Cricket: ASHLEY SMILES; THE ASHES 2nd Test: Action from day two at Edgbaston El Gilo rips heart out of Aussies to gag all his critics.

Byline: Mike Walters CRICKET CORRESPONDENT

ASHLEY GILES ended a bitter-sweet week by reclaiming his rightful place on the Spanish monarch's throne to the acclaim of his loyal subjects on the Costa del Edgbaston.

As "ten-man" England grabbed a priceless 99-run lead in the second npower Test, Giles bounded off the shrink's couch and unburdened his soul in memorable style.

Airing his left-arm spinners with even more gusto than he had aired his grievances in the build-up to a riveting game, Giles picked the lock expertly as Australia were winkled out for 308 in 76 overs.

Shane Warne trimmed England's optimism by corkscrewing an amazing leg-break past Andrew Strauss, but Michael Vaughan's men had extended their lead to 124 with nine wickets in hand.

If England are to win an Ashes Test while the urn is still at stake it's now or never, and Giles will be a crucial player on a wearing pitch in the fourth innings.

England's Rolls Royce twirler, who was once mistaken for a wheelie bin before the Warwickshire souvenir shop's mugs mistakenly hailed him as the King of Spain rather than king of spin, took 3-78 and deserved more.

But Giles produced the perfect response to Derbyshire's Zimbabwean coach David Houghton, who had outraged him by claiming England had effectively played with 10 men in the defeat at Lord's: David Who?

"It has been a tough week and I would be lying if I said I was not nervous before this game and before I bowled," said Giles.

"But if I had to choose one place to end a tricky week then it would be here in front of my home crowd."

There were other crucial contributions, notably Freddie Flintoff's three wickets and Aussie opener Justin Langer's battling 82 after he had been clattered on the helmet by Steve Harmison.

But nobody was going to steal Big Ashley's thunder. When he was harping on about ex-England players who allegedly do not share his ambition to regain the Ashes last week, Giles appeared to be mentally disintegrating.

But a consultation with team psychologist Steve Bull worked wonders, and yesterday's box of tricks was his best spell since he took nine wickets here against the West Indies last year.

If the Aussies are faintly nonplussed by Giles's 'King of Spain' moniker, they were utterly baffled by his born-again quicker ball yesterday.

At 194-3 they were threatening to overhaul England's 407, but Giles ended Michael Clarke's dangerous fourth-wicket stand with Langer by firing in his own brand of zooter, and Geraint Jones pouched the edge.

Flintoff tempted Simon Katich to nibble at a delivery slanted across him, Langer was nailed by Simon Jones' reverse swing after four-and-a-half hours' defiance and Shane Warne's agricultural swipe across the line at El Gilo was borrowed from Farmers Weekly.

Now it was Ricky Ponting who needed to lie down in a darkened room and unburden his soul.

Brett Lee edged Jones to second slip Flintoff, who claimed Jason Gilespie and Mike Kasprowicz with successive yorkers.

Matthew Hayden had collected a golden duck, slapping Matthew Hoggard's loosener straight to Strauss at short extra cover.

After a sublime counter-attack, Ponting top-edged a paddle round the corner to Vaughan, and the England captain's bull's-eye stranded Damien Martyn.

If Marcus Trescothick can sustain the majestic start he made to his second innings, England should be laughing before the weekend is out.

But there was only one sovereign king on everyone's lips at Edgbaston last night. All hail El Gilo.

SCOREBOARD

Overnight:England 407 (Trescothick 90, Pietersen 71, Flintoff 68; Warne 4-116). AUSTRALIA FIRST INNINGS Langer lbw b S P Jones.......................82 Hayden c Strauss b Hoggard...................0 Ponting c Vaughan b Giles....................61 Martyn run out...................................20 Clarke c G O Jones b Giles....................40 Katich c G O Jones b Flintoff.................4 Gilchrist not out.................................49 Warne b Giles.......................................8 Lee c Flintoff b S P Jones.....................6 Gillespie lbw b Flintoff..........................7 Kasprowicz lbw b Flintoff......................0 Extras(b13, lb7, w1, nb10)..............31 Total(76 overs)..........................308 Fall: 1-0, 2-88, 3-118, 4-194, 5-208, 6-262, 7-273, 8-282, 9-308. Bowling:Harmison 11-1-48-0; Hoggard 8-0-41-1; S P Jones 16-2-69-2; Flintoff 15-1-52-3; Giles 26-2-78-3. ENGLAND SECOND INNINGS Trescothick not out..............................19 Strauss b Warne...................................6 Hoggard not out...................................0 Extras..............................................0 Total: (1 wkt, 7 overs)..................25 Fall:1-25. Bowling: Lee 3-0-13-0; Gillespie 2-0-7- 0; Kasprowicz 1-0-5-0; Warne 1-1-0-1.

CAPTION(S):

TEAM BONDING: Michael Vaughan, Ashley Giles and ~Kevin Pietersen have a love-in after Giles removed Aussie dangerman Michael Clarke Pictures: ALAN WALTER; SPINNER SPUN OUT: Shane Warne is clean bowled by Ashley Giles; JONES THE WICKET: The Welsh wizard celebrates getting Justin Langer