Australia removed three top-order England batsman at negligible cost in the opening session of the final day of the first Ashes Test in Cardiff on Sunday to move closer to a crushing victory.
England, 20 for two overnight after trailing by 239 on the first innings, were in disarray at the interval with the score at 102 for five on a sunlit morning and no sign of the rain which came to their rescue on Saturday.
Pace bowler Ben Hilfenhaus delivered a body blow in the fourth over of the morning by knocking over Kevin Pietersen's off-stump.
Pietersen, who had added five to his overnight score of three, left a delivery he thought would swing away. Instead it went straight on and the Australians celebrated without restraint after removing their opponents' most dangerous batsman.
Hilfenhaus, who had removed Ravi Bopara (1) on Saturday afternoon, was replaced at the River end by off-spinner Nathan Hauritz who immediately extracted sharp spin with fielders clustered around the bat.
Captain Andrew Strauss square-cut the first boundary of the morning but was caught behind by Brad Haddin for 17 attempting a similar shot off the next delivery which bounced a little higher.
Hauritz was gifted a second wicket when Matt Prior (14) made the elementary error of trying to cut an off-spinner which turned appreciably and succeeded only in steering the ball to Michael Clarke at first slip.
