Bell and Pietersen rescue England

SYDNEY, Jan 2 (Reuters) Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen rescued England from a shaky start to reach 149 for two at tea on the opening day of the fifth Ashes test today.

The pair shared an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 91 runs after Australia had dismissed England's openers cheaply.

Andrew Strauss departed for 29 before lunch and Alastair Cook fell for 20 in the third over of the afternoon session with the total on 58.

Bell was unbeaten on 58 at tea after chalking up his fourth half-century of the series with Pietersen not out 36 and looking set for a big score.

Both batsmen were content to take their time, Bell raising his half-century off 108 balls in 149 minutes with a single off Shane Warne and Pietersen hitting just one boundary from 95 deliveries despite regularly dancing down the pitch.

England's batsmen were given a torrid workout in the first session as Australia's seamers made the most of a pitch that provided early movement after the morning rain.

Strauss and Cook survived the initial onslaught to put on 45 for the first wicket and provide England with their best start of the series before both fell in quick succession.

Strauss had escaped a series of close calls, including a dropped catch by Justin Langer at third slip on 21, but his luck ran out when he gifted wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist a catch with a reckless flash at Brett Lee.

Cook batted with greater caution despite playing and missing several times, only to succumb to a momentary lapse in concentration when he got a faint inside edge off Stuart Clark and Gilchrist took an acrobatic catch diving to his right.

The first session, cut short by showers, began in emotional circumstances when Australia's three retiring players, Glenn McGrath, Warne and Langer, led their team on to the field in front of a capacity crowd of 40,000.

The trio were unable to make an impact in the first two sessions.

McGrath and Warne both failed to take a wicket and Langer dropped a catch off McGrath.

Australia won the first four tests to regain the Ashes they lost in England last year and remain on course for their first series cleansweep since 1920-21.

REUTERS SAM RN1116