Broad provides cold comfort for England

Resuming on the second morning trailing by 94 after Australia reached 196 for four, England knew they needed early wickets if they were to prevent the tourists claiming a decisive advantage.

But instead they were confronted by a 152-run stand between Michael Clarke and Marcus North, who completed his second century of the npower series, while Stuart Clark hammered 32 off only 22 balls before England finally ended Australia's innings.

Having failed to find the right lines and lengths on the opening day, England were looking for a vast improvement on the second morning but instead served up more of the same.

Steve Harmison was persevering with a consistent policy of short-pitched bowling to try to exploit Clarke's restricted movement because of his abdominal strain, but instead allowed him to score runs at a rapid rate by cutting and pulling.

Australia added 65 in the first 11 overs until Andrew Strauss turned to off-spinner Graeme Swann for his first bowl of the innings in the 60th over but he, too, had little effect as both North and Clarke progressed to half-centuries.

It took the introduction of Durham seamer Graham Onions, strangely ignored for 22 overs during the morning session, to finally make the breakthrough when he won an lbw appeal to dismiss Clarke seven runs short of his third century of the series.

But England had to wait until the second new ball four overs after lunch before they finally began to make inroads, with Harmison striking when wicketkeeper Brad Haddin spooned a short delivery to short leg.

Just as Peter Siddle had done on the first day, Broad wrapped up the tail impressively to finish with career-best figures of six for 91, but only after Clark had shown impressive strokeplay to further undermine England's morale.

Clark hammered three sixes and a four during his impressive innings before being bowled by Broad to become his fifth victim, while North's superb effort to score 110, which included 13 fours and a six, ended the innings when he was caught in the deep.