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England heading for Adelaide draw Warne strikes revive second Test
(about 3 hours later)
England's main aim at the start of the final day in Adelaide will be to make sure there is no chance of them losing the game to go 2-0 down in the series. England's hopes of securing a draw in the second Ashes Test were in disarray after four wickets fell before lunch on the final day in Adelaide.
A draw is the most likely result as England resume their second innings on 59-1, a lead of 97 over Australia. Shane Warne claimed two victims and helped in a run out while Brett Lee had Andrew Flintoff caught behind.
But Australia sense a slim chance of victory with centurion Michael Clarke saying: "The morning will be crucial." England went to lunch 89-5, leading by 127, with Paul Collingwood and Geraint Jones under real pressure.
England have confirmed captain Andrew Flintoff will bat if necessary after playing down an injury scare. An unlucky Andrew Strauss (34), Ian Bell (26) and Kevin Pietersen (two) departed in the space of five overs.
Flintoff came off the field near the end of Australia's first innings on Monday and only bowled four overs in the day but the England management said they were not overly concerned about his condition. Collingwood, whose double century provided the backbone of the first innings, was in similar mood, working the first boundary of the day just before the break.
606: DEBATE class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A17897359">Without any final day slip-ups the whole exercise has been good for English confidence PA class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/606/default.stm">606: Have your say But Jones looked nervous, playing and missing with some attempted cross-bat shots.
Clarke meanwhile emphasised the way Australia were looking at the final day by adding: "We'll come out fired up and looking for wickets and maybe we'll have a target to chase late in the afternoon. In baking heat, a sleepy crowd were expecting a draw as England began the day 59-1 but Warne, who took 40 wickets in the 2005 Ashes series, refused to let the match die.
"I'm looking forward to seeing Warnie bowl out there now it's starting to spin." Strauss's dismissal was unlucky as umpire Steve Bucknor upheld Warne's half-hearted appeal and Mike Hussey took the catch off pad at short leg.
If England can avoid a collapse and establish a lead of around 250 then, although it is unlikely they can force a victory, they could give Australia's batsmen something to think about before the third Test in Perth on 14 December. But batsmen were to blame for the wickets that followed, with Pietersen and Flintoff falling as they looked to re-establish the initiative with big shots.
England hero Matthew Hoggard said: "It has been an interesting series but it was the same in 2005 and I expect some exciting cricket to come." Collingwood called Bell through for a quick single but the more established batsmen hesitated in obeying as point fielder Clarke threw to Warne at the non-striker's end.
A draw would leave Australia 1-0 up in the series with three Tests still to play. Pietersen has avoided sweeping his sparring partner Warne for much of this match.
He chose the wrong time to unveil the stroke to the fifth ball faced in this key innings, though, and was bowled round his legs by a delivery pitching out of the rough.
Coming to the crease for what could have been a career-defining innings, Flintoff's footwork was lacking as he wafted outside off stump at Lee and departed for two.