Double trouble for Aussies

Andrew Flintoff declared England8217;s marathon 11-hour 47-minute innings closed at 551 for six with nine overs left and cashed in with the wicket of Justin Langer for four to have the Australians on the back-foot. Langer was caught by Pietersen in the gully after Flintoff elected to bowl with the new-ball in the second over instead of Steve Harmison. At stumps, Australia were 28 for one with Matthew Hayden not out 12 and Ricky Ponting on 11.

England8217;s marathon innings kept the weary Australians in the field for close to two days in the search for enough runs to give their bowlers the chance of taking 20 wickets and levelling the series after the 277-run loss in Brisbane.

Collingwood8217;s 516-minute epic put him alongside Reg Foster and Wally Hammond as the only Englishmen to have scored a double century in Australia. Collingwood8217;s restrained double-century off 392 balls was the first by an England batsman in Australia since Hammond8217;s 231 in Sydney in 1936.

Flintoff 38 not out and Ashley Giles 27 not out put on 60 runs before the skipper made the declaration immediately after passing 550.

Brief scores: England 1st Innings 551/6 decl Collingwood 206, Pietersen 158; Clark 3/75 vs Australia 1st Innings 28/1 Hayden 12no, Ponting 11no; A Flintoff 1/14.