Battling England fight back

12 April 2012

Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff have given England a lift with an impressive finish to the second day of their three-day tour match with New South Wales.

England slipped to 100 for three at tea after the home side declared on 355 for nine following a rain-marred morning at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

But Pietersen (80 not out) and Flintoff (48 not out) hit some thrilling shots during the final session to help England to 256 for four at stumps and give the tourists a boost after a disappointing start to their Ashes tour.

There were other positives for England, with Alastair Cook making 59 while opener Andrew Strauss followed up his 67 in Friday's 166-run defeat by a Prime Minister's XI with a well-crafted 50.

Australian Test star Glenn McGrath gave England a sign of what might be to come from the very first ball of their innings with an inswinging delivery that cut straight through Marcus Trescothick.

Brett Lee also started dangerously with a similar delivery to Strauss, two balls after hitting the opener in the chest with a short delivery, and in Lee's next over Trescothick (8) played onto his own stumps.

Cook and Strauss then settled into their stride to see off Lee and McGrath's opening spells before Stuart Clark took a fine one-handed reflex catch to dismiss Strauss caught and bowled.

Ian Bell (0) was next in but from his second ball got an outside edge to wicketkeeper Daniel Smith, giving Clark figures of two for 18 off seven overs at tea.

McGrath broke the fourth-wicket stand, bowling around the wicket to trap left-hander Cook lbw but then Pietersen brought up his 50 by lofting McGrath over mid-on for four, before Flintoff got in on the act, hitting spinner Beau Casson for three boundaries in quick succession.

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