England crushed Australia by an innings and 71 runs after a spectacular collapse of wickets early on the final day in the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.

The tourists ran through the Australians after snaring the important wicket of Mike Hussey and spinner Graeme Swann finished with five wickets for 91.

It was England’s first Test victory in Adelaide since 1995 and their 100th overall against Australia.

Australia now have the difficult task of having to win two of the remaining three Tests to overhaul England and win back the Ashes they lost last year.

England are now well on track to winning an Ashes series in Australia for the first time since 1986-1987.

England thoroughly deserved their comprehensive victory after skittling Australia for 245 on Friday’s first day and replying with a massive 620 for five declared, to hold a 375-run innings lead.

The tourists broke through with the big wicket of Hussey, and claimed three wickets in four balls with James Anderson removing Brad Haddin and Ryan Harris with successive balls and Marcus North following two balls later to Swann.

Hussey, who has been Australia’s best-performing batsman in the series with 195 in first Brisbane Test and 93 in the first innings in Adelaide, was out for 52 in the third over of the second new ball by Steven Finn.

Hussey attempted a pull shot but top-edged to mid-on where James Anderson pocketed the catch to the delight of the Barmy Army fans on the scoreboard hill behind him.

Wicketkeeper Haddin, who scored 136 in the first Brisbane Test, fell on first drinks caught behind off Anderson for 12 and the ball after the break Harris was out lbw for a first-ball duck.

North was out lbw to Swann after an England referral and it was only a matter of time before England mopped up the last wickets of Xavier Doherty and Peter Siddle to claim victory.

England’s win came with news that paceman Stuart Broad had been ruled out for the rest of the Ashes series with torn abdominal muscles.

Broad is expected to leave for home this week to begin his recovery process ahead of next February’s ICC World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Australia are also likely to be without opener Simon Katich for the rest of the series with an Achilles tendinopathy problem.

England amassed their fifth highest innings in Ashes Tests with their 620 for five and their second best in Australia, only surpassed by a 636 scored in Sydney in 1928.

Jonathan Trott’s debut hundred left England eyeing a stunning Ashes triumph as they closed in on a series-clinching victory in the fifth and deciding Test at the Oval on Saturday.

Australia, at stumps on the third day, were 80 without loss – still needing a further 466 runs to reach what would be a new Test record fourth innings victory total of 546.

Trott’s 119 was the centrepiece of England’s second innings 373 for nine declared in a match where a win would see them regain the Ashes by taking the series 2-1.

Victory would also leave Ricky Ponting with the unwanted record of becoming the first Australia captain in over a century, since Billy Murdoch, to be in charge of two losing Ashes tours of England following his side’s 2005 reverse.

But openers Shane Watson (31 not out) and Simon Katich (42 not out) ensured Australia made a sound start to their imposing chase.

England, at tea, were 290 for seven.

Trott was 83 not out and Graeme Swann 34 not out, with part-time Australia spinner Marcus North taking Test-best figures of four for 98.

Australia took the new ball immediately after tea but England responded by thrashing their pace bowlers for 83 runs in 12 overs.

Swann, dropped on 47 by Ponting, made a dashing 63 off just 55 balls as he added 90 for the eighth wicket with Trott at better than a run-a-ball.

Trott, picked in place of the dropped Ravi Bopara, retained his composure although on 97 he nearly played on to Ben Hilfenhaus.

But his clipped four off the swing bowler took South Africa-born Trott to a hundred in 182 balls with nine boundaries in just over five hours.

The 28-year-old, qualified to play for England through his English father, became the 18th England batsman to make a century on Test debut and the first to do so against Australia since Graham Thorpe at Trent Bridge in 1993.

His hundred was only the second by an England batsman this series after captain Andrew Strauss’s 161 in their 115-run second Test win at Lord’s and was a vindication of the faith the selectors had shown in handing a debut to Trott, in superb form for Warwickshire this season, in such a high-stakes match.

He was eventually last man out, caught by North off Stuart Clark.

Four years ago an Oval hundred by a South Africa-born batsman, the now injured Kevin Pietersen, had helped regain the Ashes for England with a draw – Trott’s innings may yet enable them to do so with a win.

Strauss declared to set Australia would be a new fourth innings victory total, surpassing the 418 for seven made by West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2002/03.

