England 130-2 at tea, leads by 340 over Australia

England 130-2 at tea, leads by 340 over Australia

LONDON (AP): England survived a nervous period to extend its lead over Australia to 340 runs Saturday by reaching 130-2 at tea on the third day of the second Ashes test.

England strengthened its position with Kevin Pietersen 28 not out and Ravi Bopara unbeaten on 19 after captain Andrew Strauss opted not to enforce the follow-on before lunch, when Australia was dismissed for 215.

Bopara was almost caught in the over before tea after pulling Mitchell Johnson to Nathan Hauritz at mid-on. Bopara stood his ground and the third umpire ruled ``not out'' following inconclusive TV replays.

Australia, seeking to retain the Ashes, came out in fighting mood after the break and removed the England openers in the second and fourth overs following the interval, bowled by offspinner Hauritz.

Alastair Cook went back to a ball he should have been forward to and was lbw to Hauritz for 32, his lunch-time score. Then Strauss, who made 161 in England's first innings of 425, edged a turning ball to Michael Clarke at slip for the same score.

England might have crashed from 61-0 to 88-4 if Australia had then taken its chances.

Pietersen survived an lbw appeal on 10 to Ben Hilfenhaus. As Pietersen looked anxiously toward the umpire, he wandered down the pitch and Ricky Ponting tried to run him out from slip, but missed the stumps. He would have been out by three feet.

Three balls later, Bopara on 9 edged a probing delivery from Peter Siddle on off stump to Ponting at second slip, which he dropped at shin height. It was a painful time for Ponting as the drop was replayed on the big screen several times.

The tension continued when a nervous Pietersen on 11 tried to drive Hilfenhaus through cover and managed a fortuitous inside edge for four to fine leg. He repeated the shot when on 23, for a single.

Earlier, Australia's tail-end batsmen almost reached the follow-on target of 226 through Siddle (35) and Hauritz (24), who combined in a ninth-wicket stand of 44.

England is seeking its first victory over Australia at Lord's since 1934.
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