Adelaide, December 4:

Matthew Hoggard took seven wickets, including Michael Clarke’s for 124, as England eked out a 38-run first innings lead on the fourth day of the second Ashes Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval.

Hoggard’s return of 7-109 from 42 arduous overs was remarkable in the context of a match in which only 17 wickets have fallen for 1,123 runs by stumps and in which a weary stalemate existed by the end of the fourth day.

His victims included Ricky Ponting (142) and Michael Hussey (91), Shane Warne (43) and Clarke (124) and, with his urgent impetus, England was able to dismiss Australia for 513 in reply to its 551-6 declared. England was 59/1 in its second innings at stumps, leading by 97 runs but with the match heading almost inexorably toward a draw on Tuesday which will preserve Australia’s 1-0 lead.