Spirited England shock Sri Lanka

England 213 for 4 (Morgan 62*) beat Sri Lanka 212 (Kandamby 53, Mathews 52) by six wickets.

Sometimes you just have to get away from it all to find what you are really looking for. After embracing embarrassment throughout a lamentable one-day series against Australia, England's cricketers travelled 6000 miles south from Durham to Johannesburg, where to the astonishment of players, spectators and pundits alike, they atoned for their shortcomings by toppling the tournament pace-setters, Sri Lanka, in their opening match of the Champions Trophy. Dossier-compilers across the cricketing world will doubtless enquire exactly how England passed the time during their 11-hour long-haul flight on Monday, but if their performance stopped short of being sexy cricket, it did at least last rather longer than most of their recent efforts. An ecstatic new-ball onslaught from James Anderson and Graham Onions set England on course for victory as early as the sixth over of the match as Sri Lanka slumped to 17 for 4, and though Thilan Kandamby and Angelo Mathews responded manfully with a pair of well-paced half-centuries, Sri Lanka's eventual total of 212 was chased down with something approaching assurance, with 30 balls to spare. After the early loss of both openers, including the potentially devastating dismissal of Andrew Strauss for 9 via a stunning one-handed interception by Kandamby at midwicket, Paul Collingwood lifted England's intensity with a bullish 46 from 51 balls that included three leg-side sixes, before Eoin Morgan sealed the deal with his highest score in ODIs for England. In between whiles, Owais Shah put his recent jitters behind him with a calm and comfortable 44 that drew the sting of Sri Lanka's spinners, particularly the off-colour Muttiah Muralitharan, before Matt Prior partnered Morgan to the close with an aggressive unbeaten 28. It truly was an upset of the highest order, because the two teams could hardly have come together with their form and fortunes more polarised. In Sri Lanka's opening fixture at Centurion on Tuesday, they racked up the small matter of 319 for 8 as they routed the hosts and tournament favourites, South Africa, in a rain-curtailed contest. England, on the other hand, sloped belatedly into the country with their morale at their bootlaces and their form under a cloud, after the humiliations of their 6-1 trouncing by Australia. This time, however, being under a cloud suited England perfectly. On a green-tinged surface that might have been imported from Uxbridge in April, Strauss won his seventh toss in eight ODIs, and was delighted to unleash a seam-heavy attack in which Onions had been chosen in preference to Tim Bresnan, despite having played only one previous 50-over international. Sure enough, his faith was quickly repaid, as Onions extracted the out-of-form Sanath Jayasuriya with his fifth delivery, caught behind nibbling outside off for a second-ball duck. Four balls later, and Anderson extracted the prize scalp of Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka's centurion against South Africa, who had been frustrated for 11 probing deliveries in which his only scoring shot was a prod down to third man. He fell to a scything slash to point off the fullest delivery of Anderson's spell, whereupon Mahela Jayawardene - who seemed to have decided to go down swinging from the outset - was pinned lbw for 9 as he attempted an over-ambitious flick across the line. Kumar Sangakkara endured a torrid mini-innings - he was struck amidships first-ball by a wicked inducker from Onions, but then chased a ball that might well have been called wide, had he not connected with his edge and flashed a high chance to Andrew Strauss at first slip. At 17 for 4 after 32 deliveries, Sri Lanka were staring at the sort of humiliation that West Indies (47 for 7) encountered on this same surface against Pakistan on Wednesday. But Anderson and Onions could not continue indefinitely, and the arrival of Stuart Broad loosened the shackles enough for Sri Lanka to wriggle free. From his second delivery, Samaraweera drove an indifferent length ball through the covers for four, before following up with a handsome slash through point for a second boundary, and before long, England had truly lost the plot. In total, they served up an unforgiveable 21 wides, as they searched for killer deliveries in a bid to skittle the Sri Lankans inside 30 overs, whereas the more patient approach adopted by the Sri Lankan batsmen would have been far more appropriate. Broad took a while to gauge the pace and length for the surface - often his biggest failing as a bowler seems to be his inexperience - while his indiscipline spread to Onions' bowling as well, who beat Samaraweera with a vicious bouncer that almost knocked the batsman off his feet, only to squander that surprise element by beating the life out of the middle of the wicket, instead of pitching it up and inviting the ball to swing. Samaraweera followed up two overs later with back-to-back fours off Onions, before guiding another Broad bouncer over the slips and away through third man.

But, just as England were beginning to strain for inspiration, Broad rediscovered a good length outside off, and Samaraweera's enterprising innings of 30 from 48 balls came to an end thanks to a sharp catch from Paul Collingwood in the gully. Collingwood then followed up with an eight-over spell of accurate cutters that didn't realise any wickets, but conceded just 24 runs in the process - almost half the rate at which Onions and Luke Wright were dispatched. It took a run-out for England to truly regain their control of the contest, as Kandamby set off for a second run from a push into the covers, only to find Mathews rooted to the crease at the striker's end. Two overs later, they claimed their second run-out ... but Strauss, with visions of Collingwood's vilification in a similar situation against New Zealand last summer, asked the umpires to reverse the decision. Mathews had turned Onions into the leg-side, and set off for an intended two, only to collide with Onions, who had tracked back towards the non-striker's stumps, and with no apparent intent in his actions, was standing right next to Mathews as he turned blind on completing his run. Mathews was visibly unimpressed with the decision, and gesticulated as such as he left the crease, but it wasn't until he was in the pavilion tunnel that Strauss called him back to the crease. Three balls and one run later, his generosity was repaid, as Mathews nibbled outside off, and edged Wright low to Prior behind the stumps. As he left the crease for the second time, he acknowledged Strauss's sportsmanship with a wave. Cricket was the winner, and several forests-worth of newsprint were spared. Muralitharan cashed in with an enterprising slogged 18 before he and Malinga had their stumps demolished in consecutive deliveries from Broad, but at the halfway mark, Sri Lanka appeared to have a more-than-competitive total on the board, especially when Kulasekera struck to remove Denly and Strauss inside his first four overs. But the dewy conditions did not play to Sri Lanka's strengths in the slightest. The same, however, could not be said for England, who have now stormed to the top of their group. Wonders truly will never cease.

Paine sets up crushing victory

Australia 296 for 8 (Paine 111, Hussey 65, Anderson 4-55) beat England 185 (Hopes 3-32) by 111 runs.

