Ashes - Trott guides England to massive leadMon, 27 Dec 07:16:00 2010
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EmailPrintJonathan Trott scored an unbeaten century as England reached 444-5 at stumps on day two of the fourth Ashes Test.
Trott made 141 and Matt Prior was 75 not out to help extend the tourists' lead to 346 runs in response to Australia's first innings 98, a record low against the tourists at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The five-Test series is tied at 1-1 and holders England are now in a commanding position to record the win that would make them the first team to retain the Ashes on Australian soil since Mike Gatting's side in 1986/87.
Having toiled fruitlessly for three hours late on day one, Peter Siddle needed only 19 minutes to break England's opening partnership, removing Alastair Cook for 82 with his 13th ball of the morning at an overcast ground.
Siddle coaxed the opener into a half-hearted defensive push that flicked an edge to first slip where Shane Watson took a sharp catch just above the grass.
The 26-year-old quick then had Andrew Strauss out for 69, the England captain fending away a delivery that bounced viciously to backward point where Mike Hussey jumped high and to his right to take a superb one-handed catch.
The wicket left England 170-2, having added only 13 runs to their overnight lead of 59, but Trott and Kevin Pietersen dashed any hopes of a collapse with a 92-run stand .
Siddle trapped Pietersen lbw for his third wicket after lunch, then took two sharp catches at fine leg off Mitchell Johnson's bowling as England stuttered to 304 for five at the tea-break.
Siddle broke a threatening third wicket partnership between Trott and Pietersen shortly after the new ball was taken with a searing delivery that skidded low and seamed into Pietersen's pads to have him out for 51.
The wicket was relief for under-pressure Australia captain Ricky Ponting whose frustration had earlier spilled over into an ugly pitch-side tirade against Dar over a video referral.
Paceman Ryan Harris had teased Pietersen's bat with a delivery that went through to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, whose wild appeal for caught behind was neither shared by his team mates nor endorsed by the umpire.
Haddin demanded a referral but the video review showed no evidence of a nick and the decision was upheld.
Ponting and Siddle remonstrated heatedly with Dar for more than a minute between the overs, prompting jeers from the crowd.
Siddle's later breakthrough fired up his fellow seamers and Johnson soon had the out-of-form Paul Collingwood's wicket when the middle order batsman slogged a harmless short ball to fine leg where Siddle rushed forward to take a sharp catch.
Johnson then captured the key wicket of Ian Bell for one, when he miscued a pull shot that Siddle again snaffled.
Johnson was denied a third wicket shortly before the break in unusual circumstances when his dismissal of Prior was overruled by the third umpire who spotted a no-ball after umpire Aleem Dar had requested assistance.
Prior, who had trudged halfway off the ground, was called back to the crease before the video review showed Johnson's foot too far forward.
And the wicketkeeper took full advantage of that let-off as he and Trott put on an unbroken 158, the highest sixth wicket partnership for England in Melbourne, to cement the tourists' domination as they continue to rebound emphatically from their heavy defeat in Perth.
