England shrugged off the last-minute withdrawal of express paceman Steve Harmison to rip through the South Australian top-order in the first session but failed to take another wicket before tea as the home team steadied their innings.

Lehmann led his team's recovery with an unbeaten 96 off 138 balls while Borgas crawled to 54 not out with South Australia 177 for four at the end of the second session.

South Australia were in deep trouble at 25-4 in the first hour at Adelaide Oval after James Anderson made the initial breakthrough and Matthew Hoggard captured three wickets in a destructive spell.

Anderson dismissed former Australia Test opener Matthew Elliott for 11 in the 10th over, caught behind by wicketkeeper Geraint Jones, before Hoggard removed Daniel Harris (10), Mark Cosgrove (one) and Callum Anderson for a golden duck in the space of 12 deliveries.

The English seamer missed his hat-trick but his sharp performance was a welcome boost to his team after a troubled build-up to next week's first Test in Brisbane.

Marcus Trescothick quit the tour and returned home this week after a recurrence of a stress-related illness while Harmison's injury sent a scare through the camp.

England's most dangerous bowler was left out of the match as a precaution after feeling stiffness in his side when he woke up on Friday morning but he is expected to play in Brisbane.

He was replaced in Adelaide by Sajid Mahmood in a four-pronged pace attack boosted by the inclusion of left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, who was given the nod ahead of Ashley Giles.

Panesar almost snared the prized wicket of Lehmann when the former Test batsman was on 77 but the ball fell short of Paul Collingwood at slip.

England should have dismissed Borgas when he was on eight but Andrew Strauss dropped a low catch at first slip off Mahmood.