Lee-der

Paceman fires Australia closer to Ashes success

PERTH, Australia (AP) -- Brett Lee starred Saturday with both bat and ball to put Australia close to an Ashes-clinching victory over England at the WACA at stumps on the second day.

After skittling out England for 185 on the opening day, Australia hit a run-a-minute 456 with strong contributions throughout the batting order.

England, forced to face 11 overs after conceding a 271-run lead, lost opener Marcus Trescothick to close the day on 33 for one, 238 runs from avoiding the embarrassment of a back-to-back innings defeat.

Lee, who grabbed 3-78 Friday, hit a quickfire 41 runs off 40 balls, and taking the new ball, dismissed Trescothick to force the embattled tourists on the back foot yet again.

Michael Vaughan and night watchman Richard Dawson, eight runs apiece, will resume Sunday as England tries to avoid the inevitable that could give Australia its eight straight Ashes series with a 3-0 lead.

Lee smashed a six and five fours as Australia's tail wagged steadily following half centuries from Ricky Ponting (68), Damien Martyn (71) and Steve Waugh (53).

England had immediate success with the second new ball after tea when Alex Tudor, 2-144, bowled skipper Waugh.

But Shane Warne (35), Lee and No. 11 Jason Gillespie (27) runs, ensured England was batted out of the test.

This was after Adam Gilchrist had scored 38 runs off 28 balls including a six and seven boundaries.

Medium paceman Craig White was the pick of the injury-hit England attack with 5-127, a career-best effort against Australia.

England was forced to do without fast bowler Chris Silverwood, who was ruled out of the rest of the test with a torn ligament in his left ankle.

As England's injury woes continued, Australia continued to crush its Ashes opponents for the third test in a row. Australia won the first in Brisbane by 384 runs and the second by an innings and 51 in Adelaide.

After Ponting and Martyn had dominated the session before lunch and took Australia to 226 for four, Gilchrist provided the afternoon's entertainment in 42 minutes.

While Waugh continued to struggle for his runs, Gilchrist reduced the Ashes veteran to a mere spectator.

Gilchrist's knock was soon overshadowed as Warne, Lee and Gillespie counterattacked and added 108 runs for the last three wickets.

In the morning, while Martyn provided the backbone of the innings over three hours, Darren Lehmann, 42 runs, added 67 runs for the fourth wicket in 71 minutes.

Silverwood was the replacement for fast bowler Simon Jones (twisted knee), England's first in the long list of casualties -- Darren Gough (knee), Andrew Flintoff (hernia surgery), Ashley Giles (broken wrist) and Andy Caddick (back spasm).

Ponting hit a six and 10 fours in his 82-ball knock before Lehmann, batting ahead of Waugh, dominated the stand with Martyn.

After Ponting had played onto White's third ball of the day, Martyn slowed down while the left-handed Lehmann hit a six and seven fours off 61 balls.

It was an unattractive 89-ball innings by Waugh as he hit 10 fours in just over two hours.

 

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