Tim Paine's maiden one-day international century and two spectacular, direct-hit run-outs from Ricky Ponting sent England tumbling to their third heaviest all-time home defeat and a sixth consecutive loss to Australia. In a thoroughly dispiriting display, England were bundled out for 185 in pursuit of the tourists' 296 for 8, allowing the Australians a chance at an unprecedented seven-game series whitewash and moving them into a first-place tie with South Africa atop the ODI rankings. England seemed resigned to another punishing outing when Paine and Michael Hussey combined for Australia's highest third-wicket partnership (163) in limited overs matches against England. That sentiment was mercilessly driven home when Ponting capitalised on the confused states of mind of England's middle order to gun down Matt Prior and Ravi Bopara during the fielding Powerplay; dismissals from which they would never rebound. England's run-chase began disastrously when Andrew Strauss was incorrectly ruled out for the second successive match by Asad Rauf, but the hosts had only themselves to blame thereafter. Prior was caught off-guard at the non-striker's end by a sublime Ponting turn-and-throw at extra cover, while another mix-up from the combustible duo of Owais Shah and Bopara led to the latter's demise six balls later. Bopara's departure rounded out a depressing sequence in which England lost three top-order wicket for 15 runs in the space of 26 deliveries, and when Eoin Morgan fell with the England total on 100, another home defeat seemed assured. The 111-run loss was England's heaviest home defeat in eight years, and 11th worst in their 517-game ODI history. It was, by some distance, the nadir of England's already lamentable series, and will prompt much soul-searching barely a week out from their Champions Trophy opener against Sri Lanka. Earlier, Paine and Hussey posted Australia's highest third-wicket partnership against England to lead the tourists to a near run-a-ball total from their 50 overs. Paine notched his maiden one-day international century in just his seventh match, while Hussey blasted a brisk 65 as part of a 163-run stand that eclipsed the previous record set by David Boon and Allan Border in Sharjah 22 years ago. Australia's prospects of a sixth consecutive victory over England were significantly boosted by the contributions of Paine and Hussey, although James Anderson (4 for 55) ensured the tourists did not have it all their own way. Anderson, clearly rejuvenated after his enforced two-match break, removed Shane Watson and Ponting early and bowled Callum Ferguson with the first delivery of his third spell to apply a degree of restraint to Australia's total. But the afternoon belonged to Paine. Called in as a late replacement for the injured Brad Haddin, the wicketkeeper-batsman displayed temperament far beyond that of a man playing just his third week of one-day international cricket during a 148-ball innings of 111. He batted methodically in the tense, early exchanges, relying on cover and square drives for the bulk of his runs before expanding his repertoire to include a deft reverse sweep off Graeme Swann and a series of well-struck cut-shots. Patience and placement were his major weapons, although Paine did dip into the power reserves on occasion, most notably when he dispatched a Dimitri Mascarenhas slower ball over the long-off rope. Paine was ably supported by Hussey, who operated on a higher gear to his younger partner throughout his 69-ball stint in the middle. Hussey weathered a testing period early before hitting the accelerator to bring the previously subdued Trent Bridge crowd to life. Glides behind square were complemented by withering blows in front of the wicket - his sixes of Ryan Sidebottom and Mascarenhas a highlight - as Australia's third-wicket partnership swelled to 163. Hussey's dismissal to Swann sparked a nervous period for the tourists during which they lost 3 for 17 in 24 deliveries. However, a late surge from James Hopes (38 off 22 balls) and Cameron White (35 off 23) allowed the Australians to take 54 runs from their final Powerplay. The pair combined for a sixth-wicket stand of 53 from 27 deliveries.

Ponting Leads Australia To 5-0

Australia 302 for 6 (Ponting 126, Clarke 52) beat England 299 (Morgan 58) by four wickets. Ricky Ponting has already suffered the ignominy of surrendering the No. 1 Test ranking on this tour, but his final week in England may yet witness Australia's return to the summit of the 50-over game. Ponting produced his highest ever ODI total against England - a breathtaking innings of 126 from 109 deliveries - that provided the platform from which Australia launched a successful assault on England's intimidating 299. Nothing short of a 7-0 series whitewash will allow Australia to usurp the top-ranked South Africans entering the Champions Trophy, and Ponting's 27th career ODI century delivered them to within two wins of the feat. Australia's fifth consecutive victory over England was sealed when Mitchell Johnson blasted Ryan Sidebottom for a straight six with four wickets in hand and 10 balls remaining, however it was the imperious batting of Ponting that will be remembered as the tide-turner. The designated rest period has clearly done Ponting no harm. From the outset, his was an innings of sublime timing and intimidating power that England's bowlers could do little to repel. At one point, Ponting cuffed a Sidebottom delivery over the press box, but his most entertaining sequence came when he pounded consecutive sixes off Adil Rashid, who had the dubious honour of taking the second ball. Ponting's only moment of trepidation came on 35 when, facing Dimitri Mascarenhas, Matt Prior removed the bails with his foot in motion behind the crease. The third umpire, Nigel Llong, found in his favour, however, allowing Ponting to resume his third-wicket stand with Michael Clarke, which produced 123-runs. The Australians suffered a pair of setbacks when Tim Bresnan removed Tim Paine and Shane Watson, the latter for a well-struck 36 from 34 deliveries. But their exits drew Ponting and Clarke to the centre, and both appeared in an ominous mood from the outset. While Ponting powered out of the blocks, Clarke began his innings watchfully before steadily accelerating as the evening progressed. His penchant for scoring runs this series has not been in question, although his ability to do so quickly has emerged as a discussion point, particularly with the Twenty20 captaincy up for grabs. A return of 52 from 64 balls might not have ended the debate, but it did represent a higher gear than those which he has operated on thus far in the series. England were left to rue a poor fielding display that undid much of their earlier work with the bat. Australia's final pair of Cameron White (24 not out from 15 balls) and Johnson (18 not out from 12) were too often allowed charity runs in the closing overs, turning a potentially tense finale into a relatively docile stroll. Earlier, Eoin Morgan's flashing blade propelled England to their highest total of the series, and with it their best chance yet of ending Australia's fortnight of dominance. Morgan's frenetic innings of 58 from 41 deliveries featured an array of dazzling strokes, including powerful sixes to bring up England's 200 and his own half-century. England seemed set for another middle order stammer when Owais Shah departed in the 39th over with the total at 192 for 5, however Morgan's late-innings partnerships with Mascarenhas and Stuart Broad provided the hosts first with ballast, and later authority. The Dublin-born left-hander made his move between the 38th and 42nd overs during England's batting Powerplay, at which time the hosts advanced their total by 45 runs, then proceeded to frustrate the Australians with powerful and occasionally improvised strokeplay, such as his stunning reverse sweep to the boundary off Nathan Bracken. Bracken exacted revenge with his next delivery, though not before Morgan, who was dropped on 38 by juggling Michael Hussey at deep square-leg, had accelerated to his highest one-day international score since shifting allegiances from Ireland. At the time of his departure in the 48th over, England were well on course for a competitive total, and when Rashid blasted three boundaries from Johnson's final over, a intimidating score was in the books. England's middle-order resurgence may not have come in time to save the series, but it will provide team management with a sense of optimism ahead of the Champions Trophy. Too often England's batsmen have been contained and subsequently dismissed by Australia's bowlers over the past few weeks, but on an ideal batting surface the hosts managed a display befitting of an international-standard limited-overs side.

