Daily Cricket News

Ashes: Australia fold up for 280

Sydney: Jimmy Anderson took four wickets while Tim Bresnan scalped three as Australia were bowled out for 280 in the fifth Ashes Test on Tuesday after a late-order fightback by Mitchell Johnson (53) and Ben Hilfenhaus (34).

Earlier, the hosts slumped to 230-8, losing four batsmen in an overcast opening session on day two that provided ideal conditions for England's seam bowlers.

Australia resumed at 134-4 — in an extended session after 31 overs were lost on day one due to rain and bad light — and only survived to lunch due to an unbeaten 41-run ninth-wicket stand between Mitchell Johnson (30) and No. 10 Ben Hilfenhaus (14).

It was Australia's best partnership of the morning, when England claimed four wickets and conceded 96 runs.

Anderson went wicketless in 20 overs on day one but now has figures of 3-66.

He had Brad Haddin (6) caught behind, chasing a wide delivery, with the addition of only nine to the overnight total.

Mike Hussey shared a 28-run seventh-wicket stand with Steve Smith before he was out for 33, playing a delivery from Paul Collingwood onto his stumps to make the total 171-6. Then Anderson struck twice in one over with the new ball as England threatened to remove Australia for another sub-200 total.

Smith (18) slashed recklessly to Anderson outside off stump, giving Collingwood a regulation catch at third slip and No. 9 Peter Siddle played at an outswinger four balls later and edged to Andrew Strauss, who took a low catch at slip.

Johnson batted resiliently, lifting the total over 200 with two off Tremlett and batting through 70 minutes in his unbeaten 30. Hilfenhaus scored most of his runs behind the wicket but did a job for Australia, facing 25 balls in 45 minutes until the interval.

Only Michael Beer, who is making his Test debut after only seven first-class matches, is yet to bat for the hosts.

Desperate for a series-leveling win in the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, stand-in captain Michael Clarke won the toss on Monday and elected to bat.

All of the top order, with the exception of Clarke (4), got starts but failed to capitalise.

Openers Shane Watson (45) and Phil Hughes (31) batted with discipline and restraint in the first session until Hughes was out the ball before the first break. Pakistan-born Usman Khawaja made an entertaining 37 on his Test debut before he mis-timed a sweep and was out on the last ball of day one.

England has already ensured it will retain the Ashes after taking a 2-1 lead with its emphatic win in the fourth Test at Melbourne last week and is now chasing its first Test series victory in Australia since 1987. England hasn't won back-to-back Tests in Australia since 1978-79.