day three, England will expect to be level with Australia's first-innings score around lunch. Thereafter it will depend on wickets in hand and which batsmen are at the crease as to how the game progresses.

England could have a lead of 200 by stumps and Strauss considering day four declarations. Conversely, an early wicket would bring the out-of-form Paul Collingwood to the crease and England could conceivably be five down, still 100 in arrears.

What is clear is that from this situation it will take something special with both bat and ball for Australia to force a victory and avoid losing the series as well as the Ashes.

TAB Sportsbet Odds:

Australia $4.25 Draw $3.75 England $1.75

Day 2

England 3/167 - Cook 61*, Anderson 1*

Australia 280