Sport - Ashes 2nd Test Day Four Can't keep KP away

Catch this. I need to get some bowling practice.

I never thought they'd declare on 551, did you? For starters it seemed prescient to only bat once, or at least leave virtually nothing to get in the second innings. And then of course there was that number, 551...superstitious Mr Strauss? Of course not. Never. Well, maybe a little.

England clubbed 69 from 9 overs to reach 620-5dec. Pietersen, Bell and Prior (slightly avenging his first-baller at the Gabba) all joined in the fun. Doherty got Pietersen but not before Pietersen had got 227. And Doherty conceded 13 runs off the over in which he took his wicket. This is almost certainly Doherty's last test for some considerable time, perhaps ever. And with figures of 1-158 even he may be glad of that. Only Harris and Watson came out with remotely acceptable figures. And they were only remotely acceptable.

So do the Aussies have enough fight in them to guts it out as England did at the Gabba? Of course they have the fight. They're Australian. But this doesn't necessarily mean they have the skill. Watson and Katich put on a solid opening stand but England's persistence in targetting on or around the off stump paid dividends when both gave catches to keeper and slips when both looked set. 57 (Watson) and 43 (Katich) do not save games. Katich has limped off to hospital with achilles trouble and looks a serious doubt for the next test.

Ponting is in turmoil and it showed with his dismissal to Swann.

Ponting c Collingwood b Swann 9

Ponting seemed to take an age to leave the crease, his demeanour mirroring that of Swann at the Gabba on the first morning. How fortune's have changed since then. All these dismissals Michael Clarke to fight with Mike Hussey (the one batsman who has stood up to be counted so far) and for 33 overs and 104 runs they did just that. Clarke went into this game averaging over 100 at Adelaide. Out for two in the first innings he had some making up to do. The pitch was now taking considerable turn but Swann, despite his victories against Katich and Ponting, was having no luck finding the edge. Pietersen had no such bad luck. Thrown the ball with a couple of overs left in the day he removed Clarke with what proved to be the final delivery, prospectively the hammer blow of the day. At 238-4 only the hammer of Thor can save Australia now.

Pietersen levitates up to cloud 9