KEY POINTS:
ADELAIDE - A magnificent bowling performance by England's Matthew Hoggard is unlikely to be enough for his side to square the Ashes series, with the second test against Australia headed for a draw.
Hoggard defied a lifeless wicket to snare seven for 109 from 42 overs to ensure
England took a first innings lead over Australia on day four, by bowling the home side out for 513.
England made 551 for six declared in their first innings.
The tourists had the chance to build quickly on their 38-run lead in the final session, but batted with caution to reach 59 for one at stumps, an overall lead of 97.
Australia's Stuart Clark, the only other paceman to have had any impact on this wicket after three wickets in the first innings, removed Alastair Cook (nine) caught behind.
Andrew Strauss was 31 not out and Ian Bell 18 not out at stumps.
England's only way of squaring the series will be chasing quick runs today and then getting Hoggard to better what was a remarkable bowling performance in a slow bat-fest.
Australia's only chance of winning will be claiming cheap wickets today and then pulling off a run-chase.
Neither outcome appears likely.
This match's slow scoring rate - 1123 runs scored, at just over three an over - means England, the Ashes-holders, will be content with taking a 1-0 series deficit into the third test in Perth, which starts on December 14.
Australia began day four needing to bat well to ensure it saved the match, and that responsibility fell to Michael Clarke, who scored a superb 124, and Adam Gilchrist, who spanked 64 in a welcome return to form.
Clarke's 100 was the third of his career and his first in over two years.
While it contained some beautiful drives to all parts, it also had great maturity and timing, giving him a strong case for third-test selection.
His knock was the fourth century of the match after Paul Collingwood's 206, Kevin Pietersen's 158 and Ricky Ponting's 142 in a match clearly dominated by the bat.
That made Hoggard's return - the second-best by an Englishman in Adelaide - even more remarkable, especially after a poor first test in Brisbane, where the ball did not swing and he returned a match haul of
2-141.
AUSTRALIA
First innings
J. Langer c Pietersen b Flintoff 4
M. Hayden c Jones b Hoggard 12
R. Ponting c Jones b Hoggard 14
2D. Martyn c Bell b Hoggard 11
M. Hussey b Hoggard 91
M. Clarke c Giles b Hoggard 124
A. Gilchrist c Bell b Giles 64
S. Warne lbw b Hoggard 43
B. Lee not out 7
S. Clark b Hoggard 0
G. McGrath c Jones b Anderson 1
Extras (4b, 2lb, 1w, 7nb) 14
Total (165.3 overs) 513
Fall: 1/8, 2/35, 3/65, 4/257, 5/286, 6/384, 7/502, 8/505, 9/507, 10/513
Bowling: Hoggard 42-6-109-7, Flintoff 26-5-82-1 (5nb), Harmison 25-5-96-0 (2nb, 1w), Anderson 21.3-3-85-1, Giles 42-7-103-1, Pietersen 9-0-32-0.
ENGLAND
First innings 551-6 decl
Second innings
A. Strauss not out 31
A. Cook c Gilchrist b Clark 9
I. Bell not out 18
Extras (1lb) 1
Total (for 1wkt, 19 overs) 59
Fall: 1/31.
Bowling: Lee 5-1-13-0, McGrath 4-1-12-0, Warne 5-1-20-0, Clark 5-2-13-1.
- AAP