Trott, together with Strauss (75), shared a fourth-wicket stand of 118 and demonstrated an admirable temperament after coming to the crease when England were struggling at 39 for three.

The only downside for England fans here was that Andrew Flintoff’s final innings before the all-rounder’s Test retirement saw him make just 22 before he holed out off North.

Primarily a batsman, North bowled 30 overs after Australia decided against recalling lone specialist spinner Nathan Hauritz and stuck with the team that won the fourth Test at Headingley by an innings and 80 runs.

Pace bowler Stuart Broad put England in pole position with a superb haul of five for 37 on Friday as Australia were bowled out for just 160 in reply to England’s first innings 332 on a pitch which, while not the ideal batting surface associated with the Oval, was far from a terror track.

Paceman Stuart Clark is not guaranteed a place in Australia’s team for the fifth and deciding Ashes Test against England despite his strong performance at Headingley, chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said on Wednesday.

Clark was overlooked for the first three Tests but played a prominent role when he was recalled for last week’s fourth match, which Australia won to square the series at 1-1.

Australia’s selectors were widely criticised for not picking Clark earlier but Hilditch said they were right to choose Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle ahead of him.

“Although they’ve probably taken a bit of time to hit their straps, the reality is all three are now the leading wicket-takers in the Ashes, so I think all those selections have been absolutely spot-on,” Hilditch rold reporters in Australia.

“Stuart Clark got the nod and he did a good job but the other three bowled exceptionally well as well and took more wickets.

“So I think we go into the final Test with those three fast bowlers as our leading bowlers at the moment.”

With Johnson, Hilfenhaus and Siddle seemingly assured of their places for the last Test at The Oval, the biggest issue facing Australia’s selectors is whether to stick with Clark or recall spinner Nathan Hauritz.

Fast bowler Brett Lee will also be available after recovering from injury but The Oval’s reputation as a wicket that suits spin bowlers could give Hauritz the advantage.

“I’ve got to say from a selection point of view I’ve been thrilled with the Ashes, I think it’s gone particularly well,” Hilditch said.

“The Oval will be a tough test, we’re going to have tough selections.”

Australia are likely to keep faith with struggling fast bowler Mitchell Johnson for the third Ashes Test against England, starting at Edgbaston on Thursday.

But Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he was planning to give the left-arm quick a different role to the one he’d played in the first two Tests.

Johnson arrived in England with the reputation of being the best pace bowler currently in world cricket.

But in the first two Tests of this series, Johnson has taken eight wickets for 331 runs at an expensive average of 41 apiece and conceded runs at a rate of four an over.

Johnson’s struggles continued during last week’s tour game against Northamptonshire, where he had figures of one for 107 from 18.1 overs.

He started to lose form during a poor spell with the new ball on the final afternoon of the first Test in Cardiff, where England clung on for a draw, and continued during the home side’s 115-run win in the second Test – Australia’s first Ashes defeat at Lord’s in 75 years.

Former captain Allan Border has been among those calling for Johnson to be dropped but Ponting said he wanted to use the 27-year-old as more of a strike, rather than stock, bowler.

“There has been a lot of talk about his technique and his action being all over the place,” Ponting told reporters on Wednesday.

“We have had some good close looks at that and it is actually not. I think right at the moment it is more of a confidence thing and we will probably look at him in this game playing in a slightly different way than I have in the last couple of games and use him more as a strike impact type of bowler.

“As we have seen anyway he has had the ability to strike for us and take wickets for us. That part of his game is still there.”

Asked if he ever considered dropping Johnson, Ponting replied: “No to tell you the truth”.

Pressed on whether his comments meant Johnson was now definitely in the third Test team, Ponting tried to back-track by saying Australia had still to finalise their XI. But the inference of his earlier remarks seemed clear.

However, with the accurate Stuart Clark waiting in the wings, the selectors may yet decide to make a change to their seam attack.

Former Australia captain Kim Hughes has blamed a public falling out between Johnson and the bowler’s mother, Vikki Harber, for the player’s loss of form.

Harber has accused Johnson’s fiancee, Jessica Bratich, of stealing her from him and said her son’s partner was more interested in money and fame than Johnson’s career.

Ponting admitted that there have been off-field issues for Johnson that have “probably not been making life any easier for him or us”.

But Johnson told Australia’s Woman’s Day magazine Harber was not to blame for his struggles out in the middle.

