A heavy hailstorm gave England some welcome respite in their bid to save the opening Ashes Test against Australia at the Gabba today.
Players were sent from the field by the umpires and an early tea called with England at 142 for four on the fourth day.
Alastair Cook was playing a captain's knock and was unbeaten on 65 with Joe Root on six.
England face the massive task of having to bat for two days to prevent the Australians from going one-up in the five-Test series and they lost the wickets of Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell on Sunday.
Pietersen and Cook had safely negotiated the opening hour, but two balls after first drinks Mitchell Johnson struck when Pietersen injudiciously hooked a bouncer straight to backward square leg.
Substitute fielder Chris Sabburg, on for paceman Ryan Harris, claimed the catch to a huge roar from the home crowd.
It was an inopportune choice of shot by Pietersen with the England players needing to stay at the crease to have any hope of saving the game.
Pietersen scored 26 off 52 balls to go with his 18 in the first innings.
It got worse for England when Bell was beaten by Peter Siddle's extra bounce in the 54th over and he edged to Brad Haddin for 32.
