Ponting closes on double century as England struggle

BRISBANE, Nov 24 (Reuters) Ricky Ponting was closing on a double-century as Australia piled on the runs to reach 427 for four at lunch on the second day of the first Ashes test today.

The Australian captain added 40 runs to his overnight score to end the session on 177, within sight of a fifth test double-hundred.

Michael Clarke was 10 not out after joining his skipper 34 minutes before the break when Andrew Flintoff gave the touring side their only success of the morning when he clean bowled Mike Hussey for 86 with the total on 407.

Hussey and Ponting had shared a record fourth-wicket partnership of 209 after coming together before tea on day one to tighten Australia's grip on the match as England's bowlers struggled to make any impression.

The pair set a new mark for the highest fourth-wicket stand in a test at the Gabba and a record for the biggest fourth-wicket partnership in any Ashes test played in Australia.

The left-handed Hussey, who batted 257 minutes, faced 187 balls and struck eight boundaries, looked set for a hundred when Flintoff knocked his off stump out of the ground.

Flintoff, who bagged two of the three wickets to fall on day one, was again forced to carry his team's attack as England's other seamers struggled.

Matthew Hoggard bowled too wide of off stump in a fruitless search to find some swing and was belted around the ground while James Anderson bowled too short on the bouncy Gabba pitch, allowing the Australian batsmen to regularly pull him to the boundary rope.

However, their disappointing efforts paled in comparison with the performance of England's main strike bowler Steve Harmison.

The Durham speedster made a nervous start to the series when he opened with a wide that veered straight to second slip on day one but he was even more erratic on day two.

His first ball on Friday was also a wide and he delivered two in his first over, another in his second and a no-ball in his third.

He had to abort a delivery in his second spell when he lost the rhythm on his run-up and bowled another wide before being pulled out of the attack after conceding 71 runs off 18 overs.

REUTERS SBA KP0812