Lee Shines As Australia Seals Searies

Australia 221 for 3 (Clarke 62*, Paine 51) beat England 220 (Strauss 63, Lee 5-49) by seven wickets. Brett Lee has wanted to prove a point in this series after missing the Ashes and did so in emphatic style as he claimed 5 for 49 to set up Australia's crushing seven-wicket victory, which gave them an unassailable 4-0 lead. After England folded to the pace of Lee for 220, Tim Paine made his first international half-century to set up the chase, then Michael Clarke helped himself to an unbeaten 62 as Australia cruised home with 38 balls to spare. England were still handily placed on 146 for 3 when Lee, who removed Joe Denly in the fifth over, returned for a one-over spell before the mandatory ball change at 34 overs. His first delivery was a pinpoint yorker that was too much for Matt Prior, he finished with a wicket-maiden, and from there the innings nose-dived. However, it was Lee's last spell that was the most destructive as England's last five wickets fell for 20. Lee was just too quick for four batsmen as he demolished the stumps with searing yorkers to complete the ninth five-wicket haul of his career. Nathan Hauritz also deserves huge credit for claiming two key wickets, including Strauss, and conceding just 23 runs from his 10 overs. In a pattern that has become eerily predictable, Andrew Strauss shone at the top with a neat 63, but once again his colleagues couldn't follow suit. It was thrilling to watch Lee in full flow, an absent phenomenon during the Ashes series, as he uprooted the stumps of Luke Wright, Stuart Broad and Adil Rashid in the space of 15 balls. England's frustrations nearly boiled over when Owais Shah swung a full toss from Shane Watson to midwicket and stood his ground, believing the ball had been above waist height. Replays showed it was marginal, but England are far from a happy bunch. There was barely a need for Australia to break sweat during their chase, although Watson's habit of falling lbw continued when he played across a delivery from Tim Bresnan. Paine cashed in on a couple of long hops from Rashid, who was introduced inside the Powerplays and struggled with his length to begin with, while Ricky Ponting eased back into his day job with two boundaries off Bresnan during a second-wicket stand of 57 in nine overs. At times England's bowling was as ordinary as the batting, but to Rashid's credit he recovered somewhat from his loose start and removed Paine via a top-edged sweep. Ponting enjoyed what was little more than an extended net following his three-week lay-off - an ideal way to get himself back into the groove ahead of the Champions Trophy - until he drove Bresnan to cover, but Clarke eased to his half-century from 66 balls in the glorious late-summer sunshine. Australia didn't bother to knock the runs off especially quickly on their last appearance at Lord's for the summer and the batting Powerplay was unused. The ground has brought mixed memories this year, but they will be back again in 2010 when they face Pakistan in a Test. The pattern of England's efforts in this series has been uncanny - and not in a good way. Strauss dominated the scoring at The Rose Bowl, before he fell for 63 off 72 balls, and it was an almost identical situation here as he reached a 48-ball half century having won his fourth toss of the series. However, with Hauritz doing an impressive job in stifling the scoring rate - he had already removed Ravi Bopara - Strauss felt the need to try and increase the tempo, but only managed a thick outside-edge to short third man when England needed him to stay and score a hundred. As he has done throughout the summer, Strauss looked in complete control. He took three fours in four balls off a wayward Nathan Bracken and had just the one awkward moment against Lee, when he got into a tangle against a short ball and gloved the delivery just wide of a diving Paine. Bopara, demoted to No. 3 with Denly's recall, was also playing comfortably in a second-wicket stand of 67. However, Hauritz's introduction slowed England's progress and he made the breakthrough in his third over when Bopara was struck in line with off stump while sweeping to complete another unfulfilling innings. England couldn't get Hauritz away - he conceded just a single boundary in his 10 overs - but again there was a lack of intent and the pressure told on Strauss as the run-rate dropped from over five to nearer four. In a smart piece of captaincy from Ponting, Hauritz was removed from the attack after nine overs to allow Lee a dart before the ball was changed at 34 overs with the result being Prior's demise. Paine pulled off a swift leg-side stumping to remove Eoin Morgan and though ideally two batsmen need to set when the batting Powerplay is taken, England had little option to call theirs soon after Wright arrived as his role in the side is to hit boundaries. It started brightly as the first two overs brought 21, but Lee soon found his range and England were blown away. In every sense.

Cameron White's Maiden International Hundered Helps Australia Complete Hatrick

Australia 230 for 4 (White 105, Clarke 52) beat England 228 for 9 (Strauss 63, Watson 3-36) by six wickets.

Cameron White scored his maiden international hundred, and Michael Clarke signed off as captain with a sheet-anchor 52 from 92 balls, as England's under-performing batsmen were taught an object lesson in how to pace a run-chase in the third ODI at the Rose Bowl. Chasing 229 under the floodlights after losing the toss for the third time in the series, White and Clarke added 143 for the third wicket to steer Australia to a comfortable six-wicket victory with nine balls remaining, and secure a virtually unassailable 3-0 lead with four matches of the NatWest Series still to come. Though England's bowlers put up something of a fight with the ball, the match was lost during another inadequate performance from the batsmen, in which Andrew Strauss, once again, was the only redeeming feature. Australia lost both openers early in their chase, and at 56 for 2 after 15 overs, it looked as though they might be forced to struggle for the ascendancy. But whereas England's batsmen produced five partnerships worth between 34 and 41 runs - a stat that perfectly encapsulated the wastefulness of their performance - the Aussies needed just one hefty alliance to make the game safe. For differing reasons, White and Clarke had plenty to prove in tonight's contest - the return of Ricky Ponting for Saturday's fourth ODI will require White to relinquish his No. 3 spot, and Clarke to hand back the captaincy. But both men ensured that the skipper will return to a steady ship after silencing a full house at The Rose Bowl with a performance that was light on fireworks but brimful of determination. Clarke contributed a solitary boundary to a stay that spanned 30 overs, which also happened to be his last shot before being bowled by Graeme Swann one ball later, and while questions remain about his lack of impetus in the middle-order, tonight is not the night for quibbling. Instead, it is a night for White to celebrate his arrival on the international stage. Having never batted higher than No. 5 before this series, today's 116-ball hundred followed on from his maiden half-century in the first match at The Oval, and whereas England's skittish batsmen have continually found new and innovative ways to squander their promising starts, he belied his reputation as a biffer to set himself a platform and, then, crucially, to build on it. His only error with the bat came on 92, during Australia's Powerplay, when Tim Bresnan fluffed a skier at long-on - and while the bowler, James Anderson, was not best pleased at that let-off, Anderson himself had earlier been guilty of letting White off the hook with two run-out chances - the first an underarm shy from five yards that somehow missed the stumps with the batsman on 46, and later a failure to break the stumps with White on 70, and floundering for the crease having worked a single into the leg-side. There was no panic at any stage of Australia's performance, however. They claimed the Powerplay at 154 for 2, with 66 balls of the chase remaining and 75 runs still needed, whereupon White drilled Sidebottom over mid-on for their first six of the series. His own contribution ended with nine runs still required, when he scudded a Luke Wright slower ball to mid-off, but Callum Ferguson and Michael Hussey ensured there were no late dramas. And so England were left to rue another day in keeping with their performances all year, in which their fortunes were dictated entirely by their captain. Having won his third toss of the series under overcast skies, Strauss might well have been tempted to bowl first, were it not for the memory of the failed run-chases that England compiled in the first two matches at The Oval and Lord's. This time, he took it upon himself to set the agenda personally, and at first he did so to fine effect. Though he did not open his account until his 11th delivery of the innings, he then climbed into Brett Lee with three fours in a row - a pull, a cut and a drive, the three staples of his international diet - en route to a 60-ball half-century.

At the other end, Ravi Bopara showed signs of his returning confidence when he drilled the first ball of Nathan Bracken's third over over long-on for six, and at 40 for 0 after seven overs, England were looking in command of their destiny. But then, however, it all started to go wrong. Bopara attempted a repeat stroke, but picked out James Hopes at full stretch running back towards the pavilion, and in the very next over, Matt Prior sized up a violent pull shot to get himself off the mark, but he fizzed a simple chance straight to Hopes once more, this time off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson. Owais Shah, under pressure again thanks to his haphazard running in the second ODI, was adjudged lbw, somewhat unluckily, as replays suggested that Johnson's delivery would have slipped past the off stump. And then, in a lapse in concentration that has been an unfortunate part of his otherwise excellent form in this series, Strauss worked Hauritz in the air with a flick of the wrists, and Clarke swooped low at midwicket to send him on his way. At 98 for 4, Australia were firmly in the ascendancy. Collingwood, charged with raising the tempo as well as providing mature support to the tyro Eoin Morgan, then produced arguably the most culpable dismissal of the lot, as he attempted to biff Shane Watson's medium pace over the leg-side field, but succeeding only in scuffing his drive to Bracken at mid-on for 28 boundary-free runs. And when Luke Wright scorched to short extra cover, it was left to Morgan to cobble together a defendable target. He added 36 in seven overs with Bresnan, including a rare six as Hopes was punched over the top, but the decision to call for the Powerplay in the 42nd over once again scuppered all England's momentum. On 43, Morgan was suckered by a slower-ball full toss from Lee, and patted a tame drive to Johnson at wide mid-off, before Swann played across the line to a wicket-to-wicket delivery from Shane Watson to be adjudged lbw for 3 from three balls (188 for 8). As England dribbled through their allocation, it wasn't until Bresnan cleared his front leg to smash consecutive fours off Watson with three balls of the Powerplay remaining that they managed so much as a boundary in their five sloggable overs. Bresnan and Ryan Sidebottom ensured that the innings was not a total surrender by hauling England through their 50 overs in a ninth-wicket stand of 40, with both men posting their highest scores in ODI cricket before Sidebottom holed out to White off Watson's final ball of the innings. Nevertheless, their modest achievements were a further indictment of the failings higher up the order. Only an inspired performance with the ball would have enabled England to escape. And sure enough, White and Clarke ensured it did not materialise.

