England lose Strauss cheaply in final warm-up

SYDNEY, Nov 17 (Reuters) Andrew Strauss was dismissed for a second ball duck as England limped to 24 for one in reply to South Australia's 247-7 declared on the first day of their tour match in Adelaide.

Strauss was trapped leg before wicket by Australia's in-form paceman Shaun Tait, leaving Alastair Cook (six not out) and nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard (10 not out) to battle through to stumps.

The dismissal capped off a mixed day for the tourists while enhancing Tait's chances of starting in next week's first Ashes test in Brisbane after the speedster was named in Australia's 13-man squad.

England had begun the day well, shrugging off the last-minute withdrawal of express paceman Steve Harmison to rip through the South Australian top-order in the first session.

Hoggard captured three wickets in 12 balls as the home team crashed to 25-4 before Darren Lehmann and Cameron Borgas steadied the innings with a fifth-wicket partnership of 157.

Lehmann missed out on a deserved hundred when he was run out for 99 while Borgas fell to left-arm spinner Monty Panesar for 73, prompting the home team to make an early declaration.

HOGGARD BOOST James Anderson made the initial breakthrough in the morning session when he dismissed former Australia test opener Matthew Elliott for 11 in the 10th over, caught behind by wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.

Then Hoggard removed Daniel Harris (10), Mark Cosgrove (one) and Callum Anderson for a golden duck in the space of 12 deliveries to leave South Australia reeling at 25-4.

The English seamer missed his hat-trick but his sharp performance was a welcome boost to his team after a troubled build-up to the side's Ashes defence.

Marcus Trescothick quit the tour and returned home this week after a recurrence of a stress-related illness while Harmison's injury sent a scare through the camp.

England's most dangerous bowler was left out of the match as a precaution after feeling stiffness in his side when he woke up this morning but he is expected to play in Brisbane.

He was replaced in Adelaide by Sajid Mahmood in a four-pronged pace attack boosted by the inclusion of Panesar, who was given the nod ahead of Ashley Giles, in a sneak preview of the likely test team.

REUTERS PM DS1425