Ashes, Day 2: Eng on top, lead by 346

Melbourne: Jonathan Trott hit a masterful, unbeaten century to lead England to 444-5 at stumps and an emphatic 346-run lead after the second day of the fourth Ashes Test against Australia on Monday.

Trott will resume the third day on 141 with Matt Prior on 75, sharing a 158-run partnership. England will retain the Ashes with a win here.

Seam bowler Peter Siddle claimed three wickets and took two catches before tea to revive Australia's slim hopes, but could only go part-way towards making up for the home side's disastrous start to the match on Sunday when it was sent in to bat and bundled out for 98 — its lowest ever score against England at the MCG.

After a watchful start, Trott brought up his second century of the series and third overall against Australia when he cut a Ryan Harris ball through mid-wicket for four. His innings came off 278 balls with 13 boundaries.

Trott overcame an injury scare while on 76 when he edged a Ben Hilfenhaus delivery into his knee. He lay on the ground for several minutes and received attention from England medical staff before continuing without a runner.

Prior reached his 50 off 81 balls with six boundaries before going on to guide four more in a confident display during the third session.

After dismissing openers Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss to start the day, Siddle (3-58) trapped a dangerous-looking Kevin Pietersen for 51 after lunch. Pietersen brought up his half century an over earlier off 85 balls with seven boundaries.

Pietersen survived a brief scare while on 49 when Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin persuaded captain Ricky Ponting to call for a video review after an edged Harris delivery. The subsequent not out decision appeared to prompt an angry reaction from Ponting toward the on-field umpires.

Mitchell Johnson (2-103) maintained Australia's momentum by dismissing Paul Collingwood for 8, caught by Siddle at fine-leg. Johnson, who took 9 wickets in Australia's 267-run win at Perth in the third Test, has been far less effective in Melbourne, conceding 57 runs from 12 overs before his first dismissal.

Siddle took his second catch off Johnson's next over when he dived for a low chance at deep fine-leg to end Bell's innings at just 1 run.

Johnson appeared to have taken his third wicket shortly before tea when Prior was caught behind. Prior was on his way off the pitch as the Australians celebrated when he was called back by umpire Aleem Dar, who referred to the delivery to the TV umpire before calling a no ball.

Resuming on the overnight score of 157-0, England lost its first wicket of the Test when Cook edged a Siddle delivery to Shane Watson at first slip in the fifth over of the day. Cook's 82 included 11 boundaries in a 159-run opening partnership. The opener has now amassed a series leading 577 runs.

Siddle dismissed Strauss four overs later for 69 when he nicked a ball up to a leaping Michael Hussey, who caught him one-handed at backward-point.

Siddle leads charge at MCG

Australian paceman Peter Siddle has struck again, dismissing Kevin Pietersen lbw in the Boxing Day Ashes Test.

Pietersen made 51 and England are three for 262 in their first innings, a lead of 164.

Siddle has taken all three wickets, while Jonathan Trott is 46 and Paul Collingwood is the new batsman for England.

England remain well-placed to retain the Ashes.

Resuming on 0-157 in reply to Australia's 98, England lost openers Alastair Cook (82) and Andrew Strauss (69) in the morning session of the second day's play.

England reached 2-226 at lunch with Kevin Pietersen on 30 and Jonathan Trott 31 not out.

Siddle struck in the fifth over of the day as Cook fell 18 runs shy of his third century of the series, caught at first slip after an opening stand of 159 with Strauss.

Four overs later Siddle's alarming bounce had Strauss jumping around and top-edging to gully where Mike Hussey took a high-leaping catch.

Left-armer Mitchell Johnson was unable to repeat his in-swinging heroics of the third Test in Perth, where he took 6-38 in England's first innings.

Swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus, with only two wickets in three Tests in the series so far, was also unable to break through.

Leg-spinner Steve Smith brought some excitement to the game as Pietersen launched into two powerful fours down the ground in Smith's first over of the day.

