Clarke holds up England

12 April 2012

Australia vice-captain Michael Clarke struck a defiant hundred to block England's victory bid in the second npower Ashes Test at Lord's.

Clarke's 11th three-figure score at Test level countered an early flurry of wickets after the Australians were set an improbable 522-run target.

Clarke reached the landmark with a turn for two in the 75th over, the same in which Brad Haddin brought up a half-century as the pair took Australia to 259 for five, with an unbeaten stand of 131.

Andrew Flintoff struck two blows, both of which came under scrutiny, and Graeme Swann was also gifted a wicket earleir in the day.

The dismissals of both Australia openers were questionable as England struck twice before lunch.

Simon Katich trudged off as television replays showed he should have been reprieved by a call for no-ball. Katich sliced a drive from a full delivery from over the wicket and Kevin Pietersen held a good catch at the second of two gullies.

Then, in the 10th over, Phillip Hughes edged low to first slip, where Andrew Strauss claimed a catch just above the turf, coming forward and after a brief consultation, umpire Rudi Koertzen - standing in his 100th Test - confirmed his departure.

Ricky Ponting appeared in determined mood, no doubt stirred by a sense of injustice, but perished in the second over after lunch when he chopped into his stumps off Stuart Broad.

Then, Swann claimed his first wicket of the series in fortuitous manner when a delivery spun out of a foothole at Michael Hussey, who drove aggressively, and the ball was well taken to his right, at slip, by Paul Collingwood but Tv replays suggested Hussey missed the ball.

Swann doubled his tally with a flatter delivery from around the wicket which speared into Marcus North, brushed the inside edge and thigh of the batsman and crashed into the stumps.

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