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Sydney: Alastair Cook continued his series domination by scoring an unbeaten 61, as England cut the first-innings deficit to 113 runs on Day 2 of the fifth Test.
Enigmatic paceman Mitchell Johnson has engineered an Australian fightback late on day two to leave the fifth Ashes Test delectably poised.
England, which has already retained the Ashes with a 2-1 lead, is well poised to claim its first series win in Australia since 1987.
Cook played the anchor role in a 98-run opening stand with skipper Strauss, who blazed 60 from 58 balls, and then combined with No. 4 Pietersen (36) for 66 runs after England lost two wickets for one run before recovering to 167-3 at stumps in reply to Australia's 280.
Johnson, who top scored for Australia with 53, removed the in-form Jonathan Trott (0) and Kevin Pietersen (36) in the final session to drag the home side back into the contest.
The visitors progressed to 3-167 at stumps in response to Australia's modest first innings total of 280 in front of 40,247 vocal fans at the SCG.
In-form opener Alastair Cook is unbeaten on 61 alongside night watchman James Anderson (1).
Cook, the leading run scorer for either side this series, received a major let off on 46 when he was caught off a no-ball by Mitchell Johnson off debutant Michael Beer's (0-26) bowling.
The left hander looms as the key figure on day three as he closes in on his third century of the summer.
Skipper Andrew Strauss (60) was the first man to fall after tea when he fell to a peach of a delivery from Ben Hilfenhaus (1-52).
Strauss had no answer for a ball that swung into him sharply from around the wicket and held its line off the seam en route to his off stump.
It was a disappointing end for the captain who smashed eight boundaries and a six in his 58-ball knock.
Johnson struck seven balls later when Trott dragged a wide delivery back onto his stumps without scoring.
Pietersen was greeted by a chorus of boos from the local crowd, but the imposing No.4 moved off the mark first ball with a clip off his pads for four.
The former captain was lucky to survive on six when he almost dragged a Hilfenhaus delivery back onto his stumps.
Michael Clarke introduced Beer into the attack in the 31st over of the innings and Pietersen welcomed the left-arm orthodox spinner to Test cricket by dispatching him to the cover boundary with his first delivery.
He continued to take to Beer but his promising innings was cut short when he mistimed a Johnson bouncer straight down Beer's throat at fine leg.
Earlier, Johnson and Hilfenhaus produced a 76-run ninth-wicket partnership to salvage Australia's innings.
With the home side perilously placed at 8-189, Johnson and Hilfenhaus (34) produced the highest union of the innings to add some much needed to respectability to the score.
Johnson was the dominant partner in the 89-ball stand, smashing five fours and a six before he was clean bowled by Tim Bresnan (3-89) for 53 shortly after lunch.
James Anderson claimed four of the six Australian wickets to fall on day two to finish the pick of the England bowlers ahead of the bustling Bresnan.
After bowling well without reward on the opening day, Anderson removed vice-captain Brad Haddin in the opening half hour before claiming Steve Smith (18), Peter Siddle (2) and Hilfenhaus with the second new ball.
Brier scores
Australia 280 (Johnson 53, Anderson 4-66)
England 167 for 3 (Cook 61*, Strauss 60)
Status England trial by 113 runs
