December 28, 2002	Saturday	Shawwal 23, 1423

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MELBOURNE, Dec 27: Justin Langer scored 250 on Friday as Australia compiled 551 for six on the second day of the fourth Ashes Test against England.

England, who started their innings after tea was taken 19 minutes early, were 97 for three in reply at the close of play with captain Nasser Hussain on 17 and nightwatchman Richard Dawson yet to score.

Australia, who resumed at 356 for three with Langer on 146, piled on another 299 runs in two sessions before captain Steve Waugh, who made 77 including 15 boundaries, declared with debutant Martin Love unbeaten on 62.

Langer, who was dropped by Michael Vaughan on 223, became only the eighth Australian to reach 250 and the third to do so at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where the first test match between Australia and England was played in 1877.

Australia have already retained the Ashes, winning the first three tests of the five-match series by comprehensive margins.

Langer was finally caught by Andy Caddick in the gully from the bowling of off-spinner Richard Dawson in the 144th over of the innings after a 407-ball stay which lasted 22 minutes short of 10 hours.

The left-handed opener blasted 30 boundaries and one six in his 13th test century.

The gritty 32-year-old, who credits captain Waugh with resurrecting his career during the 2001 Ashes tour, had put on 195 for the first wicket with fellow left-hander Matthew Hayden. Hayden was out for 102 on Thursday, his third century of the series.

Langer had added 129 in 239 balls for the fourth wicket with Waugh before the 37-year-old, playing in his 155th test, edged a ball from all-rounder Craig White to wicketkeeper James Foster at 394 for four after an hour’s play.

Love, with two centuries in tour matches against England already in 2002-03, hit four boundaries in his 141-ball knock.

Love and Langer kept the pressure on England with a 151-run partnership for the fifth wicket off 242 balls.

England’s attack, led by White’s three for 133 from 36 overs, bowled to mainly defensive fields on Friday with often only one slip in position as the runs continued to flow.

Yorkshire opener Michael Vaughan, who gave a forgettable display in the field including three dropped catches, was bowled by Glenn McGrath for 11 in the seventh over of England’s innings.

Opener Marcus Trescothick and Mark Butcher played confidently to put on 60 for the second wicket before Trescothick was caught behind off Brett Lee for 37.

Hussain survived a loud appeal for caught behind two balls later off Lee and reached 14 before he was given not out by the third umpire.

Hussain hit a delivery to Jason Gillespie at mid-off from the bowling of leg-spinner Stuart MacGill who dived forward and claimed the catch.

Langer said he thought Gillespie had made a fair catch.

“I was disappointed the result didn’t go his way,” he said.

England coach Duncan Fletcher said the decision had to be left to the third umpire. “If you look on the replay there was some doubt,” he said.

The tourists suffered a further blow in the penultimate over of the day when Gillespie dismissed Mark Butcher lbw for 25 and there was also another addition to the long injury list.

Pace bowler Matthew Hoggard underwent an operation on Friday for a an ingrown toe nail. A team spokesman said he was expected to be fit for next week’s fifth test in Sydney.

LEHMANN UNFIT

Australia batsman Darren Lehmann, who missed the fourth Ashes Test against England with a groin infection, has ruled himself out of next week’s final Test.

The 32-year-old left-hander, who was admitted to a Melbourne hospital on Monday, said on Friday he had been released from hospital for an hour to greet the team at the Melbourne Cricket Ground but had felt tired and had headed back to hospital.

Uncapped Queensland batsman Martin Love took Lehmann’s place in the fourth Test, which started on Thursday, and made an unbeaten 62 in Australia’s 551 for six declared.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st innings)

J.Langer c Caddick b Dawson 250

M.Hayden c Crawley b Caddick 102

R.Ponting b White 21

D.Martyn c Trescothick b White 17

S.Waugh c Foster b White 77

M.Love not out 62

A.Gilchrist b Dawson 1

EXTRAS (lb-11 w-5 nb-5) 21

TOTAL (for six wickets dec., 146 overs) 551

FALL OF WKTS: 1-195 2-235 3-265 4-394 5-545 6-551

DID NOT BAT: B.Lee, S.MacGill, J.Gillespie, G.McGrath

BOWLING: Caddick 36-6-126-1 (3nb 1w), Harmison 36-7-108-0 (1nb), White 33-5-133-3 (1nb), Dawson 28-1-121-2, Butcher 13-2-52-0 (4w)

ENGLAND (1st innings)

M.Vaughan b McGrath 11

M.Trescothick c Gilchrist b Lee 37

M.Butcher lbw b Gillespie 25

N.Hussain not out 17

R.Dawson not out 0

EXTRAS (b-2 lb-2 nb-3) 7

TOTAL (for three wickets, 34 overs) 97

FALL OF WKTS: 1-13 2-73 3-94

BOWLING: McGrath 7-2-18-1, Gillespie 8-4-8-1, MacGill 11-3-36-0, Lee 8-1-31-1 (3nb)—Reuters