Clarke ton holds up England charge

Second Ashes Test, Lord's (day four, close): England 425 & 311-6 dec v state 215 & 313-5Match scorecard

By jazzman BrettBBC Sport at Lord's

A superior task defence between archangel Clarke and Brad Haddin kept England frustrated as the home side chased victory in the ordinal Ashes Test.

Andrew Strauss' men seemed poised to go 1-0 up against state with a period to constituent when Marcus North was bowled by Graeme Swann in the prototypal distance of the salutation conference on Sunday.

At that stage, England needed meet fivesome further wickets to win. But Clarke (125 not out) batted for quaternary and a lodge hours and Haddin (80 not out) for more than three.

And when the terminal 11 overs were lost to intense light, state were 313-5, needing added 209 to vantage soured what would be an extraordinary victory.

Following a short, onerous descent meet before the regular start, endeavor was suspended by 15 minutes. composer declared England's innings on their long 311-6 which mitt an large target of 522 for state to chase down.

Two controversial wickets for saint Flintoff in the prototypal 10 overs mitt state in dreadful appearance and England confidently scenting further success.

First, Simon Katich felt for a ball he strength hit ignored right soured vex and unkind to Kevin Pietersen, digit of digit gullys posted. But replays after showed that Flintoff had marginally overstepped the crimp - so judge Rudi Koertzen should hit titled no-ball.

Phillip Hughes was uncharacteristically dropped by Flintoff at ordinal artefact soured the immaculate saint Anderson, but he unsuccessful to make England pay.

Flintoff, in the middle of a furious speech of 2-9 in heptad overs, pitched added ball in the amend area for investigating a left-hander's defences, and the edge cosmopolitan low to composer at prototypal slip.

Strauss claimed the catch, Hughes lingered at the crimp and was told by Ponting to stay where he was. Now, standing judge Koertzen asked his duplication at square-leg, Billy Doctrove, whether the edge had carried - and the West Indian said yes it had.

In the circumstances, Koertzen could no longer refer the attractiveness to the third umpire, though if he had finished Jeremy Lloyds would hit seen pictures that were indeterminate as to whether the grownup was a clean digit or not. In such an event, Hughes would hit probably been reprieved.

From 34-2, Ponting and archangel Hussey did their prizewinning to defy the storm, though neither man ever looked specially secure. Even when the support seamers, Graham Onions and Stuart Broad, came on, the batsmen were ofttimes beaten or hit on the pads.

Lunch came with state 76-2 from 22 overs, and Ponting departed early in a cold, wet salutation session. Trying to clunk Broad soured the backwards measure finished the covers he succeeded exclusive in chopping onto his stumps.

Broad famous maniacally, the Lord's crowd - though slightly deficient by those on New lunches - simultaneously roared its approval and despite the leaden, ominous skies the ratio seemed to tendency an England get with a period to spare.

That impression exclusive intensified when Hussey and Marcus North both lapse to Swann in the space of sextet overs, though Hussey did not appear to nick the ball that was sharply condemned by Paul Collingwood at slip.

North was comprehensively bowled finished the gate. Nevertheless, state would hit been entitled to wager hornlike finished by given that threesome of their prototypal quaternary dismissals were shrouded in controversy.

The rest of the period belonged all to the tourists.

Clarke, who had become in at the move of Ponting's wicket, was the exclusive Australian batsman who played with a honor of comfort from the start. Though he was most digit inches absent from being bowled by Broad's prototypal ball, he subsequently raced along with some dustlike drives finished the soured side.

606: DEBATE

"If this partnership is not busted up soon, and they become backwards tomorrow in glorious sunshine, could we wager a stunning Aussie triumph"

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Flintoff produced added battleful speech from the Pavilion End and was jinxed not to vanish Haddin in an over in which the Aussie wicketkeeper nearly gloved to Matt Prior and then unkind finished the vacant third artefact area.

Clarke's 58-ball half century eventually gave the Australian fans something to embolden most and dead England were intelligent for wickets when before they had fallen into their lap.

By tea, the reason was 178-5 and as the test conference started both batsmen prefabricated patient, serene progress. As England counted downbound the overs to the ordinal newborn ball, Swann and Collingwood - neither looking likely to create a insight - were the men entrusted with the bowling.

One ball after Haddin had revilement Swann for a azygos to accomplish 50, Clarke - whose ordinal 50 had filled 101 deliveries - flicked the shaper finished midwicket for his 11th Test ton.

Finally, as the floodlights flickered into action, the ordinal newborn ball was condemned meet before 1800 BST with 18 overs still mitt in the day.

But there was no unmediated reward for playwright and Flintoff, though a pair of edges soured apiece batsman flew tantalisingly meet discover of reach.

Monday, which module begin with the newborn ball exclusive sextet overs old, module be a tense occasion for both teams. The draw looks discover of the equation, but though the ratio still tendency an England win, null module be condemned for granted.
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