Australia on the brink

Flintoff edged low to second slip off left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson from his first ball after drinks as England slipped to 127 for six against Australia.

The success halted a 57-run alliance between Flintoff and Paul Collingwood for the sixth wicket.

Moments later, two protestors intent on unfurling a banner evaded security men and got onto the square. One was apprehended by stadium staff as he attempted to grab the stumps.

It took a few minutes to remove them from the field but whatever message they attempted to unveil remained concealed. Three tame dismissals in the morning session weakened England's position after they began the day on 20 for two, requiring a further 219 runs to make Australia bat again.

Despite an early morning shower, the weather was not on their side either as sunshine bathed the ground at the scheduled 11am start. Things began badly as England lost their star batsman and captain in a disappointing start to Survival Sunday.

Two poor pieces of judgment accounted for Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Strauss and Matt Prior also perished playing in loose fashion.

Pietersen trudged off after just a quarter of an hour when he declined to play a delivery from Ben Hilfenhaus, having originally shaped to, and had his off-stump flattened. England were left reeling on 46 for four in off-spinner Nathan Hauritz's second over as Strauss attempted a cut at a ball he had no reason to play.

Having just struck the first boundary of the morning the previous delivery from a cut, an attempted repeat of the stroke to one which turned, resulted in a fine edge through to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.

The equation took a turn for the worse for England when Hauritz, extracting turn from the River Taff end, produced a delivery of extra bounce and Prior fended to slip, where Michael Clarke took a diving catch. But from a position of 70 for five, England produced a brief rally either side of lunch despite some close calls instigated by a disciplined Australian attack.