ADELAIDE, Nov 17: Shaun Tait boosted his chances of playing in next week's Ashes opener with a key England wicket in a hostile spell of fast bowling for South Australia at the Adelaide Oval Friday.

Tait claimed the wicket of England opener Andrew Strauss, leg before wicket for a two-ball duck, in the first of three erratic overs of fast bowling.

Tait began his spell with a delivery that nearly decapitated first slip and ran away for wides but he had Strauss lbw two deliveries later to a scorcher.

England responded to the shock of the Strauss dismissal by sending in fast bowler Matthew Hoggard as nightwatchman.

At the close of a fluctuating first day's play in the three-day tour match, England were 24 for one in reply to the home team's declaration of 247 for seven.

Earlier, Lehmann crafted a fine rearguard innings, only to throw away a century with a run out. Lehmann and Cameron Borgas steadied South Australia from 25 for four in the first hour with a partnership of 157 but both played a major part in their dismissals. Lehmann was out for 99. Hoggard made early inroads for England and finished the innings with 3-40.—AFP