Kinda wish I'd bothered going now.

You had a ticket and didn't go? Are you mad?!

I get tickets for everything at the oval.

143 for 9.

A couple of dodgy umpiring decisions against Australia, but still.

In which case, I'd have taken all five days off!

Swings and roundabouts though.

I mean Strauss out off a no ball yesterday wasn't a great moment for the umpire.

Edit: That's it, 160 all out.

Shame about the 3 English wickets before stumps (although they do seem to be in a good position).

I'd say so. Say they put another... 120 runs on the board and declare late in the day, just before the new ball is due. That's VERY slow and careful going. That will give them a lead of roughly 300, on a deteriorating wicket which will help Swann even more than it has already, with two days to bowl the Australians out when pretty much neither side has managed to last more than a day so far. If the Aussies hang on for a draw under those circumstances it may not look like much in the record books, but in reality it'll be one of the greatest Ashes-saving innings in years.

I think if there's any side around who can do it, it's this Aussie side. Except maybe with the exception of Shiv Chanderpaul, the Aussies have more batsmen who can stick stubbornly to the crease than anyone else. But i think the pitch has been set up to get a result and right now an England win is probably the firm favourite. It may last until Monday but right now, I doubt it.

The only opening the Aussies may have is to really restrict England's total and their current best hope is that Strauss has developed a habit recently of getting out early in a session. If they knock him out in the first half hour England could well collapse and they might be facing a total that's not quite so daunting. But the point still remains this is an incredibly bowler-friendly wicket and Aus will be faced with the challenge of either getting a very big total or staying in for two and half days. They can do it, potentially, but it's a very tall order.

Jon

Century for Trott on his debut. England now have a lead of over 500

England have declared with a lead of 545, with just over 2 days to get the Aussies out.

My prediction is a draw. Or an england win or an Aussie win.

Well..

England make a pretty daunting total and Trott more than justifies his selection. Aussies manage to nurdle through to the end of play without losing a wicket.

The Ashes comes down to this : 10 wickets, five bowlers, two days. I may not be entirely sane by the end of it.

BTW, did anyone hear Lilly Allen as lunchtime guest on TMS? I had a fairly low opinion of her before today but she did come across as a reasonably pleasant human being. Still not sure I'd buy any of her records though. TMS has had some real crackers as lunch time guests this tour. Russel Crowe, Stephen Fry... however the best one was the very first one I heard, an old guy who was a spinner for Glamorgan back in the day when only the police wore helmets. Sadly I can't for the life of me remember his name..

Jon

90-2 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tea on day 4. Australia are 265-5, chasing a total of 546.

Wickets fell again in clumps, with Ponting run out by a first class throw by Flintoff for 66. He got a standing ovation on the way off, a proper gesture given the rather shoddy treatment he'd had earlier in the series. Very soon after Clarke was out for a duck, playing a Swann delivery. He played the ball straight at Bell at SMO and ran for a quick single. The ball bounced off Bell's ankle to Strauss at slip who hit the stumps as Clarke scrambled back. He was just (millimetres) too late and is given out by the third umpire.

North went for 10 in similarly hairline circumstances. Again to Swann, North playe d a forward defensive but dragged his back foot a hair's breadth outside the crease and is neatly stumped by Prior. A rather silly dismissal to fall to but these kinds of fine lines have been happening all through the series.

So we're down to 5 wickets with 31 overs today, with England able to request a further half hour's play if it means a result is likely to be had today. Australia still have 281 to get.

Jon

One more wicket required

*chews at fingernails*