NOTTINGHAM, Aug 7: Ben Stokes took three wickets for four runs in 13 balls to leave Australia struggling at 138 for four in their second innings at tea on the second day of the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge here today.
Australia were still 193 runs shy of making England, 2-1 up in the five-match series and pressing for an Ashes-clinching win, bat again.
Michael Clarke, the Australia captain, was nought not out and Adam Voges two not out.
All-rounder Stokes had tea figures of three for 20 in eight overs.
Earlier, Alastair Cook declared Egland�s first innings on a total of 391 for nine.
That left England with a mammoth first-innings lead of 331 after they had skittled out Australia for just 60 in 111 balls � the shortest-ever completed first innings of a Test match � yesterday.
Joe Root top-scored for England with 130 and Jonny Bairstow made 74 as the Yorkshire duo put on 173 for the fourth wicket.
Stuart Broad, who had wrecked Australia�s first innings with a Test-best eight for 15, was 24 not out when Cook called a halt to England�s reply. Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc led Australia�s attack with Test-best figures of six for 111.
At lunch, Australia were 14 without loss in their second innings � still 317 runs behind � as England eyed a win that would put them 3-1 up in the five-match series and see them regain the Ashes.
Stuart Broad, smashing through the 300-wicket barrier, had initially put England in an incredibly strong position after they won the toss on Thursday by taking a Test-best eight for 15, also the best Ashes figures by a fast bowler, as Australia were skittled out in 111 balls � the shortest completed first innings in Test history. Root strengthened their iron grip on the game as England reached stumps on 274 for four to lead by 214 runs.
The Yorkshireman, who put on 173 for the fourth wicket with county colleague Jonny Bairstow (74), resumed on 124 not out.
Nightwatchman Mark Wood was unbeaten on two as play got underway Friday beneath grey skies in Nottingham.
Wood, belying his status, cut and off-drove and even square-drove left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Johnson for fours worthy of a top-order batsman.
Root, by contrast, played and missed at several deliveries before edging Starc to wicket-keeper Peter Nevill for 130.
Root batted for nearly five hours, facing 176 balls, including 19 fours.
This was his second hundred of the series after he made 134 in England�s 169-run win in the first Test in Cardiff.
Both Wood, after an entertaining 32-ball 28 featuring five fours, and Jos Buttler (12) were undone by Starc yorkers. � AFP
SCORECARD
Australia 1st Innings: 60.
England 1st Innings (overnight: 274-4): A Lyth c Nevill b Starc 14, A Cook lbw b Starc 43, I Bell lbw b Starc 1, J Root c Nevill b Starc 130, J Bairstow c Rogers b Hazlewood 74, M Wood b Starc 28, B Stokes c Nevill b Hazlewood 5, J Buttler b Starc 12, M Ali c Smith b Johnson 38, S Broad not out 24, S Finn not out 0; Extras (b14, lb2, w2, nb4): 22; Total (9 wkts dec, 85.2 overs, 390 mins) 391; Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-34, 3-96, 4-269, 5-297, 6-306, 7-320, 8-332, 9-390; Bowling: Starc 27-2-111-6, Hazlewood 24-4-97-2, Johnson 21.2-2-102-1, Lyon 10-1-47-0; Warner 3-0-18-0.
Australia 2nd Innings: C Rogers c Root b Stokes 52, D Warner c Broad b Stokes 64, S Smith c Stokes b Broad 5, S Marsh c Root b Stokes 2, M Clarke not out 0, A Voges not out 2; Extras: (B-4, Lb-7, NB-2): 13; Total: (for 4 wkts in 29 overs): 138; Fall of wickets: 1-113, 2-130, 3-136, 4-136; Bowling: Broad 8-3-15-1; Wood 7-0-47-0; Finn 3-0-30-0; Stokes 8-2-20-3; Ali 3-0-15-0.