Johnson Helps Australia Secure Second Successive Win

Australia 249 for 8 (Ferguson 55, Johnson 43*) beat England England 210 (Collingwood 56, Lee 2-22) by 39 runs .

Already, two matches into this series, a pattern is developing as Australia claimed a 2-0 lead with 39-run victory at Lord's. Once again they were put into bat and managed only a par score as Callum Ferguson top-scored with 55, but then restricted a run-chase that England should have knocked off with ease, especially after reaching 74 without loss. England were guilty of repeating the same mistakes from The Oval as a number of their top-order made starts, but only Paul Collingwood passed fifty as he forlornly tried to hold the chase together. The key performance in many ways, though, was Mitchell Johnson's late assault with the bat after Australia had slumped to 208 for 8 in the 46th over. They didn't look like using up their allocation, but Johnson swung powerfully to club 43 from 23 balls and add 41 off the last 4.2 overs with Nathan Hauritz. It should have been negated by the solid start between Andrew Strauss and Ravi Bopara, but four wickets in 32 balls including two in four by Shane Watson, either side of a fly-past by an RAF Lancaster Bomber, derailed England's chase. And whereas on Friday they managed to get close thanks to the lower-order, this time the chase limped along. While Collingwood, who reached 4000 ODI runs when he had made 14, had Graeme Swann for company in an eighth-wicket stand of 36 there was still a chance, but Swann's mow across the line off a slower-ball from Nathan Bracken signalled the end. It was another example of an England batsman picking the wrong shot at the wrong time. The asking rate wasn't out of control with the Powerplay still to come, but by the time Bracken finished a double-wicket maiden, which also included Ryan Sidebottom's scalp, the game was up and the batting option hadn't been used. Of further frustration for England - as they lost all ten wickets for 136 - was that they were comfortably ahead of Australia's comparison well into the final 10 overs. Strauss had been quickest out of the blocks as he showed the adaptability that is now part of his batting and he and Bopara then began to feast on some loose offerings from James Hopes. However, Watson's introduction changed the game when Bopara walked across his stumps and was struck in front of middle. Watson, who struggled with the ball during his brief spells in the Ashes, celebrated with vigour and was at it again when Prior drove loosely without much footwork. Strauss's demise came two balls after a fly-past from a Lancaster Bomber that brought the Lord's crowd to their feet as it flew in over the Nursery Ground, then turned and made a return pass. The event was to commemorate 65 years since Lord's was handed back after being used as a RAF receiving base in World War Two. The players came onto the balcony to watch, and Strauss was soon rejoining them as he tried to work Hauritz into the leg side and chipped a gentle leading edge back to the bowler. Owais Shah announced his intentions by coming down the pitch and hammering Hauritz over wide mid-off for an authoritative boundary. But the combination of Collingwood and Shah at the crease did suggest some chaos with the running, with one of team's quickest alongside one of the slowest. Collingwood played the ball to the off side and wanted the single but saw Shah hesitate. That caused Collingwood to stutter and by the time both began running it was far too late, with Shah being the casualty. It adds to the lengthy list of run-outs Shah has been involved in and it is a significant problem. To Collingwood's credit he refocused well, but couldn't find anyone to stay with him. Eoin Morgan was pinned lbw by Johnson and Luke Wright, with time to build an innings, wafted at the hostile and accurate Brett Lee before Tim Bresnan fell to a weak cut against Johnson. There are plenty of Australians with points to prove in this series, Lee and Johnson being two of them, and so far that is a major difference. Australia had also stumbled after a solid opening stand, but had enough in the tank to stage a recovery. Bresnan, recalled after Stuart Broad was ruled out with a stiff neck, broke the first-wicket partnership of 62 when Watson drove to cover where Wright held a sharp, mid-air catch. Then it was Wright the bowler who took charge as Tim Paine pulled a short ball to deep midwicket where Morgan, playing as extra batting cover in place of Adil Rashid, steadied himself well under a spiralling catch. Wright, showing the pace he has added this season, then had Michael Clarke caught behind top-edging a pull. The innings was steadied by Ferguson and Cameron White as the pair added 59 before Bopara had White caught behind first-ball. Swann ensured that Australia's middle order struggled to find momentum when he removed Michael Hussey with one that straightened a fraction, and also trapped Hopes on the sweep. However, Ferguson remained and notched another half-century, to continue a prolific start to his international career, until playing round a straight ball to give James Anderson his first wicket since August 3. England should have aimed to bowl Australia out, but instead they lost some intensity in the closing overs as Johnson freed his arms and those runs proved the difference. There isn't much between these sides, but at the moment it's enough.

Australia Win In Tense Finish

Australia 260 for 5 (Ferguson 71*, Collingwood 2-47) beat England 256 for 8 (Bopara 49, Shah 40, Johnson 3-24) by 4 runs.