Smith fought back with a maiden in his second over as Pietersen mis-timed a series of lusty cut shots and Trott shielded his ultra-aggressive batting partner from the final over before lunch.

Vice-captain Michael Clarke top-scored for Australia with 20 on Sunday and admitted there were no excuses for the lack of discipline shown by Australia's batsmen, and also their bowlers who pitched too short on day one.

The series is level at one-all but Ashes holders England had already taken a stranglehold of the fourth Test after just one day, leaving Australia's hopes of a series victory looking fanciful.

Southee heroics see New Zealand edge Pakistan

AUCKLAND  - Pace bowler Tim Southee bagged a five-wicket haul including a hat-trick as New Zealand comprehensively beat Pakistan by five wickets in their opening Twenty20 cricket match Sunday.

It was only the third hat-trick in the history of Twenty20 internationals as a withering Southee spell put the brakes on a brisk Pakistan start from which the tourists never recovered.

Their 143 for nine was knocked off by New Zealand with 17 balls to spare and five wickets in hand, giving the Black Caps a much-needed victory after a string of 11 one-day defeats.

"After the way we've played in the last three-four months it's a great start" to the Pakistan series, said stand-in captain Ross Taylor as he congratulated man-of-the-match Southee.

"Tim was outstanding."

It was also a morale-boosting performance for new coach John Wright who was only brought in to guide the team in a major shake-up last week and was immediately confronted with the news his most senior players Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum were out injured.

New Zealand's poor run appeared to be continuing when Pakistan raced to 62 for two in a rollicking first seven overs before Southee turned the game around in a whirlwind nine-ball spell in which he took five wickets for no runs.

It began with the last ball of his opening over when he had Ahmed Shehzad caught by wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan for 14.

With the second ball of his next over he seduced Younis Khan (two) with a widish delivery that was top edged to debutant Dean Brownlie in the deep.

As the ball was skied, opener Mohammad Hafeez was left to regret racing to the other end as his innings of 24 off 19 deliveries ended on the next ball which he nicked to McGlashan.

Umar Akmal was unfortunate to complete the hat-trick when given out leg before wicket on the first ball he faced as television replays indicated a thick inside edge before the ball hit the pads.

Southee rounded off his wicket-taking exploits with the second ball of his third over which Abdul Razzaq (one) steered to McGlashan and he ended his four-over spell with the impressive figures of five for 17.

Kyle Mills, who finished with three for 37 continued to keep the pressure on Pakistan who were in danger of not batting through their innings before the tail-end pair Wahab Riaz and Shoaib Akhtar piled on an unbeaten 31 in the last two overs.

But 143 was never going to be enough on an easy surface and New Zealand openers Jesse Ryder and Martin Guptill took control from the start.

They had 27 runs on the board inside two overs before Ryder (six) departed as the first of Akhtar's three wickets.

Brownlie (five) and Scott Styris (seven) also fell cheaply to the express bowler but New Zealand always had the run rate under control.

Guptill blasted 54 from 29 balls, including four sixes and four fours, before he was run out while Taylor was 39 not out from 31 balls at the end.

New Zealand lead the three-match series 1-0 with the second match in Hamilton on Tuesday.

Steyn demolishes Indian top order

DURBAN, South Africa, - Dale Steyn produced another magnificent exhibition of fast outswing bowling on Sunday to scythe through the Indian batting on the opening day of the second test at Kingsmead.

The world's top-ranked bowler followed his seven wickets in South Africa's innings victory in the first test with four for 36. At the close of a rain-interrupted day, India were 183 for six from 56 overs.

Left-arm seamer Tsotsobe, who had struggled before lunch with two overs for 15 runs, returned after the break to take two for 15 in seven overs. He also pulled off a sensational catch at wide mid-on when he snapped up Vangipurappu Laxman's well-struck pull off Steyn with his right hand.

