Ashes day 4: Analysis

Date released: 19 July 2009

After day four of the Ashes Test at Lord's we analyse the day's play and look back at some of the highlights.

Classical Clarke defies England

Once again at Lord's the morning started with talk of England tactics: To declare, or not declare - that was the question.

The morning started with the covers on and a delayed start As the MCC groundstaff performed the dance of the covers - on again, off again - with early morning rain swirling around St. John's Wood England opted to declare.

Throughout this match is has seemed as if England have had the clouds on a string.

On day one they pushed them away, batting to an impressive total. Day two, the clouds rolled in again, the humidity rose and the ball swung - Australia struggled. Day three was dry too, or at least dry enough for England to add another 311 runs so with the clouds over Lord's again on Sunday Strauss opted to put the Aussies in again.

It looked like another masterstroke from captain Strauss as Australia wobbled from 17-1 to 34-2 and then 78-3 - helped in no small part by some controversial umpiring decisions.

Flintoff took the first wicket, Katich caught by Pietersen. It turned out later, after repeated TV replays, it was a no ball. 'Freddie' had over stepped by millimetres.

Hughes was next - again to Flintoff. A sound delivery this time but a questionable catch in the slips by Strauss. At the non-striker's end Australia captain Ricky Ponting made Hughes stand his ground but umpire Koertzen sent him on his way.

Ponting plays onto his stumps As if to complete his frustration Ponting (one of the many great batsmen not to have his name on the Lord's Honours Board) chopped Broad onto his own stumps - 78-3.

When Hussey and North fell in rapid succession Australia were 128-5 and staring into the abyss.

England, at last, looked all set to break the supposed Lord's hoo-doo and clinch a wonderful Ashes victory.

Cue Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin.

Titanic effort

Slowly, Clarke let the air out of England's bouyant balloon.

With sub-fielders coming on and Flintoff having running repairs to his knee England seemed to run out of options.

Swann picked up two useful wickets Swann, having been favoured by another borderline decision to remove Hussey, was bouncing after clean bowling North but as he toiled and tweaked from the Nursery End Clarke continually clipped him away.

The Australia vice-captain also saw Graham Onions out of the attack - England needed inspiration. All eyes turned to Flintoff again.

The big Lancastrian gamely charged in, roared on by a partisan crowd but Clarke was too smart and too bedded in to be unsettled. Much as Stuart Broad had earlier, Flintoff bowled too short too often - Clarke and then Haddin adjusting and cutting Flintoff to the boundary.

Haddin got to his half-century the ball before Clarke completed his ton - the Australia players poured onto the dressing room balcony to applaud titanic efforts from both players.

And so, Australia start the last day of the Test needing just 209 runs to win. From impossible it now looks merely improbable.

Behind Clarke and Haddin comes the tail: Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus. Collectively those four scored 69 runs in the first innings.

Clarke and Haddin just need another 140 odd runs then...