The ECB has taken it upon itself to destroy 50-over cricket, and it really does have a point. For 92 out of 100 overs, this was as awful as any international contest can be. But then suddenly, after six hours of ennui, the contest blazed into life under the Oval floodlights, as Luke Wright and Adil Rashid slashed and carved England to within a six-hit of an incredible and scarcely merited victory. In the end, however, it was left to Ryan Sidebottom to complete the heist by smashing Nathan Bracken out of the ground, but his swing-from-the-hip merely dribbled out to mid-off. And though it may be churlish to say it, the wave of anticlimax that swept the ground was entirely fitting. Australia duly won by four runs, their stodgy innings of 260 for 5 proving sufficient to overcome England's clumsy run-chase on a pitch hewn from the finest suet. Callum Ferguson's career-best 71 not out was the decisive innings of the day; Mitchell Johnson's 3 for 24 were the stand-out figures. But until Wright's uncompromising 38 from 27 balls (which ended when he was run out off a no-ball), Owais Shah's dismissal was set to be the most apt summary of the contest. He reached 40 from 48 balls before treading on his stumps while setting off for a single, and as he departed at 161 for 4 in the 38th over, so England's hopes appeared to go with him. Forget all the criticism that flew in Surrey's direction for the surface they served up for last month's Ashes decider. At least it could be said that that track had been designed with entertainment in mind. This, on the other hand, was designed for cricketing euthanasia. The slow and low surface encouraged neither attacking bowling nor calculated strokeplay, and it wasn't until desperation set in with 82 runs needed from 48 balls that the slogging began and the murmur in the crowd rose even an octave above cocktail party level. Briefly, it was as if we were back at the ICC World Twenty20. And maybe that is the point. Australia were made to flap in those closing overs. Michael Clarke, standing in as captain for the resting Ricky Ponting, juggled his field and his bowlers in equal measure, but - as had been the case all through the day - the extra pace of the seamers proved to be the only surefire way of getting the ball off the square. Bracken's final two overs were swiped for 23, while Brett Lee, who produced an energetic new-ball burst to account for England's captain, Andrew Strauss, was edged through third man for two fours from consecutive deliveries to reduce England's requirement from 27 in 12 balls to 19 in 10. But 13 from the final over proved to be beyond the scope even of the nerveless Rashid, who pulled a handsome four through square leg to raise the crowd's hopes, but was ultimately stranded at the wrong end on 31 not out. Earlier, Rashid had been the pick of England's bowlers as well, conceding 37 runs in ten overs of flighty and accurate legspinners. He joined forces with Paul Collingwood's offcutters to stymie Australia's run-rate, after Shane Watson and Cameron White had overcome the early loss of Tim Paine to add 82 in 15.5 overs for the second wicket. A brace of run-outs did not help their cause, least of all that of White, who had just posted his maiden ODI half-century when he was beaten by a bullet throw from the deep by Graeme Swann that Matt Prior gathered well in front of the stumps. That left all eyes on the captain, Clarke, whose one-day form has been under some scrutiny of late, as the youthful dasher has given way to a more watchful - and consequently stodgy - cricketer. His 45 from 72 balls was a case in point. His strokeplay was as elegant as ever, but he continually picked out the fielders as he was restricted to just three fours in his innings, and having dallied until the 43rd over to call for Australia's batting powerplay, he was caught slashing to point off Collingwood two balls later. Hussey, returning to the scene of his career-prolonging century two weeks ago, provided spirited support to Ferguson as Australia added 47 in five overs for the fifth wicket. But his cameo came to an end when Sidebottom yorked him for 20 from 15 balls, leaving James Hopes to partner Ferguson through the remaining 16 deliveries of the innings. England's initial response was (with the exception of a skittish Strauss) cautious, as they waited for their scoring opportunities, and picked off just seven fours in the course of the first 25 overs. Ravi Bopara produced his most composed performance since the World Twenty20 to keep the chase on course, but the spinner, Nathan Hauritz, changed the tone of the innings when he had Bopara's partner, Prior, caught in the gully off a reverse sweep for 28. At the halfway mark of the chase, England had reached 102 for 2 in pursuit of 261, with Bopara unbeaten on 46 from 80 balls. He was unable to make it to his half-century, however, as Hauritz dragged him out of his crease to be stumped for 49. Shah then started brightly by cracking two fours in a lone and exploratory over from Lee, but his running between the wickets - never a strong point - was an accident waiting to happen as Collingwood was sent sprawling for his crease twice in consecutive deliveries. In the end, he was forced so far back into his crease by Johnson that his heel demolished his leg stump, and that was the end of that. Collingwood never found his timing - at least, not until he was roundly booed by a frustrated crowd for playing out two dot balls in a row midway through the 40th over. One delivery later, he absolutely lambasted a delivery that was fractionally short in length from Johnson, but Watson at midwicket timed his leap to perfection to intercept the shot. Collingwood was gone for 23 from 47 balls, and so too, it seemed, was the match. Wright and Rashid had other ideas, but their enterprising late efforts could not mask the paucity of the overall contest.

Rain Interupts First T-20

Match abandoned Australia 145 for 4 (White 55, Collingwood 2-20) v England 4 for 2 . Just when Australia thought they had a chance for a modicum of Ashes revenge, rain thwarted a fiery start by Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson at Old Trafford. The pace pair ripped out England's latest Twenty20 opening duo - Joe Denly first ball on debut and Ravi Bopara - to reduce them to 4 for 2 in the second over chasing 146. Australia's total was better than it appeared on a tricky, two-paced surface where only Cameron White excelled with a powerful 55 from 36 balls. However, after seven balls of the run chase, rain, which delayed the second innings, returned with vengeance and didn't relent. When it had done, for a brief period, the Australians looked primed to make their mark. Lee steamed in from the Stretford End and claimed Denly with his first ball at England's new opener. It was a short ball, something the tourists had been practicing, and Denly could only splice a catch to square leg. At nearly 90mph, it was considerably quicker than anything he'd faced against Ireland. Denly had a poor day after also dropping White at backward point on 12. Lee followed the wicket with a no-ball to Jonathan Trott, but the free hit was edged towards the slips and Trott could barely get bat on ball for the rest of the over. At the other the end the pace was no less extreme from Johnson and Bopara's poor international form continued when he flayed loosely outside off and sent a high catch to first slip. Both openers will get another chance on Tuesday - weather permitting - and England need to settle on a first-wicket combination. This is their 13th pair in 21 Twenty20 innings - it was certainly unlucky for Denly and Bopara. But that was that, as far as this match was concerned. A dull, cold, wet day in Manchester can be a fairly grim place and even during the action that did take place the Twenty20 atmosphere was subdued. That was partly down to the scoring-rate, as Australia laboured at around a run-a-ball for three quarters of their innings before White's 55 increased the rate in the last five overs. In total Australia managed just six fours in their innings alongside White's three sixes as England exploited a two-paced surface with clever changes of pace. The final five overs brought 52 thanks to White's hitting and some scampering, although the last two only cost 14 and Michael Clarke finished on a very un-Twenty20 27 from 34 deliveries. Stuart Broad made the initial breakthrough with the first ball of his second over when Watson spliced a pull to midwicket where Bopara - not always the safest fielder - took the catch on the edge of the circle. Paul Collingwood rotated his seamers in short spells, but it was the introduction of the captain himself that had the biggest impact. Operating in cutter mode, and finding considerable turn, Collingwood trapped David Warner leg before as he swung across the line, although the batsman was unlucky as the ball pitched outside leg stump. Two balls later David Hussey, who slammed 111 against Scotland, had a charge at his second ball and was smartly stumped by the increasingly impressive Matt Prior. White finally added to the boundary count when he drove Collingwood inside-out through cover and he was given a life in the next over as Denly, on debut, spilled the fairly straightforward chance at backward point off Anderson. White was the only batsman to look comfortable in the conditions and began to open his shoulders during the final five overs. A powerful pull over deep midwicket off Broad brought up the 100 with the first six of the innings and he followed that by depositing Graeme Swann over long-on. He saved the sweetest of his strikes to reach a 33-ball half-century as he flicked Ryan Sidebottom onto the committee balcony. Sidebottom produced an excellent final over, but didn't hide his annoyance when Luke Wright missed the simple catch at long-on off Adam Voges from the penultimate ball. His anger towards team-mates' mistakes has been an issue before, and time away from the team hasn't dulled his passion. The real frustration, though, was the weather. Everyone will try again in two days.

Gloriouse England Take Ashes

England 332 and 373 for 9 dec beat Australia 160 and 348 (Hussey 121, Ponting 66, Swann 4-120) by 197 runs.

