Warne grabs five as England face Ashes defeat

Australia's Shane Warne took five wickets, including three in nine balls, on the second day of the third test to leave England facing the prospect of humiliating defeat in the Ashes series.

With a first-innings deficit of only five runs, England had battled to 115 for two under the influence of a typically resolute and controlled 51 from stand-in captain Michael Atherton before the leg-spinner dramatically tilted the balance at Trent Bridge.

Warne dispatched Atherton, Alec Stewart without scoring, Mark Ramprakash for 26 and Craig White for seven to reduce England to 144 for six -- a lead of 139 -- at the close of a rain-interrupted day.

England, already 2-0 down and needing to win at Trent Bridge to keep the Ashes alive, now face the prospect of admitting defeat after only three games of the five-match series.

Having already removed opener Marcus Trescothick for 32 with an unusual dismissal that had to be confirmed by the third umpire, Warne then got rid of Atherton to a catch behind that left the stand-in captain dragging himself reluctantly from the crease with a shake of the head.

Warne next saw Stewart dragging the ball onto his stumps with a poor stroke to the second delivery he received, and he then had Ramprakash stumped when the batsman charged down the pitch and was beaten as he swung across the line.

The wrist-spinner's dismissal of White with what proved to be the last ball of the day gave him five for 25 from 13.5 overs, and he raised the ball aloft to celebrate his achievement.

Australia had edged to their narrow first-innings advantage after Adam Gilchrist and Jason Gillespie shared a ninth-wicket partnership of 66 to help Australia to 190 all out in reply to England's 185.

GILCHRIST REVIVAL
Having collapsed from 48 without loss to 105 for seven in a highly-charged final session on Thursday, the Australians were revived as Gilchrist hammered 54 off 59 balls and Gillespie gave him staunch support with 27 not out.

However, England fast bowler Alex Tudor shared the individual honours by finishing with his test best of five for 44 on his recall after a two-year absence.

Tudor, suffering stiffness in his side on the eve of the match, dispelled any doubts about his fitness with a telling performance as first change bowler in only his fourth test. He wrapped up the innings with three for 20 in two spells to add to his overnight two for 24.

GOOD CATCHING
In contrast to the first two tests during which England missed at least 12 chances, the bowlers were supported by good close catching here, Atherton taking three at first slip and Butcher holding two at second.

When Tudor took up the attack in the morning, the overcast conditions which had contributed to the fall of 17 wickets on the opening day had given way to broken cloud and occasional sunshine to reduce the difficulties of batting.

Gilchrist, characteristically, went for his strokes at every opportunity but Brett Lee soon got a ball from Tudor that bounced and he edged it to second slip where Butcher took a tumbling catch.

New batsman Gillespie proved an effective ally for Gilchrist, who punished Darren Gough with three fours in an over, two handsomely driven through extra cover and the third fortuitously edged between the stumps and wicketkeeper.

Gilchrist and Gillespie completed their half-century partnership from 63 balls, which was soon followed by the wicketkeeper-batsman's own 50 off 47 deliveries with 10 fours.

TUDOR BURST
However, it was the recall of Tudor for his second burst of the morning which wrapped up the innings in five balls as Gilchrist went to a catch by Atherton at first slip and Glenn McGrath fell to a superb left-handed catch by the diving Butcher at second slip.

England openers Atherton and Trescothick, having managed only stands of 2 and 4 in the first test and 33 and eight in the second, reached their half-century partnership in the 14th over before they were parted soon after Warne came on.

Trescothick swept the leg-spinner, the ball hit Hayden on the ankle at short leg and flew into the air, and the alert Gilchrist dived forward to scoop up the catch.

The dismissal was confirmed by the third official from a slow motion television replay.

Rain drove the players off as soon as Trescothick had departed for 32, and after a two-hour interruption, England quickly lost Mark Butcher lbw when he played all round a straight ball from Lee.

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Mail Cricket Editor