Thankfully there was no timid repeat of England's first innings after Ricky Ponting declared Australia's second innings on 202 for one after 25 minutes of the fourth day, giving his team a monumental lead of 647 runs.

For a while it looked as though Australia might stroll to victory as England lost their first three wickets for 91 runs but fourth-wicket pair Pietersen and Collingwood took the attack back to their hosts with some aggressive stroke play.

Collingwood made 96 while Pietersen finished unbeaten on 92 and although e lost captain Andrew Flintoff on 16 to a rash shot at Shane Warne just before the close, England , 293 for five live to fight another day.

Australia suddenly realised today they were in a contest and tempers flared during the afternoon, the first session of the match England could claim to have won as they scored 107 for the loss of only one wicket between lunch and tea.

Pietersen started to treat Shane Warne's leg spin with contempt, coming down

the pitch and clouting his Hampshire captain through mid-wicket.

Off the field the pair are the best of chums but Warne snapped at this lack of respect, hurling the ball back at Pietersen as he stood his ground in his crease having played the ball back to the bowler.

Pietersen's response was to swat the ball away and give Warne a mouthful of the sort of language not to be heard at a vicarage tea party.

The confrontation only fired up Pietersen even more and he powered on towards what would be his second century in successive Ashes Tests.

Collingwood should have reached three figures but fell four runs short when in a rush of blood he charged Warne and was beaten by the spin to be stumped by a distance.

Earlier Justin Langer had completed his 23rd Test century before Ricky Ponting declared, himself 60 not out and suffering from an injured back.

Ponting was unable to take the field again, Gilchrist captaining the side for the rest of the day and Australia appeared to be coasting as Andrew Strauss got himself out hooking again and Ian Bell was out for a duck to Warne.

Alastair Cook built a solid 43 before also being snared at short leg by Warne but England refused to capitulate this time.