Amid scenes of delirium unwitnessed in South London since the unforgettable summer of 2005, England's cricketers reclaimed the Ashes on a tumultuous fourth afternoon at The Oval, as Australia's brave resistance - led by a century of incredible mental fortitude from Michael Hussey - was unpicked, wicket by wicket, minute by minute, until, at 5.47pm, and with an expectant crowd willing on the moment of glory, Hussey prodded Graeme Swann to Alastair Cook at short leg to spark the celebrations into life. At the moment of victory, all of England's players rushed into a huddle on the edge of the square - all except for one, that is. In his moment of Test retirement, Andrew Flintoff's first instinct was to seek out and console the crestfallen centurion Hussey, whose 121 from 263 balls had given his side a hope of salvation, but whose careless running between the wickets during a fraught afternoon session had been the single biggest factor in their demise. By calling for the single that led to the run-out of his captain and resistance-leader Ricky Ponting for 66, Hussey is unlikely to recall this particular innings with any fondness whatsoever. Inevitably, it was Flintoff who stole the show from the Australians. He could not be the tub-thumping batsman of old in this series, while his bowling - though thunderous at Lord's - faded cruelly as the concerns about his right knee began to mount. But as a presence, and as a man who can make things happen on a cricket field, his spell has scarcely diminished. In a moment that is sure to be replayed for years on end, he gathered a firm clip from Hussey, steadied himself as Ponting hesitated fatally, then unleashed a fast, flat, unerring swing of the arm that plucked out the off stump with Ponting a foot short. Though the decision went to a replay, Flintoff was in no doubt. He raised his arms in his now-habitual Kodak pose, and waited to be enveloped by his jubilant team-mates. It was a moment eerily reminiscent of Gary Pratt's series-turning shy at Trent Bridge in 2005, when Ponting once again was the fall guy, and it uncorked the tensions in the crowd as surely as the champagne was uncorked in England's dressing-room some three hours later. It brought to an end an unnerving stand of 127, and it shattered Australia's collective will. Five balls later, their batsman of the series, Michael Clarke ran himself out for a duck after a clip off the pads ricocheted to Andrew Strauss at leg slip, and Australia could not recover their poise. Though Hussey was badly dropped by Paul Collingwood at slip on 55 off Swann, in Swann's next over, Marcus North dragged his back foot out of the crease as he swung at a big ripper, and Matt Prior, having gathered well high to his left, flicked off the bails almost as an afterthought. Their target of 546 had become a distant figment of their imagination, and at 236 for 5, their only remaining hope was to bat out the final four sessions of the series. Brad Haddin chose pugnacity as the means to reboot Australia's innings, and he signalled his intent with two fours in his first nine balls, including a fizzing cover-drive as James Anderson overpitched. But Anderson might have dismissed him three times in a single over, including a regulation clip to short midwicket that was spilled by the substitute, Graham Onions. As he and Hussey took their seventh-wicket stand to 91, an ever-anxious crowd began to shuffle in their seats. On 34, however, his luck finally ran out, as he advanced down the track to Swann and picked out Strauss with a lofted flick to deep midwicket. It was to be the game-breaking moment. Strauss, usually the coolest of characters in the field, celebrated euphorically as The Oval erupted once more, and seven balls later, the end truly was nigh. Steve Harmison - hitherto muted on a pitch that did not suit his style - extracted enough life for Mitchell Johnson to fence to second slip, where Collingwood, to his relief and joy, finally held on. Then, when Peter Siddle played around his front pad to lob a simple chance to mid-off, Harmison had his second scalp in the space of 12 balls.

That quickly became three in 13, as Stuart Clark fenced nervily to Cook at short leg, and though Hilfenhaus averted the hat-trick with a stabbed defence straight back down the track, there was no longer any way to stem England's tide of emotion. With Harmison stalking to the crease with a predatory menace unseen in Ashes cricket for four long years, the crowd finally dared to proclaim the Ashes were coming home. Fifteen balls later, they were. Some six hours earlier, England's day of destiny had dawned with more than just a frisson of anxiety in the air, thanks to the ease with which Australia's openers had pushed along at four runs an over on the third evening of the match. But Swann soothed the nation by claiming the initial breakthrough at the end of his second over, tweaking a succession of sharply spinning offbreaks past Simon Katich's edge, before nailing him plumb lbw with the arm-ball. Swann bounced for joy in the middle of the pitch as a massive roar of relief and ecstasy erupted from the stands, but almost immediately the fervour morphed into a respectful standing ovation for the incoming Ponting, in his 136th Test and almost certainly his last in England after four memorable Ashes tours. Before he had faced a delivery, however, England had struck again, as Broad this time hurried Shane Watson on off stump and beat the inside-edge of his defensive prod. Watson did not seem best amused at the decision, but replays suggested there was nothing wrong with the appeal at all. For all of Watson's impressive form in five innings at the top of Australia's order, it was nevertheless the fourth time this series he had fallen in such a manner. Food for thought as he works on his new career as an opener. At 90 for 2 and with a jittery Hussey at the crease, England swarmed onto the offensive, with Swann camping four men around the bat at all times and at one stage sending down 28 dot balls in a row as Hussey prodded and smothered with desperate determination. At the other end, Ponting's eagerness to play the pull was tempered by his wariness of the vagaries of the wicket, although whenever he was tempted, he executed the stroke with the mastery that has made it his calling-card for the past decade. In the first over after lunch, Ponting laced a first-ball full-toss from Broad through the covers for four, then tickled Swann around the corner to bring up a battling and brilliant half-century from 76 deliveries. Broad subsequently received a warning for running on the pitch to deepen the crowd's growing concerns, who had just seen Collingwood at slip parry a rare Ponting edge with his left boot. But then up popped Flintoff, and once he'd had his say, there was no holding back the inevitable.