After play had been delayed for hour by drizzle and a damp outfield, Steyn obtained vicious late away movement to have both opening batsmen, Virender Sehwag (25) and Murali Vijay (19) caught behind the wicket.

Sehwag tried to drive a late away-swinger from Steyn but was anchored to the crease and edged the ball to second slip.

Vijay lived dangerously and he was dropped twice in the slip cordon off the bowling of Steyn, with his score on three and 15.

The second miss did not matter, however, as Steyn's next ball was a superb delivery that drew Vijay forward before jagging away late to find the edge and give wicketkeeper Mark Boucher a simple catch.

After lunch there was immediate success for the home side as Sachin Tendulkar (13) drove at a Tsotsobe delivery that was angled across him, edging a catch for Jacques Kallis at second slip.

Rahul Dravid and Laxman both showed their class in a 38-run partnership for the fourth wicket before Steyn produced a delivery that bounced more than Dravid expected. The veteran, who had scored 25, gloved a simple catch to Boucher.

Four overs later, Laxman pulled Steyn well, but Tsotsobe stuck out his right hand at wide mid-on and took an extraordinary catch as the ball raced past him. Laxman, who had top-scored with 38, was setting off to run and stood aghast with his hand on his side after realising he was out.

India were then 130 for five and their outlook became bleaker still when Cheteshwar Pujara (19) top-edged a hook at Tsotsobe and Boucher back-pedalled to claim the skied catch.

Bad light ended play just three overs after tea, with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on 20 and Harbhajan Singh on 15.

"We can't get ahead of ourselves and still need to put the ball in the right areas," Steyn told a news conference.

"It's a good pitch, it does a bit with the new ball and there's a little swing, but you have to stay patient and concentrate on your own skills. There's big bounce and it goes off the seam, but in these conditions everyone expects you to get wickets."

Laxman said any total in excess of 250 would be a good score.

"Our lower order takes a lot of pride in their batting and we've seen in the last couple of years that they have all delivered at the right moment. I'm sure they will contribute because they have been working hard in practice and won't throw away their wickets," he said.

England seize control of fourth Ashes test

* Australia slump to lowest total in Melbourne Ashes test

• Strauss and Cook press home England advantage

MELBOURNE, Dec 26  - England seized control of the fourth Ashes test by skittling Australia for a record low of 98 on Sunday then compounded the hosts' misery by building a lead of 59 runs without loss at the close of the first day.

With the series tied 1-1, victory in Melbourne would ensure England retained the Ashes they regained at home last year.

The England pace attack scythed through Australia's top order before lunch then rattled through their last six wickets for the loss of only 40 runs before tea to stun the crowd of more than 84,000.

Australia's paltry first innings total was their lowest against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground since the inaugural match of England's first test tour in 1876-77.

England openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook rubbed salt in the hosts' wounds by surviving more than three hours to take the tourists to 157 at the close, profiting from sunny afternoon conditions which tamed a pitch that earlier proved a handful for Australia's batsmen. Captain Strauss was on 64 and Cook 80 at the close.

Chris Tremlett and James Anderson each finished with four wickets, while Tim Bresnan, who replaced Steve Finn, took two for 25.

Strauss won the toss and sent Australia into bat on a moist, grassy pitch that offered swing and varying bounce from the first ball on an overcast morning.

The hosts' top order has been brittle throughout the series and they surrendered their first four wickets for just 58 runs.

Tremlett and Bresnan removed openers Shane Watson (five) and the struggling Phillip Hughes (16) respectively, the latter gifting his wicket with a miscued drive that flew straight to Kevin Pietersen at gully.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting's woeful series with the bat continued as he was out for 10, edging Tremlett to Graeme Swann in the slips.

The prolific Mike Hussey, forced into the role of rescuer throughout the series, edged Anderson just before lunch to wicketkeeper Matt Prior and was out for eight.

A rain shower that brought lunch five minutes early and delayed the second session by 45 minutes compounded Australia's misery as the ball continued to skid and lift in the early afternoon.

