Cricket: Ian Bell's third century of the Ashes series gave England the edge over Australia after three days of an engrossing fourth Test. Live Sports news;
Live sports news:
The Warwickshire batsman scored an invaluable 105 not out as the hosts fought back from 49-3 in their second innings to 234-5 at the close, a lead of 202.
Bell, whose hundreds in wins at Trent Bridge and Lord's helped England retain the Ashes in 14 days, shared partnerships of 106 with Kevin Pietersen (44) and 66 with Jonny Bairstow (28) as England gradually wrested control from the tourists.
He brought up his 20th Test century five minutes before the close to become only the third Englishman after Maurice Leyland in 1934 and David Gower in 1985 to score three in a home Ashes campaign.
Bell's achievement capped an impressive
day for England, who claimed Australia's last five wickets for 48 runs
to bowl them out for 270 and restrict their first-innings lead to 32.
But when Ryan Harris accounted for Joe Root, Alastair
Cook and Jonathan Trott in quick succession with the new ball, Australia
were back on top.
With England's advantage a slender 17, Bell and Pietersen set about repairing the damage in a crucial fourth-wicket stand that spanned 33 overs.
Finding gaps in the field that had eluded England in their often turgid first-innings 238, they worked the ball around and punished anything off line.
Pietersen struck Peter Siddle's last two balls before tea for four, while Bell caressed Harris for successive cover drives to bring up his fifty soon after the interval.
Starved of the strike and subdued by spinner Nathan Lyon, Pietersen allowed frustration to affect his shot selection and was caught at cover via a leading edge to once again open the door to Australia.
But with Bairstow finding his touch to crash Lyon over the top for successive fours and Bell moving masterfully towards his fourth Ashes century in five Tests, England maintained their ascendancy.
Runs came more freely in the evening
session as England took advantage of an Australia attack deprived of the
services of Shane Watson, who limped off with a groin strain.
Although Bairstow edged Lyon behind to fall shortly
before the close, Bell ensured England finished the day in a strong
position from which to
push for a 3-0 lead in the series.
Australia started Sunday only 16 behind England's first-innings total of 238, but were soon put on the back foot as Graeme Swann removed both overnight batsmen.
Brad Haddin was lbw for 13 to a ball that straightened and Chris Rogers was athletically taken by Matt Prior for 110, the wicketkeeper running forward and diving to take a one-handed catch after the ball looped off pad and glove.
James Anderson collected his first wickets of the innings by snaring Peter Siddle and Lyon with the new ball before Stuart Broad ended a feisty innings of 28 from Harris when he arrowed a ball into the tailender's pads.
Umpire Tony Hill, who has made several errors during the series, gave Harris not out, but when the first replay confirmed the ball was heading for middle stump, Harris and the England players began walking towards the pavilion.
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