Trott's Brilliance Sets Australia A Record Beating Task

England 332 and 373 for 9 dec (Trott 119, Strauss 77, Swann 63, North 4-98) lead Australia 160 by 545 runs. Jonathan Trott entered Ashes folklore with the innings of an instant veteran, as England's batsmen sauntered into a position of insuperable dominance on another enthralling day at The Oval. His 119 from 193 balls was the 18th century by a debutant in England's Test history and the first against Australia since Graham Thorpe in 1993, but in terms of the occasion, it ranked among the finest of all time. His efforts enabled Andrew Strauss to declare on 373 for 9, with 21 overs of the third day remaining, and Australia's target an unassailable 546. Trott had been a controversial selection for such a pressure-cooker contest, but to give the selectors credit where it is due, the skill, determination and confidence of his performance made the men around him in England's middle-order look like the international novices. His nerveless shot selection, at an even tempo of roughly a run every two balls, provided the scaffolding for a series of carefree cameos at the other end - including a farewell frolic from Andrew Flintoff, and a spanking 63 from 55 balls from Graeme Swann, whose confidence could hardly be higher going into the defining fourth innings. The Oval pitch, the subject of much controversy overnight, carried on producing wild puffs of dust from almost every delivery, but as England's tail clubbed a supine attack to all corners of South London, the heat went out of the debate about its merits. In fact, England's progress seemed at times almost too comfortable for their series prospects, as Australia's bowlers abandoned any hope of salvaging their team's situation and instead settled for damage limitation with a view to batting out for the draw. Nevertheless, the steep bounce that the part-time spinner, Marcus North, continued to extract was enough to confirm the suspicions that batting last, with men packed around the bat, will be a fraught experience. North, who came into the game with just two Test wickets to his name, emerged as the unequivocal pick of the attack, with 4 for 98 from 30 testing overs. Tea England 332 and 290 for 7 (Trott 83*, Swann 34*) lead Australia 160 by 462 runsJonathan Trott produced the innings of an instant veteran to build on Andrew Strauss's first-session 75, as England cemented their dominance of the fifth and final Test with an improbably serene day's batting at The Oval. By tea on the third afternoon, Trott had moved to within 17 of a debut century to rank, in terms of the occasion, among the finest of all time, as England's lead grew to a hefty 462 with three wickets still in hand, and seven sessions of a warp-speed contest still lying ahead of them. Trott had been a controversial selection for such a pressure-cooker contest, but to give the selectors credit where it is due, the skill, determination and confidence of his performance made the men around him in England's middle-order look like the international novices. His nerveless shot selection, at an even tempo of a run every two balls, provided the scaffolding for a series of carefree cameos at the other end - including a farewell frolic from Andrew Flintoff, who clubbed four fours in an 18-ball 22, before holing out to long-on to depart to an emotional ovation. The Oval pitch, the subject of much controversy overnight, was still producing wild puffs of dust from almost every delivery, but the surface itself remained as true as could be expected in the circumstances. At times England's progress seemed almost too comfortable for their series prospects, as Australia's bowlers abandoned any hope of salvaging their team's situation and instead settled for damage limitation with a view to batting out for the draw, but the steep bounce that the part-time spinner, Marcus North, continued to extract was enough to confirm the suspicions that batting last, with men packed around the bat, will be a fraught experience. In the course of Trott's 168-ball stay, his most palpable moments of alarm came from his first two deliveries of the morning, first when Peter Siddle believed he had made the breakthrough with an off-stump lifter (umpire Asad Rauf correctly ascertained that the ball had flicked only the thigh pad on the way through to Brad Haddin) and then when Trott followed up that escape with an awkward spoon into the covers off a leading edge. With impressive ease, however, he put those dramas out of his mind, perhaps sensing that he'd experienced the most capricious deliveries that could come his way. He added 118 for the fourth wicket with Andrew Strauss, whose unflappable composure served as a moist flannel on his country's fevered brow, as he left the ball with nerveless certainty outside off, and demanded that Australia's bowlers bowled to his strengths rather than probe for non-existent weaknesses. The pair ensured there would be no continuation of the late-evening hiccup that had taken a layer of sheen off England's remarkable second day, as set out their stall to bat through the day, before upping the ante in the final half-hour before lunch. Strauss was looking a dead-cert to claim his, and England's, second hundred of the series when he lashed Stuart Clark for three fours from nine balls faced, but with four balls remaining before the interval, he was lured by a ball of fuller length from North, who extracted enough rip off the track to find the edge to slip. Matt Prior, for once, played only a minor role in England's momentum shift - although he did manage to send Ricky Ponting into the lunch break with a mouthful of blood after drilling the ball into his face at silly mid-off. Three overs after the break, he called for a crazy single after picking out the dead-eyed Simon Katich in the covers, and was run out by a distance for 4. Nevertheless, his departure ensured that the crowd got one last glimpse of the man they really wanted to see, and when Flintoff clubbed his second delivery violently through midwicket for four, it was abundantly clear how he intended to pace his final Test innings. Three more boundaries followed, each greeted with rapture, but alas the magic could not last. On 22, Flintoff came down the track once more to launch North into the Harleyford Road, but Siddle steadied himself on the long-on ropes to pouch a simple catch. The Aussies stood in the middle to applaud Flintoff back to the pavilion as he saluted all corners of the ground, while down the steps - replacing him in every sense - came the man of the moment, Stuart Broad. He did not disappoint either. Feeding off Mitchell Johnson's renewed erratic line and length, he dabbed the first of his five fours through backward point, then climbed into North in a violent over containing three further biffs down the ground, the first of which went arrow-straight back over the bowler's head to land just inside the boundary's rope. He eventually took one swipe too many, and picked out Ponting in the covers, but Graeme Swann carried on in the same aggressive vein, feasting on a series of overpitched deliveries to rush to 34 not out at tea. At the other end, however, Trott just trotted along, a man seemingly in control of his, and England's, destiny.

Watson and Katich Battling To Put Australia Ahead

Australia's openers stood firm during a torrid 20.2-over session on the second morning at The Oval, employing luck and skill in equal measures to chisel their way to 61 for 0 in the first innings, having earlier dismissed England for a decent but insubstantial 332. Nevertheless, with England's seamers finding uneven bounce with the new ball, and Graeme Swann ripping the ball prodigiously out of the footholds, batting is unlikely to get any easier as the match wears on.

Watson, with three consecutive half-centuries to his name since his recall at Edgbaston, reached the interval on 30 not out, but he was by some distance the most fortunate of the two batsmen, as he survived three vociferous lbw appeals in the space of seven deliveries from James Anderson and Andrew Flintoff, who once again shared the new ball. If the first two were rightly adjudged to be zipping over the top, the third - from Flintoff - would have demolished leg stump, and given England their first breakthrough in the sixth over of the innings.

But Watson survived, and duly began to thrive. He clipped Flintoff's next delivery firmly through midwicket for four - the only boundary he conceded in a typically miserly six-over spell that went for seven runs - and had reached 17 from 42 balls when he dispatched Steve Harmison's first delivery with dismissive ease through backward square leg - a shot of such authority to a rank long-hop that Harmison's short leg fled from the scene after a solitary delivery.

At the other end, Katich danced and shimmied at the crease, particularly against Flintoff, for whom he kept altering his guard to cope with his differing lines from over and round the wicket. He climbed into a brace of leg-stump deliveries from Anderson to whip and clip him for two boundaries in an over, and had reached 26 not out before a rain-shower sent the players scurrying to the pavilion with a couple of minutes to go before the scheduled lunch break.

Earlier, Australia's seamers had required just 32 balls to claim the final two wickets of England's first innings, but not before Stuart Broad and Harmison had combined in a handy tenth-wicket partnership of 24. Broad was the last man to fall, caught at second slip by Ricky Ponting for a hard-hitting 37, a continuation of his impressive recent form with the bat. Two balls earlier, he had pulled Ben Hilfenhaus superbly through square leg for his first boundary of the morning, but Hilfenhaus responded with a full-length slower ball, to secure his third wicket of the innings.

Hilfenhaus's most notable dismissal, however, came from the ninth delivery of the day, when he curled a good-length delivery into Anderson's back pad, to send him on his way, lbw for 0, his first Test duck after six years and 54 Test innings. The end of Anderson's remarkable run left him fourth in the all-time list of duckless Test batsmen, behind Clive Lloyd, Aravinda de Silva and AB de Villiers, who holds the record with 78 fail-free innings in a row.

Harmison came to the crease averaging an incongruous 119 in Tests at The Oval, after a solitary dismissal in six previous innings, set about demonstrating that that was not entirely a fluke, with three further boundaries to hoist that mark to 131.

Flintoff to play Ashes decider

The England & Wales Cricket Board are confident Andrew Flintoff will be available for the Ashes finale at The Oval following a positive diagnosis from his knee specialist, Andy Williams. With England facing a must-win encounter at The Oval next week following their humiliating defeat in Leeds, a return to match fitness for Flintoff - in what would be his final Test match appearance before retirement - looms as a massive boost to their prospects of regaining the Ashes.

"The advice received was that the swelling in his knee has significantly eased following the decision by the England management team to rest him from the last Test Match and that subject to further rest and intensive treatment, he will be available for selection for the 5th npower Ashes Test at The Brit Oval," the ECB said in a statement

The assessment tallies with Flintoff's own take on events, because he himself believed he could have taken part in the Headingley debacle. In his absence, England lost by an innings and 80 runs inside two-and-a-half days, but Flintoff later claimed that his participation was vetoed by the captain Andrew Strauss and the coach, Andy Flower. "He told them that he was fit enough to get through," his agent, Chubby Chandler, told The Times, "but they didn't want him."

News of Flintoff's return to fitness will buoy Flower, who on Sunday warned that England could not afford another repeat of Headingley. Flintoff was only informed of his omission on the eve of the match, and the official announcement was held back until an hour before the toss, disrupting team selection. "I think we'd like to know before that," he said. "I don't think we'd want to leave it very late.

"He wanted to play, he was desperate to play but he acknowledged that he wasn't fully fit and he was struggling a bit, so we couldn't play him under those circumstances," said Flower. "If the advice is that he will be fit enough to take part as an allrounder at The Oval, then we will listen to that advice and listen to Fred's information about his own body as well."