Anderson struck twice shortly after lunch, removing Steve Smith for six and Michael Clarke for 20, both caught behind by Prior with similar deliveries that swung late.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin then flashed at Tim Bresnan, his flat-footed drive flying straight to Strauss at first slip and sparking England's ecstatic Barmy Army into renditions of "God Save the Queen".

Anderson's dismissal of Mitchell Johnson for a duck was England's third without a run conceded after lunch, as Australia crashed from 77-5 to 77-8.

Australia's tail added another 21 runs, with Peter Siddle's 11 finishing the third-highest score of the innings.

With the afternoon sunshine drying out the pitch, Cook and Strauss were rarely tested by Australia's seamers.

Cook, who scored a match-saving double-century in Brisbane but failed twice in Perth, raised his half-century by cutting a loose delivery from Johnson for four in the 32nd over.

Strauss reached his half-century five overs later, tucking a single off leg-spinner Smith to deep mid-on.

Johnson had sparked Australia's 267-run win in Perth with a match-winning six-wicket haul in the first innings but was hit for 11 runs off his first over and finished with unflattering figures of 0-42 off seven overs.

With Australia's batsmen embarrassed and their pace attack thwarted, spectators deserted the 100,000-capacity stadium in droves, leaving their bowlers to toil fruitlessly in front of rows of empty seats for the last hour.

"At no point did we get carried away, even when they were six down, seven down," Anderson told reporters.

"We just kept going and did what we were trying to do, create pressure.

"There was definitely some movement. The grass that was on the pitch did help and the overcast conditions helped it swing as well. We've had one good day, one great day, but there's still four days of hard work left.

Aussies dismissed for record low at Ashes

Australia's hopes of regaining the Ashes were slipping away at the MCG on Sunday as the home side were bowled out for a record low of 98.

It was Australia's lowest-ever score in a Melbourne Test against England, six runs worse than the previous mark of 104 which has stood since 1877.

James Anderson (4-44) and Chris Tremlett (4-26) took four wickets each for England, who can retain the Ashes if they win the fourth Ashes Test at the MCG.

Invited to bat on a green-tinged pitch in overcast conditions, Australia's top order fell in quick succession as the home side reached 4-58 at lunch. Another six wickets fell for 40 runs after the interval.

The innings lasted a total of just 42.5 overs, although it wasn't even Australia's lowest score for 2010 after making 88 against Pakistan at Headingley in England in July.

England wicketkeeper Matt Prior took six catches and the other four batsmen dismissed offered chances to the slips cordon.

Vice-captain Michael Clarke top-scored with 20.

Shane Watson (5), Phil Hughes (16), Ricky Ponting (10) and Mike Hussey (8) all fell in a disastrous opening session for Australia.

Chris Tremlett's extra bounce troubled Watson, who was caught at gully by Kevin Pietersen in the fourth over of the day.

Watson had already been dropped twice in slips off the bowling of Anderson.

The aggressive Hughes blazed an attempted drive to gully where Pietersen held the chance off Tim Bresnan's bowling at 2-37, after Bresnan was recalled to the side ahead of Steven Finn.

Ponting, who is playing despite a fractured little finger, was out next over as he offered a catch to Graeme Swann at second slip. The skipper's average for the series is a miserable 15.50.

Hussey poked a catch to Prior off the bowling of Anderson just before lunch.

In a rain-interrupted middle session, Steve Smith lunged forward to be caught behind off Anderson for six at 5-66.

Clarke departed the same way four overs later at 6-77.

Australia lost another two wickets without addition to the score as Brad Haddin (5) was caught at slip off Bresnan and Mitchell Johnson was caught behind off Anderson for a duck.

Tremlett also had Peter Siddle caught behind for 11 and Ben Hilfenhaus caught behind for a duck.

The series is level at one-all and Australia need to win the five-match contest to regain the Ashes.

Victory for England in Melbourne will be good enough for the tourists to retain the urn.