McGrath on song for swansong

Glenn McGrath made another timely contribution to the retirement party at the SCG to leave England struggling to make a competitive total in the final Ashes Test.

The 36-year-old seamer is one of three Australians to announce they will retire after this match - he will bow out of Test cricket alongside Justin Langer and Shane Warne.

But McGrath quickly demonstrated he was not prepared to coast through the last match of his glittering career by claiming two key wickets immediately after tea to halt England's recovery and leave them again battling to reach a challenging score on 201 for four.

The tourists had recovered from losing both openers either side of lunch, with Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell forging a determined 109-run stand spanning 41 overs.

Coming together at 58 for two, the pair vindicated England's decision to move Pietersen to number four in the order and allow Paul Collingwood to drop down to number five with a defiant stand just as Australia seemed set to establish their superiority.

Playing cautiously almost throughout his innings, Pietersen took 15 overs to score his first and only boundary and played in a patient style. He appeared happy to support Bell and help him reach his fourth half-century of the series.

Just as England's new third-wicket pair appeared to be establishing a dominance, however, McGrath struck after tea to claim the key wicket of Pietersen.

Having come down the wicket two balls previously to lash the ball through mid-wicket for two, Pietersen could not resist attempting the shot again when McGrath dug the ball in short. But this time he failed to control the shot and it looped high in the air for Mike Hussey to take the catch above his head at mid-wicket.

Pietersen's 41 had taken nearly three hours at the crease and he was followed in McGrath's next over when he cut the ball back and Bell got a fine inside edge onto his stumps for 71.