The second Ashes test match was rather evenly poised at the end of the fourth day, after Australia, who was chasing a near-improbable victory task of 522 for a win, was 313/5, thanks to an unbeaten sixth wicket stand of 185 runs. Going into the final day, the Aussies need 209 for a win, and with Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin at the crease.
The Aussies did not begin too well, as one of their more reliable batsmen, Simon Katich tried to be a trifle more aggressive than necessary and only managed to edge one pitched up delivery to the gully. However, replays later suggested that the ball was a no-ball, and would have had the Aussies troubled by the decision.
The much touted Phil Hughes has found the going in this edition of Ashes rather difficult, and he met with his fourth successive failure when he was given out caught by Andrew Strauss in the slips. There was a considerable debate about whether the decision was right or whether it could have been referred to the third umpire, but the on-field umpires would have nothing about it and the batsman was sent walking. Australia, 34/2 and in trouble!
Ricky Ponting did try and counter-attack, by hitting six boundaries before the luncheon break and with Michael Hussey, carried the score to 76/2. However, he did not last too long after the break, as he sent the Lord’s into raptures when he was bowled by Stuart Broad off a fullish delivery; Aussies staring the wrong end of the barrel. Hussey then became the third Aussie to get a decision that did not look right on the replays as he was given out caught in the slips off the bowling of Graeme Swann, but the ball did not look to have come off the bat, but just spun more than it usually did and landed straight to the first slip! With this, the play wasn’t even half-way through the day, and the Aussies were 120/4 in deep mire.
Marcus North became Australia’s fifth casualty in the matter of a couple of overs from Swann; bowled by a straighter one by the off-spinner, and the Aussies were looking heaven-ward at 128/5.
Help did come, but it was from the duo of Clarke and Haddin, who combined together to blunt out the pace attack of the opposition and then when they had managed to tired them out, ended up scoring some invaluable runs off them. Australia went into tea at 178/5 and batted out the remaining 37 overs in the last session to end the day at 313/5. Clarke had reached his century, his first in Ashes, and was unbeaten on 125, while Haddin looked to be closing on another century, batting on 80! A great fifth day of the game in prospects!
England had earlier declared at their overnight total of 311/6, and set the victory-chase at 522, off a possible two days – around 180 overs – but with the chances of rains looming large as well. Flintoff had remained unbeaten on 30.