“It probably might seem, at this time, like things have been distracting me. I was a bit disappointed with what has been going on, but I don’t let things like that distract me,” Johnson said.

“Otherwise, you are thinking about what’s going on when you are in the field and you can’t focus.”

Meanwhile England captain Andrew Strauss insisted Johnson remained a dangerous opponent.

“He’s been a fantastic performer for a number of Tests, the last couple he’s had a bit of a lean trot,” Strauss told reporters.

“He obviously bowls wicket-taking deliveries.

“You can kind of see why he’s taken so many wickets in a short space of time. I think the more overs he bowls, the better he is going to get, it’s just a question for the Aussies as to whether they are going to play him or not.”

It is 12 years since Australia were 1-0 down in an Ashes series but Ponting said he took heart from the way they fought back in the Lord’s Test.

“That said a lot about the players and a lot about the Australian spirit. When we have a point to prove, it’s generally when our best stuff comes out.

“We have to be spot on because we have to win this one or the next one (the fourth Test at Headingley) if we want to win the Ashes.”

England captain Andrew Strauss expects Andrew Flintoff to be available for the third Ashes Test against Australia. 

Flintoff has been troubled by a knee problem that threatens his participation in the remaining three matches of the series, which resumes in Birmingham on Thursday.

But Strauss is encouraged by the all-rounder’s fitness and is confident he will continue to spearhead England’s attack.

“All the indications are that Andrew will be fine. We need to see how he goes over the next couple of days during practice,” Strauss said Monday. “But at this stage we are very confident and obviously he will want to build on his performance at Lord’s.

“I spoke to him the day after the second Test at a charity dinner and he said then he was recovering well. That’s encouraging. He won’t have bowled until practice tomorrow but has been in constant contact with our medical team.”

England lead the series 1-0 and Strauss confirmed that Ian Bell will bat at four as a direct replacement for the injured Kevin Pietersen, who will sit out the rest of the series following Achilles surgery.

“Ian Bell will come in for Pietersen at four. We’re very clear on that,” Strauss said. “It causes the least possible disruption to other members of the side. We’re all very excited for Ian. He was left out of the team and had to work very hard to get his place back.

Meanwhile, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Brit Insurance will become the principle team sponsor of England cricket in a partnership that begins in January 2010.

The contract will last four years with Brit Insurance replacing Vodafone, sponsors since 1997.

Stuart Clark insisted his extra bounce could help Australia in their quest to draw level in the Ashes series during next week’s third Test against England at Edgbaston.

The 33-year-old seamer was overlooked for the first two Tests of the series, including England’s 115-run second Test win at Lord’s.

That match saw Australia left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson struggling for line and length.

And while Clark took two top order wickets against Northamptonshire here on Saturday in the tourists’ lone match between the second and third Tests, Johnson’s seven wicketless overs cost 42 runs.

Now fully fit following an elbow injury, Clark played in both of Australia’s pre-Ashes tour matches against Sussex and the England Lions.

Despite being reduced to 12th man duties in the Ashes so far, he believes he could be the man to help Australia take 20 wickets – something they’ve so far yet to manage in a first-class match this tour.

“I’m older and I get the ball to bounce a little bit more (than the other Australia bowlers), being a little bit taller,” Clark said. “That’s probably my biggest weapon on these wickets. It can make you a handful.”

Australia have also had to do without Brett Lee, their fastest bowler, in the Test series because of a rib injury which is set to keep him out of action at Edgbaston as well.

There had been speculation that Clark might have been included in the drawn Ashes opener at Cardiff, where Johnson’s poor spell with the new ball late on the final day helped England cling on for a draw with one wicket standing.

“I was disappointed and I suppose surprised,” Clark said of being omitted at in Cardiff.

“I was not given any guarantee I was going to play, and the selectors went with a combination they thought would get them 20 wickets.

“If given the opportunity to play again, it is an Australian cricketer’s dream to play Tests against England in England.

“I’ve sat on the sidelines and watched, and it’s been pretty hard to do that for two Test matches.

“I may have to watch for the next three – but I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure I control my destiny,” said Clark, a veteran of 22 Tests.

Australia ended the second day of their three-day match against Northamptonshire on 139 without loss in their second innings, a lead of 221.

