ADELAIDE, Dec 3: Matthew Hoggard says the noose is not yet tight enough around Australia for England to expect an Ashes series-levelling victory in the second Test at Adelaide Oval.

The Australians moved to within 40 runs of the 352-run follow-on target at third day stumps here Sunday in reply to England's imposing first innings of 551 for six declared.

At the close, Australia were 312 for five with Michael Clarke on 30 and Adam Gilchrist on 13.

Hoggard was England's best bowler, bowling a lion-hearted 27 overs to take 4-76 including the vital wickets of Ricky Ponting (142) and Mike Hussey (91) with the second new ball late in the day on a benign batting pitch.

“We know it's still going to be hard work, we've got 250 runs to play with, we've got five wickets to get, it's been hard work to get wickets on that wicket, so it's going to have to be a good professional performance tomorrow,” the 29-year-old Yorkshire seamer said.

“We will be trying to get five wickets reasonably quickly and then we have to re-assess from there.”England are still in a position to win the Test and bounce back after their crushing 277-run loss in the first Gabba Test, but Hoggard said it wouldn't be a “massive disappointment” if England did not go on to claim victory over the final two days of the Adelaide Test.

“I don't think the noose is quite tight at the moment and the wicket is very placid, like a sub-continent wicket - it takes a long time to bowl people out,” he said.

“We've had 11 wickets now in three days and there's still two days left so I don't think it's going to be a massive disappointment if we don't win from here.

“But to show Australia that we can beat them at home as well we have to put in another good bowling performance tomorrow and hope we put some pressure on them on the final day.”—AFP