KEY POINTS:
ADELAIDE - England gave themselves a chance of levelling the Ashes cricket series by posting a strong platform of 266 for three against Australia on the first day of the second test at the Adelaide Oval today.
Although the tourists batted with caution in the middle session to arrest a bad start, Kevin Pietersen's arrival at the crease allowed England to up the scoring rate and take first-day honours.
Paul Collingwood also gave himself a chance to avenge his dismissal for 96 in the first test in Brisbane by reaching 98 not out.
If Pietersen (60 not out) and Collingwood can build on their 108-run stand tomorrow it'll give England a great chance of mounting a big first innings total and putting the pressure back on the home side.
That scenario looked far-fetched 90 minutes into the day when Stuart Clark's second wicket left England 45 for two and in a position of vulnerability after England captain Andrew Flintoff won the toss.
Openers Andrew Strauss (14) and Alastair Cook (27) were both out to loose shots despite making a solid start in the first hour.
Ian Bell, who made 60, and Collingwood toughed it out in a partnership of 113 over almost three hours, and their fightback gave Pietersen the chance to play with his usual aggression when he arrived at the wicket, not long into the final session.
Bell's knock came to a disappointing end when, buzzing after taking successive boundaries off Brett Lee, he played a dreadful pull shot and was caught by the bowler, who narrowly avoided a collision with teammate Justin Langer.
However Pietersen displayed what a talent he has become in just his second year of test cricket when he turned another dicey situation into a strong position for his side.
He took the honours over his mate Shane Warne by belting an extraordinary inside-out six over long-off and then cutting the legspinner exquisitely twice behind point. Warne finished the day with figures of 0-85.
Although Australia could take some heart from the fact England's scoring rate never got out of control, Lee and Glenn McGrath, who played despite a hampered lead-up because of a heel problem, generally lacked penetration.
Clark (2-25) bowled superbly in the first session but, strangely, only bowled two overs after tea, when Australia took the new ball after 85 overs.
Before Pietersen arrived the batting was a grind, but that did not deter a happy crowd of 31,458, which was the biggest day attendance at an Adelaide test in 31 years.
McGrath got the nod to play despite spending the week hampered by the heel problem, but lacked the sharpness of his first innings effort in Brisbane.
England also retained the same side from the Gabba despite a 277-run loss, and resisted the urge to play Monty Panesar as a second spinner.
England will hope it can post a big total tomorrow and then get some assistance from the wicket in the final innings of the match, especially as warmer conditions are expected than the mild and windy weather today.
Scoreboard:
England
First innings
A Strauss c Martyn b Clark 14
A Cook c Gilchrist b Clark 27
I Bell c and b Lee 60
P Collingwood not out 98
K Pietersen not out 60
Extras (1lb, 6nb) 7
Total (3 wkts, 90 overs) 266
Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-45, 3-158
Bowling: Lee 20-1-77-1 (6nb), McGrath 18-3-51-0, Clark 15-3-25-2, Warne 27-6-85-0, Clarke 10-1-27-0
Toss: England
