Giles, Jones plot Aussie downfall

Shane Warne was 45 not out with Jason Gillespie at the other end on four. Giles took 3-66 and fast bowler Jones 3-30.

Earlier in the day, Brett Lee and Warne had taken four wickets apiece for the touring side.

Australia need to reach 245 to avoid the follow-on, should England intend to enforce it. They have not suffered such an indignity in an Ashes encounter since 1986-1987 — the last time England won the series.

The home side, who snatched a two-run win at Edgbaston last Sunday to level the series at 1-1, produced moments of brilliance on Friday, none better than an Ian Bell catch and a perfect left-arm spinner’s dismissal from Giles. Australia mirrored that with moments of uncharacteristic ineptitude, none worse that Simon Katich’s shouldering arms to Andrew Flintoff, a decision which cost him his off stump.

Batsman Michael Clarke, sidelined since the opening overs of the match with back pains, had to be rushed to the ground from his hotel bed to bat with a runner as the Australian innings imploded. Like his team mates, though, he did not last long. Australia had made a solid start to their reply shortly after lunch on a pitch which still seemed full of runs, Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden getting to 58 without great alarm.

With tea approaching,Giles and Bell — broke through. Langer, on 31, danced forward, the ball squirted off bat and pad and Bell took an instinctive catch at short-leg.

After tea, Ricky Ponting went forward to Jones and looped a catch off the shoulder of his bat to gully, Bell the catcher again. Giles then snared Hayden lbw on the back foot for 34. With Clarke still recuperating, Katich came in but only managed 17 before falling to Flintoff, who angled a ball back and struck his off stump.Giles then produced a beauty, pitching on Damien Martyn’s leg stump and hitting off.

With a quarter-of-an-hour to go, Clarke bottom-handed a wild drive to mid-off after making seven and Australia had hit rock bottom.

Earlier, England, resuming on 341-5, had lost Bell immediately for 59 but re-asserted their authority with a jaunty 87-run stand between Flintoff and Geraint Jones.

Brief scores

England: (overnight 341/5): 444 (M.Vaughan 166, M.Trescothick 63, I.Bell 59; S.Warne 4-99, B.Lee 4-100) vs Australia: 210-7 (J.Langer 31, M.Hayden 34, A.Gilchrist 30, S.Warne batting 45, S.Jones 3-30, Giles 3-66).