Clarke's century kills off hopes for England win

A stylish century by youngest team member Michael Clarke defused the prospect of a series-levelling victory by England in the second Ashes cricket Test at the Adelaide Oval Monday.
Clarke claimed his third Test century and first in Ashes cricket with 124, as Australia whittled England's innings lead down to just 38 runs after batting for almost 12 hours and 165.3 overs on the most benign of pitches.
At Monday's close, England, batting a second time, were 59 for one with Andrew Strauss not out 31 and Ian Bell on 18 to hold an overall lead of 97 runs heading into Tuesday's fifth and final day. Seamer Stuart Clark claimed the only wicket to fall in the 19 overs to stumps when Alastair Cook was caught behind for nine.
Yorkshire seamer Matthew Hoggard produced the best English bowling performance at Adelaide Oval for 77 years with his lionhearted 7-109 off 42 overs in Australia's first innings. Australia in all probability have killed off England's winning chances after England had batted themselves into an unbeatable position with 551 for six declared in their first innings over the first two days.
England also have concerns over their skipper Andrew Flintoff, who only bowled four overs Monday after experiencing discomfort from the effects of recent heavy bowling in the wake of his ankle operation earlier this year. "Andrew has played back to back Tests, he's done quite a bit of bowling and it's just having played a lot of cricket," coach Duncan Fletcher said.
Australia are one-up in the series after a crushing 277-run victory in the first Gabba Test and are likely to head to Perth for the December 14-18 third Test having prevented England from cashing in on their massive first innings.
Clarke, who only returned to the Test side as a late replacement for injured all-rounder Shane Watson before the Brisbane Test, gratefully seized his opportunity with his century in 319 minutes with 10 fours. Clarke shared in healthy partnerships of 98 with Adam Gilchrist (64) and 118 with Shane Warne (43) to bat Australia to safety.
SCOREBOARD:
-- England 1st innings 551 for 6 declared (P. Collingwood 206, K. Pietersen 158, I. Bell 60; S. Clark 3-75)

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Australia 1st innings (312 for 5 overnight)

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J. Langer c Pietersen b Flintoff          4

M. Hayden c Jones b Hoggard              12

R. Ponting c Jones b Hoggard            142

D. 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

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Extras (b4 lb2 w1 nb7)                   14

Total (all out)                         513

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Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-35, 3-65, 4-257, 5-286, 6-384, 7-502, 8-505, 9-507, 10-507
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
Overs: 165.3

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England 2nd innings

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A. Strauss not out                      31

A. Cook  c Gilchrist b Clark             9

I. Bell  not out                        18

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Extras: (lb1)                            1

Total: (1 wkt)                          59

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