Cricket: Clarke masterclass puts Australia in control

LONDON - Michael Clarke threw away the chance of a century on his first appearance at Lord's but left Australia in total command of the first Ashes cricket test with a majestic batting display today.

The 24-year-old, who scored centuries on his home and away test debuts, made 91 and put on 155 with Damien Martyn for the fourth wicket as the world champions closed the second day on 279 for seven, 314 ahead of England.

The partnership in a low-scoring match, Australia made 190 in their first innings to England's 155, transformed the contest from close-run to one-sided in just over a session.

England, however, did battle back with four wickets for 24 runs near the end.

Only one team has made 300 or more to win a test at Lord's, West Indies reaching 344 for one in 1984 chasing 342 for victory. England have only scored more than 300 in the fourth innings on three occasions to win a test.

Steve Harmison was England's best bowler with two for 35 off 18.2 overs, including the wicket of Shane Warne off the last ball of the day. Matthew Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff also took two wickets each.

Kevin Pietersen, who had made 57 for England in his first test innings during the morning, dropped Clarke off a routine chance when he had made just 21.

Clarke refused to throttle back after getting into the 90s, slashing an inside edge into his stumps off Matthew Hoggard.

The right-hander from New South Wales faced 106 deliveries and hit 15 fours.

Next ball, Steve Harmison cut one back to get rid of Martyn for 65.

The pair had come together just before tea with Australia on 100 for three, 135 ahead, and proceeded to dismantle the English attack.

When Clarke was dropped by Pietersen, Australia were on 139 for three.

SECOND CHANCE

There would be no second chance, only a series of rasping, boundary-bound drives either side of the wicket.

Clarke's 50 came up off 64 balls with a mid-wicket boundary off Ashley Giles' spin and the partnership killed off the tension that had bubbled throughout the opening two sessions.

England had resumed on 92 for seven in the morning and Pietersen, selected ahead of Graham Thorpe who announced his test retirement on Friday, went on the attack after losing Hoggard early.

McGrath, unplayable in taking the first five England wickets to fall on Thursday, was hammered for 32 runs in five overs to finish with figures of five for 53.

Pietersen flat-batted a four back past McGrath, hoisted his next ball into the middle tier of the pavilion and the next disappeared through extra cover.

There was another six off Warne but Pietersen's attempted action replay next ball, after making 57, ended with Damien Martyn diving full length on the mid-wicket boundary to take the catch.

England were only 35 runs behind after the first innings and their bowlers, with a little help from Pietersen who ran out Justin Langer out for six with a direct hit from cover, kept home hopes flickering.

Simon Jones threatened with outswing, Flintoff with genuine pace and Harmison with bounce as England chipped away.

Matthew Hayden made 34 before dragging a pull from Flintoff into his stumps to make it 54 for two shortly after lunch, and Ricky Ponting accumulated 42, passing 7,000 test runs, before fencing a ball from Hoggard to point to make it 100 for three.

Scoreboard

Australia won the toss and elected to bat
Australia first innings (190 all out)
England first innings (overnight 92-7)

M Trescothick c Langer b McGrath 4
A Strauss c Warne b McGrath 2
M Vaughan b McGrath 3
I Bell b McGrath 6
K Pietersen c Martyn b Warne 57
A Flintoff b McGrath 0
G Jones c Gilchrist b Lee 30
A Giles hit wicket b Lee 11
M Hoggard c Hayden b Warne 0
S Harmison c Martyn b Lee 11
S Jones not out 20
Extras (b-1 lb-5 nb-5) 11
--Total (all out, 48.1 overs) 155
Fall of wickets 1-10 2-11 3-18 4-19 5-21 6-79 7-92 8-1019-122

Bowling O M R W

McGrath 18 5 53 5
Lee 15.1 5 47 3 (nb-4)
Gillespie 8 1 30 0 (nb-1)
Warne 7 2 19 2

Australia second innings

J Langer run out 6
M Hayden b Flintoff 34
R Ponting c sub b Hoggard 42
D Martyn lbw b Harmison 65
M Clarke b Hoggard 91
S Katich not out 10
A Gilchrist b Flintoff 10
S Warne c Giles b Harmison 2
Extras (b-9, lb-5, nb-5) 19
--Total (for seven wickets, 70 2 overs) 279
Fall of wickets: 1-18 2-54 3-100 4-255 5-255 6-274 7-279

To bat: B Lee, J Gillespie, G McGrath

Bowling O M R W

Harmison 18.2 4 35 2
Hoggard 12 0 46 2
Flintoff 19 4 84 2 (nb-4)
S Jones 11 1 46 0 (nb-1)
Giles 9 1 46 0
Bell 1 0 8 0

- REUTERS