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Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from Australia...

England searching for 352 runs to avoid the ignominy of another follow on were 97 for 3 still requiring 255 runs more to make Australia bat again at the end of the second day of the Fourth Test, here today.

Australia continuing from their overnight score of 356 for 4 declared at 551 for 6 with opener Justin Langer making a career best Test score of 250. Waugh made 77,debutant Love remained unbeaten on 62 and Adam Gilchrist was out for 1, chasing runs before the declaration.

After Australia declared England ran into a pace cyclone especially from a fired up Brett Lee who surprisingly was brought in second change by skipper Waugh and what pace did Lee unleash. He was frighteningly fast and some of the deliveries whizzed past the heads of ducking Trescothick, Butcher and skipper Hussain.

Michael Vaughan who is still recovering from a shoulder injury was the first to go when he dragged a ball from McGrath on to his wicket for 11 with the score on 13. Trescothick who was painfully slow at the start opened up when leg spinner MacGill came on hitting him for a couple of fours and generally looking at ease. Butcher was struggling against Lee, but was fighting his way through.

After Trescothick and Butcher had added 60 for the second wicket Trescothick gloved a rising deliver from Lee to Gilchrist and departed for 37. Hussain who came was given a fiery baptism from Lee who was really letting himself go.

Hussain was lucky to survive two appeals for caught behind and later got the benefit of the doubt for a catch taken by Gillespie at mid on off MacGill. The third umpire went through many replays of the alleged catch and ruled in favour of Hussain who is still unbeaten on 17.

A few minutes before the close Butcher went LBW to Gillespie for 25. At the wicket with Hussain was night watchman Dawson not out nought. With only Robert Key and John Crawley to come England are in danger of being asked to bat again and if the England batsmen continue to cave in then another fourth day defeat is on the cards.

When Australia continued, all eyes were focussed on skipper Waugh and whether he could reach the dream three-figure mark, cock a snook at his detractors who are the selectors and prolong his career. But fate decried otherwise and after showing good touch and middling the ball well he got a snick to a White away delivery and keeper Foster gleefully accepted the catch.

Waugh who received a deafening standing ovation when he walked out to bat, when he reached his half ton and then walked in at the close and then again the MCG crowd stood to him when he was dismissed for 77.It was an innings played with a vengeance. He had to prove to the selectors that he is still good enough to hold his place in this champion Aussie team and the consensus here is that he has done enough.But selectors the world over are known to work in mysterious ways and it can be no different in Australia. He has done enough to convince the selectors.

Langer was all concentration and determination and gave a lesson in what test batsmanship is all about as he ground the England bowlers to reach a richly deserved double hundred, add another 50 to that before succumbing to tiredness and presenting his wicket. He had 29 fours and a six in his marathon innings.

Debutant Martin Love showed good class in making an unbeaten 62. He too could have reached three figures. But the team and its success is more important and it would have been a very reluctant Waugh who would have declared.

AUSTRALIA FIRST INNINGS

J. Langer c Caddick b Dawson 		250
M. Hayden c Crawley b Caddick 		102
R. Ponting b White            		 21
D. Martyn c Trescothick b White 	 17
S. Waugh c Foster b White       	 77
M. Love not out                 	 62
A. Gilchrist b Dawson           	  1

Extras (LB-11 W-5 NB-5) 		 21
TOTAL 			        	551

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-195 2-235 3-265 4-394 5-545 6-551

DID NOT BAT: B.Lee, S.MacGill, J.Gillespie, G.McGrath

BOWLING: Caddick 36-6-126-1 (3NB 1W), Harmison 36-7-108-0 (1NB), White 33-5-133-3 (1NB), Dawson 28-1-121-2, Butcher 13-2-52-0 (4W)

ENGLAND FIRST INNINGS

M. Vaughan b McGrath    		11
M. Trescothick c Gilchrist b Lee 	37
M. Butcher lbw b Gillespie       	25
N. Hussain not out               	17
R. Dawson not out                	 0

Extras (B-2 LB-2 NB-3)                                   7

TOTAL (for three wickets, 34 overs)                97

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-13 2-73 3-94

TO BAT: R.Key, J.Crawley, C.White, J.Foster, A.Caddick, S.Harmison Bowling: McGrath 7-2-18-1, Gillespie 8-4-8-1, MacGill 11-3-36-0, Lee 8-1-31-1 (3NB)

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