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Tait strikes in Adelaide

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 late on the first day of the three-day tour match at Adelaide Oval yesterday.

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.

The South Australian slinger is vying for the third fast bowler's spot in the first Test team with Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson.

Tait began his spell with a delivery which 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 an fluctuating first day's play, England were 24 for one in reply to the home team's declaration of 247 for seven.

Alastair Cook, likely to be promoted to open the England innings in next Thursday's opening Brisbane Test following Marcus Trescothick's decision to go home, was on six and Hoggard 10 not out, having survived a testing period, crowded by fieldsmen.

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 when he took on James Anderson's throw from the deep and didn't make his ground while trying to complete a second run.

The former Test batsman played beautifully by driving the quicks and sweeping and nudging the spinners.

Borgas played the anchor role to support his skipper, but was out for 73, when he attempted to slog left-arm spinner Monty Panesar over mid-wicket.

Instead he only skied the ball to Cook, who took a comfortable catch near the boundary.

Hoggard made early inroads for England with a spell of 3-16 and finished the innings with 3-40.
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