Cricket: England survive Warne to take Ashes lead

NOTTINGHAM - England survived a mesmeric spell of bowling from Shane Warne and a clutch of Brett Lee thunderbolts to steal a nerve-racking win over Australia in the fourth test at Trent Bridge this morning.

The three-wicket victory left the hosts 2-1 up in the series with one game left. Australia will retain the Ashes they have held since 1989 if they can win at The Oval.

The leg spinner took three wickets for seven runs in 29 balls as the home side, chasing 129 to win on a blameless fourth-day pitch, stumbled to a nervy 57 for four.

Strike bowler Lee then tore out the middle order to make it 111 for six and keep the 16,000 capacity crowd on tenterhooks.

Warne added a fourth wicket and his eighth of the match with 13 still needed for an England victory but Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard clung on to spark scenes of jubilation around the ground.

Warne ended with four wickets and Lee three.

Australia have won the last eight Ashes series dating back to 1989. The fifth test starts on September 8.

Earlier Australia, having been forced to follow on for the first time in 17 years on Saturday, battled hard through the opening two sessions to wipe out their 259-run deficit before being dismissed for 387.

Final scoreboard:

England 1st Innings 477
Australia 1st Innings 218
Australia 2nd Innings 387

England 2nd Innings

M Trescothick c Ponting b Warne 27
A Strauss c Clarke b Warne 23
M Vaughan c Hayden b Warne 0
I Bell c Kasprowicz b Lee 3
K Pietersen c Gilchrist b Lee 23
A Flintoff b Lee 26
G Jones c Kasprowicz b Warne 3
A Giles not out 7
M Hoggard not out 8
Extras (4lb 5nb) 9
Total 129 for seven

Bowling: Lee 12-0-51-3 (5nb), Kasprowicz 2-0-19-0, Warne 13.5-2-31-4, Tait 4-0-24-0

Fall: 32 (Trescothick) 36 (Vaughan) 57 (Strauss) 57 (Bell) 103 (Pietersen) 111 (Flintoff) 116 (G Jones)

England won by three wickets and lead the five-match series 2-1.

Fifth and final test will be played at The Oval, starting September 8.

- REUTERS