A fully fit Flintoff would be the perfect tonic for a beleaguered team, but Flower denied that his fitness battle was having a destabilising effect on the team, as they attempt to mount a comeback in the series, and seal the Ashes for only the second time in the past 20 years. "We've gone whole series waiting on his fitness, so this match is no different," he said. "I would think we'll get some good information back from the specialist, and also some information from him on how he feels, because there's a good chunk of time between now and The Oval, so we'll have a better indication."

Either way, Flower and the England think-tank are already braced for life after Flintoff, and the selection dilemmas inherent therein. "The balance of the side when you haven't got an allrounder at 6 or 7 is always the problem, and it's one we're going to have to face up to because Flintoff is retiring from Test cricket," he said. "That is a problem, because [without him] we seem light either on the batting or the bowling side. If he's not fit for The Oval, we'll have to make a decision on where we settle for our strong point."

England received further positive news on Monday, with James Anderson cleared of a serious hamstring injury. Anderson suffered a slight strain while running between the wickets in the first innings at Headingley, but is expected to play at The Oval.

"As there is no evidence of a significant tear, it is anticipated that (Anderson) will also be available for selection for next week's final Test," the ECB released stated.

Flintoff was fit for Headingley, agent

The Times has reported that Andrew Flintoff had declared himself fit for the fourth Ashes Test only to be overlooked by England's captain and coach. At the Headingley post-match presentation, Michael Atherton - who wrote the story in the Times - asked Andrew Strauss who was responsible for not picking Flintoff and the answer was Strauss and Andy Flower.

According to Andrew Chandler, Flintoff's agent, England did not want to gamble after the allrounder failed to allay fears over his knee injury. "I've seen a few disappointed sportsmen over the last couple of months but I've never seen anybody as low as Flintoff was on Thursday night when he was told he would not be selected," Chandler told the Times. "He told them that he was fit enough to get through, that he felt no different to how he felt at Edgbaston and that he could get through and do his bit. They didn't want him.

"He was prepared to do whatever it takes, was prepared to put whatever needed to be put into his knee. The whole point of announcing his retirement when he did was to clear his head and prepare to do whatever needed to be done to play the final Test matches of his career.

"He [Flintoff] just didn't see it coming. He wanted to play and they didn't want him, and he didn't see that coming at all."

Chandler said Flintoff could have played through the pain barrier purely on adrenaline, as he did at Lord's for a match-winning performance. "What they didn't take into account during Thursday's practice was that there was no adrenalin," he said. "That was why he looked as though he was struggling so much and why he became so much worse on the final day at Edgbaston, when it was clear the game could not be won.

"He was hurting at Lord's but the adrenalin got him through. It would have got him through this week as well. His presence would certainly have lifted the crowd and the team, because without him they don't have much inspiration."

However Geoff Miller, the national selector, has defended the decision not to pick Flintoff, insisting that he and the selectors had to listen to the medical advice they were offered. "We had to guarantee that Fred could do the job required to bowl the overs," Miller told BBC Radio Five Live. "We'd been monitoring his injury day by day and the selectors felt that it was better that he didn't play in that game. Yes, he might have thought he was fit to do a certain job but we had to work out whether he'd be fit to do a constant job, meaning bowl the amount of overs required to get the 20 wickets.

"We have to go on the medical advice. We know that Freddie's passionate to play for England, I accept that, but there are a lot of other ideals we have to work to, such as taking medical advice. If the medics say there's still a problem there, then we have to accept what their viewpoint is."

Australia's captain Ricky Ponting had said before the fourth Test that England would be taking a massive gamble if they risked playing a half-fit Flintoff.

Optimistic Andy Flower

The coach Andy Flower believes England still have a chance of taking a 2-0 Ashes lead despite the third day being washed out at Edgbaston. Play was abandoned following an inspection at 2.30pm with England stuck on 116 for 2 in the third Test, still 147 behind Australia's first-innings total.

Puddles continued to sit on the outfield more than two hours after the cancellation and Flower expected another curtailed day on Sunday. "I think Steve Rouse [the groundsman] has said we might get 70 overs in and that would be a godsend if we do," he said. "There's nothing we can do about this so I would hope it doesn't damage [our momentum] at all."

However, Flower remained confident of his side's ability to force a win that would ensure their worst-case scenario is a drawn series. "Absolutely, you can see how quickly things can happen in a game, so a result is definitely possible," he said. "Whether or not that happens, we'll have to see how well both sides play. But if we can get 70 overs in [on Sunday], we still have to bat well to get a lead. It's up to us to bat well and see how far ahead we can get." The forecast is for sunny intervals for day four and light rain on Monday.

Shane Watson, Australia's stand-in opener, also held out hope for a quick turnaround. "There is a possibility but I am not exactly sure how things are going to pan out," he said. "We are going to have to bowl extremely well once we get out there to give ourselves a chance. We are 1-0 down and we can't afford to have too many draws otherwise the series is lost."

The pitch has been under cover since Friday afternoon, when bad light ended the second day, and Flower expected the surface to be livelier whenever England resume. Another concern for the hosts is what the heavy outfield, which was also drenched in the lead-up to the game, does to Andrew Flintoff's legs. Flintoff will carry a nagging knee problem into retirement at the end of the series and remains a match-to-match proposition.

"It will be quite a lot of wear and tear on him actually, on that heavy outfield if we do bowl on it for any period of time, but he'll be doing everything he can to win this game for England," Flower said. Flintoff had no lingering problems from his 15 overs in the first innings and Flower hoped he would also be able to appear in Friday's fourth Test in Leeds.

"I think he can," he said. "Whether he does or not I don't know, we don't know what's going to happen over the next two days, but he's a strong bloke so it's possible."

No emotion over Flintoff – Strauss

England will take the emotion out of the decision over whether the injured Andrew Flintoff plays in what could be the Ashes-deciding Test at Headingley from Friday. Flintoff will bowl for the first time since the end of the third game at training today and wants to wait until the morning of the game to determine if his right knee is strong enough to face Australia.

The hosts, who have a 14-man squad and a 1-0 lead, are also happy to delay their decision, but the captain Andrew Strauss said Flintoff would not be the only person having a say. Flintoff is a mighty figure to the team and the country, but Strauss will not be sentimental.

"We're going to have to [take the emotion out]," Strauss said. "It's the fourth Test of an Ashes series, we're close to the finish line and although we're all desperate for him to play, we need to be realistic enough to realise that if he's not fit then he shouldn't play."

Flintoff was England's main man on the final day at Lord's when he took five wickets to guide them to victory, but his discomfort seemed to increase as the third Test wore on. He scored a muscular 74 in the side's only innings at Edgbaston and did not make a breakthrough in 30 overs.

Strauss said a range of views would be canvassed on Flintoff's health, but the decision is out of the allrounder's hands. "Judging whether he's fit or not comes down to the medical team," he said. "The player himself has a view, and a little bit [goes] on what the coach and myself have seen. It's a multitude of factors. Fred's not the only one we'll listen to."

England's inflated outfit includes the batsman Jonathan Trott and bowlers Ryan Sidebottom and Steve Harmison, whose chances of playing improve considerably if Flintoff is ruled out. "We've covered all bases with the squad we've picked," Strauss said. "We will have to wait to see how Fred is. In a way there are potentially hard decisions to make."

By early next week Strauss could be an Ashes-winning captain and he told his players they would have to deal with the extra demands at Headingley. They will not be employing a cautious approach even though the pitch at The Oval, the venue for the final match, is likely to favour another stalemate.

"Coming here expecting there to be a draw, or hoping to be a draw, is the wrong way to go," he said. "It's not the way we're looking to approach it, we're looking to win the game and in doing so win the Ashes. It's a massive Test and, as always is the case in an Ashes series, the closer you get to the finish, it becomes more dramatic and the pressure and expectation rise a level".