England deny Australia

England today showed why they are still the number two Test team in the world, with a gritty and determined fight-back with 265-5 at stumps on day four. Their resistance led by Alastair Cook restricted Australia to just four wickets for the entire day, allowing English fans the faintest of hopes that this Ashes series may not be as dead as previously thought.

With one hand and four fingers on the urn, Australia entered day four of the third test knowing they were just nine wickets away from salvation.

The previous day saw one of the all time great knocks from Adam Gilchrist, scoring one of the fastest ever centuries in Test history. This was on top of Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke and Matthew Hayden all pounding the English attack into oblivion. The runs flowed freely, despite the fact England were not bowling too badly.

To make matters worse, English opener Andrew Strauss was out for a duck before the close of play after Ricky Ponting had declared for a whopping 556 runs ahead.

Nine wickets were all that separated the Australians from the Ashes that were taken from them in 2005. Absence had indeed made the heart grow fonder.

The first session however saw an attacking England finally find their groove. Learning from Adelaide, that attack is the best defence, Ian Bell and Alastair Cook showed off some superb stroke-play, including two brilliant sixes from Bell, to hold the much heralded but ageing Australian pace attack at bay.

Warne, McGrath, Lee and Clark poked and prodded in extreme heat, but it was to no avail. The first session of the day ended wicketless with England 99/1 at lunch.

The much discussed and analysed pitch held up well, thunderstorms were a slight possibility and 45 overs into the innings and Australia were yet to break through the 132 run partnership. England had dared to dream at this stage.

Nightmares would have begun to surface in the Australian camp. It was only a year ago at this same venue, that South African middle-order batsmen Jacques Rudolph managed to bat seven hours on the final day to draw the match. Incidentally that was the only Test match Australia have not won since the end of the 2005 Ashes tour.

Warne bowled his heart out and getting a huge amount of turn in the process. But by the 55th over, well into the second session, he was still largely unsuccessful. Beating the bat regularly and appealing even more, Warne’s quest for his 700th was going nowhere fast, until the breakthrough finally came with the last ball of his 20th over for the innings. Bell, in a momentary lapse of concentration, hit the ball straight to Justin Langer at short extra cover, dismissed for an and admirable 87.

The new man in, Paul Collingwood showed his customary grit and determination to scrape through till tea. The Australian attack, led by Warne, threw everything at him and Cook on 80, without any achievement and England went into the break having only lost the one wicket in the previous two sessions.

Collingwood was not able to make a mark though, as just the second wicket for the day so-far fell not long after tea. Collingwood continued his poor Test match, falling for just five runs, courtesy of some superb Stuart Clark bowling, edging a leg cutter straight to Adam Gilchrist. Australia, were only seven wickets away at this stage.

The story of the day though, was Alastair Cook. An outstanding innings from the 21 year old, saw him bring up his fourth Test century, arguably his finest to date. Holding back the Australian attack for the entire day, Cook reached his first Ashes ton, facing 257 balls. A herculean effort, braving not just the Australians but oppressive conditions as well. Cook finally fell to McGrath just minutes before stumps, very disappointed that he wasn’t able to see out the day. Out for 116.

McGrath, who didn’t have the best of days, turned it all around at the death, with a enormous yorker, removing the nightwatchman, Mathew Hoggard in what was an epic over, beating the new man in, Andrew Flintoff, twice as well.

As hard as it was for the batsmen, the Australian bowlers, like their English counterparts yesterday, did it tough. All toil for little reward, the ageing attack looked drained, but continued to give their all as the temperatures soared. Shane Warne bowled a tremendous 31 overs ending up with 1-100, but all of the bowlers contributing to the load, with little luck however. Clark and Lee did an admirable job, taking a wicket each for 31 and 49 respectively.

The day finished with England requiring another 292 runs with five wickets remaining.

With Flintoff and Pietersen still at the crease, the scene is set for a memorable and perhaps historic fifth day in front record crowds, where either Australia will regain the Ashes or England will pull off one of the greatest escapes in cricket history.

Australia 244
Mike Hussey 74*
Monty Panesar 5-92, Steve Harmison 4-48

England 215
Kevin Pietersen 70, Andrew Strauss 42
Stuart Clark 3-49, Andrew Symonds 2-8

Australia 527-5d
Michael Clarke 135*, Michael Hussey 102, Adam Gilchrist 102*
Monty Panesar 3-145

England 19-1
Alistair Cook 116, Ian Bell 87
Glenn McGrath 2-50, Stuart Clark 1-31