Anderson anchors England effort

James Anderson helped England to reduce Australia to 230 for eight at lunch on day two of the final Test at the SCG.

Anderson - unfortunate to draw a blank despite bowling well yesterday - made up for that with three wickets in an extended session, only for an unbroken stand of 41 between Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus to stall England's charge.

Australia began a cloudy but occasionally bright morning on 134 for four, with prospects still feasible of a 300-plus total.

But it seemed they needed a substantial contribution from at least one of Michael Hussey or Brad Haddin, in a match which they need to win to stop Andrew Strauss' team becoming the first from England to win the Ashes outright in Australia since 1986/87.

Haddin went tamely in only the fourth over of the day, going after a wide ball from Anderson but instead edging behind on the back foot.

Hussey kept England at bay until Paul Collingwood struck with the final delivery before the second new ball was taken.

The dismissal was a triumph of the teamwork England prize so highly, after Hussey had crunched a series of tempting full balls into the covers only to have them cut off by well-positioned fielders in the ring.

Collingwood tried a different tack with the sixth ball of the over, a tighter line and a touch of inswing to the left-hander who inside-edged on to the top of his stumps in defence.

Chris Tremlett was unlucky to see his second over with the new ball go for 11 runs. But Anderson exacted swift revenge on his behalf, when Steve Smith aimed an ambitious drive at a ball which was not quite there for the shot - and edged to the safe Collingwood at third slip.

Four balls later, more outswing brought Anderson his 20th wicket of the series - Peter Siddle edging obligingly, but less culpably than Smith, to first slip. Australia were highly likely at that stage to be bowled out before lunch, but some spirited batting from Johnson and Hilfenhaus altered the equation slightly.