Opening batsman Phillip Hughes, whose difficulties in the two Tests so far have been almost as much of a concern as those of Johnson, did at least have the consolation of being 65 not out.

Stand-in opener Andrew McDonald, yet to play in the Ashes, was 69 not out.

However, Hughes – dropped on 28 – was once again troubled by the short ball.

Northamptonshire’s first innings of 226 for seven declared saw Australia quick Peter Siddle take three wickets while Alex Wakely (62) and Riki Wessels (50) starred for the home side.

Australia middle-order batsman Marcus North, whose place could be under threat after fit-again pace bowling all-rounder Shane Watson made 84 on Friday, could only add seven to his overnight 32 before he was caught in the covers off left-arm quick David Lucas.

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting is determined not to be fooled by Edgbaston’s ‘jelly’ pitch report that similarly had ruined their Ashes dreams four years ago and said he would better wait and watch this time.

In 2005 Ashes Tests, Ponting was flayed for bowling first without injured pacer Glenn McGrath after concerns that heavy rain would make the pitch a minefield.

Four years down the lane, Ponting finds himself in a similar situation with Edgbaston’s groundsman Steve Rouse claiming that heavy rain has delayed the preparation of the pitch for the third Test and the wicket is a bit like a jelly.

But the Australian skipper said this time he will assess the pitch early next week before forming any notion.

“That’s what we got told last time. That’s the reason we ended up bowling first in 2005,” Ponting was quoted as saying in the Herald Sun.

“We were told exactly the same thing for the week leading up. There had been a cyclone and a tornado that had gone through Birmingham and wicket preparation was miles behind.

“It was overcast on that day so we won the toss and bowled. And the thing (the ball) didn’t move off the straight for the whole day.

“I’m not sure I’ll be falling for that one this time around. We’ll wait and see,” added the Australian skipper.

Ponting is currently on a three-day tour match against Northampton county team and would travel to Birmingham with the side tomorrow night after the match.

“We’ll have a look first thing Monday,” Ponting said of the pitch.

“It will be a good opportunity to have a look at the wicket and see how far advanced the preparation is and then hopefully, we’ll be able to make a more accurate forecast once we’re there.

“Last time around we probably got a bit carried away with what we heard and not going so much on the cold, hard facts of what we saw.

“The wicket looked OK there last time but with the overhead conditions, that’s what most captains here usually look at on the day. I’ve probably got a bit more experience with that this time around,” he added.

Former Australia speedster Glenn McGrath feels there’s nothing wrong with Mitchell Johnson’s bowling and advised his protege to sort out “the mental side of things” as the left-arm pacer struggles to find form in the ongoing Ashes series against England.

McGrath, who has been Australia’s most successful fast bowler with 563 Test wickets, has been mentoring Johnson over the past two years and thinks the left-arm pacer needs to keep a clear mind and not worry too much about technical problems.

“A lot of people will be giving Mitch all kinds of technical advice, saying his bowling arm is too low when delivering the ball or his wrist position is wrong, but in my experience, these losses of form are nearly always mental issues, rather than technical ones,” McGrath said.

“He had a bit of a lay-off before the Australians came over here, and you cannot always just pick up from where you left off,” the 39-year-old was quoted as saying by ‘The Australian’.

“What I would say to Mitch is that he hasn’t lost any of the ability that makes him one of the most talented all-round cricketers in the world.

“If Mitch can sort out the mental side of things, I’m convinced everything else would fall into place,” said McGrath.

The injured Brett Lee said he and the other bowlers had been talking to Johnson to boost his confidence.

“Everyone’s been chatting to him and offering their advice. I’ve been offering my advice,” Lee said.

“It’s not like I’m standing up the front of the class room telling him what to do. Mitch is running ideas around. Everyone’s in it together. He got his opportunity in South Africa and really took it,” said the injured pacer.

“He’s obviously searching for a lot more wickets, but it’s not a matter of everyone being panicked and stressed out, saying what’s going on.”

Lee emphasised the need of keeping faith in Johnson. “It’s very important we keep sound with him, keep faith in ourselves and keep backing our ability. That’s why Australia’s done well.”

A veteran of two Ashes tours to England, Lee feels bowling in English conditions requires some adjustments.

“The key word over here is patience. Playing in Australia and South Africa, it’s more conducive to fast bowling, particularly in South Africa.

