Gilchrist and Warne give Australia the lead

SYDNEY, Jan 4 (Reuters) Adam Gilchrist smashed a half-century and Shane Warne was nearing his own fifty as Australia snatched a handy lead in the final Ashes test against England today.

Gilchrist belted 62 off 71 balls before he was wrongly given out by umpire Billy Bowden just before lunch on the third day at the Sydney Cricket Ground, leaving Warne (40 not out) to steer Australia to 325 for seven and a lead of 34.

Gilchrist belted eight boundaries to push Australia ahead after they lost Mike Hussey and Andrew Symonds and were in danger of falling short England's total of 291.

The left-hander also shared a 58-run partnership with Warne off 44 balls and looked to be on his way to his second hundred of the series when he was given out by Bowden to a catch by wicketkeeper Chris Read off seamer James Anderson. Television replays showed the ball missed the bat.

Warne, playing in his last test, delivered on his promise to go out with a bang with five fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 40 off 31 balls to keep Australia on course for a 5-0 series cleansweep.

Australia's prospects had looked bleak when Hussey was dismissed in the second over of the day without adding this overnight score of 37 and Symonds went for 48.

Hussey edged a simple catch off Anderson to Read while Symonds, who completed his maiden test hundred in Melbourne last week, threw away his chance of another big score when he was bowled by Monty Panesar.

The dreadlocked Queenslander had started the day on 22 and brimming with confidence but was forced to curb his natural aggressive instincts when Hussey departed.

With Gilchrist flaying the English attack from the moment he arrived at the crease, however, it was not long before Symonds started to swing the bat.

He belted six fours, including one all-run, in a 70-run partnership with Gilchrist to get within two runs of his fifty when he took a wild swipe at a ball from Panesar that speared into his stumps.

Warne, who is joining Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer in retiring from test cricket after this match, signalled his intentions to go out with a bang when he hit his first two balls from Panesar for four and six.

He was lucky to survive on 10, however, when he appeared to glove a catch to Read off Panesar but was given not out.

REUTERS PM HS0902