England spinner Graeme Swann praised Kevin Pietersen after his final-over heroics with the ball gave the tourists renewed hope of victory after day four of the second Ashes Test against Australia in Adelaide.

Pietersen, who scored a career-best Test score of 227 to help England to 620 for five declared, struck with his occasional spin to unseat Michael Clarke for 80 after he had looked to be in for the long haul alongside Mike Hussey.

"Sometimes you need a bit of inspiration and who else but KP to be up there telling you how to get Clarke out? He went straight in and said 'I'm an all-rounder, I'm an all-rounder' and he's still shouting it I think," Swann said on Sky Sports 1.

"We had to review it. It wasn't given but we all knew he got an inside edge so we called for the review system and thankfully it went in our favour.

"We toiled hard in the last session and a half with very little luck."

The fourth-wicket pair had given Australia, set 375 to make England bat again, hope of forcing a draw but the dismissal of Clarke gives the tourists added impetus heading into the final day of the match.

Australia closed on 238 for four and were left hoping that the forecast adverse weather comes to their aid tomorrow in a bid to keep the series level.

Swann earlier snared Australia opener Simon Katich and captain Ricky Ponting to leave the hosts on 98 for two.

"I was really happy with the way the ball came out," he said. "Obviously when you get a couple of early wickets you think 'this is going to be my day, I could get four or five' but it wasn't to be.

"Their best two players of spin combated me really well. Clarke was very tricky to bowl at. We didn't have much going for us but it all went our way in the last over."