Australia in turmoil

Cricket Ashes SeriesThese are turning into torrid times for Australia, their spirit wilting as for the first time in 20 years England's momentum has made them 5 to 4 favourites to win the Ashes series.

To a list that includes Glenn McGrath's ankle injury, Brett Lee's knee and the massive bruising to Jason Gillespie's reputation can be added the name of Michael Clarke. Yesterday, in anticipation of allowing his lower back problems time to calm down he was ordered to remain at the team hotel for bed rest in anticipation of the run feast to come on Peter Marron's concrete strip.

By the evening, however, as the England bowlers, led by Andy Flintoff, Ashley Giles, and Simon Jones, created mayhem once more the emergency call went out for Clarke.

By the time the innings was coming to the end of its 35th over, five wickets had fallen, there were only 129 runs on the board and the prospect loomed Australia might face the ignominy of following-on for the first time in 190 matches since Pakistan enforced it in Karachi in September 1988. Such ideas remain fanciful - Australia require a further 35 to avoid it - although they became more likely late in the day when Jones induced an edge from Adam Gilchrist and saw his namesake Geraint plunge to his left and claim a rolling catch.

Gilchrist, on 30, was on course to making them regret the brace of fielding errors in which he was allowed escapes from successive deliveries from Flintoff. He had made only 12 when Flintoff induced an involuntary prod to a lifting ball outside off stump, which looped away in the direction of gully. Ian Bell made good ground, indeed did the hard work too well, found himself closer to the ball than he might have expected and the chance was grassed.

Two balls later, when Gilchrist again faced Flintoff, a delivery of fuller length was driven to the right of extra cover where a diving Kevin Pietersen also failed to cling on. Had that been held, Australia would have been 130 for six, 115 away from the follow-on, England having taken their overnight 341 for five to 444 all out shortly after lunch. Gilchrist's was a big wicket for England, another in an extraordinary sequence of dismissals to the first ball of a spell or session, and by the close Australia's hopes were resting with Shane Warne, 46 not out, and support from the tail.

Clarke, who had arrived at the ground at only five o'clock and took Matthew Hayden out as his runner, rather displayed the Australian mindset by uncharacteristically slapping Jones straight to Flintoff at deepish mid-off.

With Australia on 210 for seven England still hold a massive upper hand, follow-on or not.

For the first part of the day, England sought to increase their total to something from which they would be unlikely to lose the match. By the time Warne finished off the innings by bowling Simon Jones to claim his fourth wicket, honours had been just about even. Australia had taken cheap and gratuitous wickets late on the first evening, and yesterday accounted for Bell early.

Then came the partnership that may have taken the game away from Australia as Flintoff and Geraint Jones added 97 for the seventh wicket in barely 17 overs, Flintoff making 46 before he skied Warne to long-on, and Jones finding his feet with the bat and scoring a brisk 41 before Gillespie removed his off stump.

England came at Australia hard with the new ball, but Hayden and Justin Langer survived to add 58 for the first wicket. Michael Vaughan had introduced Giles into the attack and it brought the breakthrough. Langer had survived a strong appeal for a catch behind, but then shuffled down the pitch, flicked from bat on to pad, and Bell at short-leg plucked out a catch with great aplomb.

It gave England the impetus to make progress through the Australia order. Next went Ponting. Hayden followed and when Flintoff removed Simon Katich's off stump, and Giles found turn to beat and bowl Damien Martyn, the call went out to Clarke and Australia were in danger not just of following on but humiliation. Gilchrist and Warne were able to spare them that at least, but for Australia the road ahead is strewn with rocks.