Alastair Cook struck his third hundred of an epic series as England closed in on a first-innings lead at the SCG to reach lunch on 5 for 277. Cook dominated the morning's scoring as he lost the nightwatchman, James Anderson, and the out-of-form Paul Collingwood, who became Michael Beer's first Test wicket, leaving Ian Bell to join for what could be a match-defining partnership.
Cook's ton took him past 700 runs for the series and made him the eighth England batsman to hit three in an Ashes series, but he had a nervous moment on 99. He flicked a delivery from Beer towards short leg where Phil Hughes claimed the catch and the Australians began celebrating. Cook, though, stood his ground and TV replays showed the ball clearly bounced and Hughes was unsure before joining in with the appeal.
It was the second time Beer had been denied Cook's wicket after yesterday's no-ball and in the spinner's next over, Cook worked a single into the leg side to reach his hundred to join the three figure scores he made in Brisbane and Adelaide. He had a few other nervous moments, when he edged Shane Watson short of second slip on 87 then after passing his hundred nearly chipped Beer to midwicket, but it was a commanding display.
James Anderson fell in the sixth over of the morning having managed a flowing cover drive before Peter Siddle struck the off stump. That brought in the struggling Collingwood who admitted earlier this week that he would have to consider his Test future after a barren series.
It was another painful innings from Collingwood who largely found the middle of his bat elusive and Mitchell Johnson's first ball of the day reared to take the glove but looped fine of short leg. He wanted to be positive which brought his downfall when he advanced at Beer and miscued his lofted drive towards mid-on where Ben Hilfenhaus took a back-peddling catch.
Beer gave the umpire a quick look, just to make sure, but this time could celebrate his first Test wicket and it was a blow that kept the match fascinatingly poised. Bell took time to play himself in, knowing this was the chance to make his good form count, and collected his first boundary when he clashed Siddle over the slips.
The new ball was taken immediately and the batsmen enjoyed the extra pace off the bat as Hilfenhaus's first over cost eight then Bell played two perfect straight drives off Siddle. However, with the pitch starting to take turn England will need a healthy lead to avoid a tough final-innings chase.
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