“It’s just so important when you’re on wickets that are benign and aren’t conducive to fast bowling, you’ve got to find a way to get around that,” said Lee.

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has reiterated his intention to play through the pain barrier as he seeks to get fit enough to face Australia in next week’s third Ashes Test at Edgbaston.

With the loss of Kevin Pietersen following Achilles surgery on Tuesday, Flintoff’s availability is now of vital importance as England bid to extend a 1-0 lead was instrumental in conjuring in a second Test which saw the Australians sent packing at Lord’s for the first time since 1934.

Flintoff, who will end his Test career after the Ashes series, says he will do whatever it takes to play.

“There are no guarantees for anybody. But I have three Test matches left, and I’d do anything to get through, maybe put myself through things I wouldn’t do if I was looking more long term,” Flintoff, 31, said.

“I will do whatever it takes to get out on the field. If I don’t it has to be something extremely serious. The encouraging thing was that I bowled regularly over 90mph at Lord’s.

“The knee was sore on Tuesday and it’s still sore but I’ll rest up in front of the telly for the next few days and then get ready for Edgbaston.”

Flintoff, battling a knee injury, produced a man-of-the-match performance with a second-innings five-wicket haul as England triumphed after the first Test had ended in stalemate in Cardiff.

On Tuesday, Flintoff had expressed similar defiance in the face of his struggle for fitness although he admitted in a BBC interview that “the things I am going through to get on the cricket field I can do short term but I won’t be able to do it much longer.”

England take a 1-0 series lead into the 3rd Ashes test match at Edgbaston which begins on 30th July. In our preview, we take an early look at the 3rd test and some early pointers for Birmingham and focus on the players who are in and out of form in the series so far.

Live Cricket Score

The Venue, Edgbaston, Birmingham:

England will have everlasting memories of the Ashes test that was staged here in 2005. It was one of the most trilling test matches in the history or the game.

Entering the 4th day, the game looked as good as over as Australia needed 107 runs to win and had just 2 wickets remaining. The Australian tail refused to surrender and their last wicket pair had taken them to just 2 runs short of victory when Steve Harmison had Michael Kasprowicz caught behind. The win levelled the series for England and they went on to take the Ashes.

The previous test match on this ground saw the Proteas beat England by 5 wickets in July last year.

Of the 8 test matches England have played at Edgbaston since 2000, there has been only 1 draw. That came in 2003 against the Proteas when both sides scored heavily in their first innings and the whole of the 2nd day’s play was lost to rain.

For the Birmingham weather forecast click here, keep an eye on it, if the weather looks OK, I think we will get a result.

Team News:

England’s team news centres round the fitness of Pietersen and Flintoff. Pietersen is clearly troubled by his lingering Achilles tendon injury and must be a concern. Flintoff is also battling but the rest between Lords, when he really gave everything and the kitchen sink with a man of the match display, must give him every chance.

Australia also have concerns and not just on the injury front. News of Brett Lee’s availability will be eagerly awaited after he missed the first 2 tests. With Mitchell Johnson battling for line and length, a return for Lee would help ease the burden on a man who was overwhelming favourite to be leading Australian wicket taker in the series. Despite spraying the ball wide of both sides of the wicket on a regular basis, Johnson still has 8 wickets in the series and I don’t think the Aussies will want to ditch him yet. A practice match against Northants gives Johnson another chance to address his problems.

Series Stats:

Top bat and bowler markets are proving popular with punters so let’s take a look at the leading run getters and wicket takers in the series so far.

Most runs – Strauss leads the way with his 161 at Lords contributing heavily to overall total of 240. Collingwood is the only Englishman in the top 6, he lies in 4th place with 208.

Brad Haddin is the surprise name at the top of the Australian run scoring charts, his 229 is 9 runs more than Michael Clarke has notched so far. To me, Clarke has looked in superb touch which bodes well for our pre series pick for top Australian batsmen. Ponting (190) and Katich (176) are also up there thanks to their performances at Cardiff in the 1st test.

Most Wickets – The Australians also lead the way here with Hauritz and Hilfenhaus with 9 wickets a piece. The wayward Johnson still has 8 wickets which to me, should save him from the axe despite a poor economy rate of 4.00 per over after 2 test matches. Flintoff, with a 5 wicket haul in the 2nd innings at Lords has 7 in total, 1 more than James Andersen.