KEY POINTS:
Paul Collingwood joined his country's elite and steered England to their biggest innings in 20 years against Australia, as the second Ashes cricket test became a nightmare for the home side.
Collingwood, a fringe test player less than three weeks ago, became only the third England batsman to
score a double century in Australia during a record partnership of 310 with team-mate Kevin Pietersen.
Collingwood's 206 and Pietersen's 158 took the tourists to 551 for six when captain Andrew Flintoff declared late on day two at the Adelaide Oval.
There was further joy for the visitors when a pumped-up Flintoff took first test centurion Justin Langer's wicket for four in a fiery spell just before stumps.
Australia ended the day on 28-1, with Matthew Hayden on 12 and dangerman Ricky Ponting on 11.
The innings was England's biggest against Australia since they amassed 592 for eight in the second test of the 1986-87 series, when Mike Gatting's side successfully defended the Ashes.
In further joy for England, Collingwood and Pietersen condemned bowlers Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath to the most taxing performances of their careers, which will provide a massive psychological boost.
It was not until Warne's 47th over that the legspinner claimed a wicket - English wicketkeeper Geraint Jones, for one - and his return of 1-167 from 53 overs was his most expensive in his 142 tests.
McGrath was hampered by a heel injury in the lead-up to this match but was dealt pain of a completely different kind as he was hammered for 0-107, making his return the most expensive of his 121-test career without taking a wicket.
Flintoff (38 not out) smashed McGrath over mid-wicket for six and a few minutes later, McGrath was given a huge Bronx cheer by England's supporters when the veteran quick conceded his 100th run.
Flintoff and Ashley Giles (27 not out) ran off as soon as England passed the 550 mark.
Collingwood and Pietersen batted together for almost six hours and their stand was the second-highest ever scored on this ground and the second-highest posted by an England pair in Australia.
Collingwood was dismissed by the penultimate ball of the middle session by Stuart Clark, whose return of 3-75 easily gave him the best figures of Australia's exhausted bowlers. Collingwood was guaranteed a place in the first test in Brisbane only when Marcus Trescothick returned home with depression but he continued on from his good effort at the Gabba, where he was stumped for 96.
He made no mistake this time and after moving from 98 to 101 in the second over of the day, went on to become the third England batsman to post a double century in tests in this country, after Reg Foster and Wally Hammond, who made three triple centuries here.
Pietersen was run out by a flick from Ponting, the third time he had been dismissed for 158.
After day one, England were labelled boring by the Australian press.
England's slow and cautious batting game plan invoked memories of the attritional era of the 1960s Ashes cricket, as they try to set a platform to level the series, Australian media said.
England, 1-0 down in the series, went to stumps on Friday's opening day at 266 for three.
But before Collingwood and Pietersen joined late in the day, it was painfully slow going for the England batsmen.
Scoreboard
England
A Straussc Martyn b Clark 14
A Cookc Gilchrist b Clark27
I Bellc and b Lee60
P C'woodc Gilchrist b Clark206
K Pietersenrun out158
A Flintoffnot out38
G Jonesc Martyn b Warne1
A Gilesnot out 27
Extras (10lb, 2w, 8nb) 20
Total (6 wickets dec, 168 overs)551
Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-45, 3-158, 4-468, 5-489, 6-491
Bowling: B Lee 34-1-139-1 (8nb, 1w),
G McGrath 30-5-107-0, S Clark 34-6-75-3, S Warne 53-9-167-1 (1w),
Clarke 17-2-53-0
Australia
J Langerc Pietersen b Flintoff4
M Haydennot out12R Pontingnot out11
Extras (1nb) 1
Total (1 wickets, 9 overs)28
Fall of wickets: 1-8
Bowling: M Hoggard 5-1-14-0,
A Flintoff 4-0-14-1 (1nb).
Australia trail by by 523 runs.
