Fourth Ashes Test set for intriguing climax

The fourth Test is set for a potentially intriguing climax after only 25 overs of play were possible on a rain-interrupted fourth day. England requires a theoretical target of 315 after Australia declared its second innings at 176/4 but realistically the main question is whether England can resist the Australian attack for a full day and thus avert defeat and the spectre of a 5-0 whitewash.

After a break of some three hours and 45 minutes, Australia declared its innings once the outfield became fit for play but only 2.3 overs were possible before bad light finally ended a frustrating day.

A pulled four by Mike Atherton was the only scoring shot, reducing the target to 311. But on a Headingley pitch with occasional variable bounce and more rain a possibility, the time needed for Australia to attempt to capture the 10 English wickets is a more significant factor than runs. As it stands, England would require its highest score of the series to win on a ground where a fourth innings target more than 200 has only twice been achieved.

In the 22.3 overs that were possible before the threat of lightning and rain suspended play half an hour after lunch, Australia added a further 107 for the loss of three wickets.

The skies were clear at the start and Australia asserted its supremacy from the first over by taking 11 runs from Alan Mullally. With quick runs the Aussie objective, England captain Nasser Hussain curiously elected to start with two slips and no third man, not attacking but also not protecting a productive scoring zone.

If bowling for containment was England's intention, Gough and Caddick did a bad job of it. Either bowling half volleys or easy-paced bouncers, they served up lucrative fare for Ponting, who reached his half-century from 52 balls. Exalting in his new-found form, Ponting set the tone from the outset when he square cut his first ball from Gough to the boundary and had raced to 68 when the first rain interval stopped play after 45 minutes. In that time, Australia had ripped 55 runs from 9.1 overs, 38 of them to Ponting.

It was a different game when play resumed half an hour before lunch. With the pitch having livened up during the shower, there was suddenly swing and seam movement available and it inspired Gough and Mullally.

The ball before his dismissal, Ponting was pushed onto the back foot by Gough but the lbw shout was turned down for being too high. Pitching further up, Gough again had Ponting on the back foot and the seam movement in beat his defence to trap him plumb in front for 72, denying Ponting the chance to become the fourth Australian to score centuries in each innings of an Ashes Test.

Inspired by the wicket and conditions, Gough noticeably lifted his intensity and also swung the ball into the left-handed Hayden, who was fortunate to survive an lbw appeal when he was struck pad before bat. Having been given the ball after the resumption, Mullally bowled his fastest and most demanding spell of the match - which admittedly isn't saying much - and did exactly what England required of him, probing outside off without being conceding runs.

Mullally terminated Hayden's laborious vigil when he got one to swing late and seam from short of a length, finding the defensive edge behind. Hayden was enticed into playing by the swing, thus ending an innings of determined persistence. Whether he is carrying an injury or just battling for form is difficult to tell.

Gough actually seemed to be enjoying his bowling for the first time in the match and put more thought into it as a result, bowling the testing fuller length he had too often neglected up to then. In contrast to the first part of the session, the seven overs in the half hour period up to lunch produced just 17 runs for the loss of two wickets, leaving Australia still comfortably placed on 146/3, a lead of 284, and ready to dictate the rate of scoring leading up to an inevitable declaration.

Only another half hour was possible before the threat of lightning, and more rain, forced a suspension of play. Australia easily added a further 25 against Gough and Mullally before Andrew Caddick trapped Damien Martyn leg-before with the first ball of his spell. Till that point, Martyn had failed just once in the series, and that too to a cracking delivery from Caddick. Here, he went back and across to play to leg, was hit above the roll of the pad and given out after a subdued appeal.

The rain and then wet outfield saved Australia from having to decide whether to declare immediately or throw the bat for a few more runs. By the time more cricket was possible, a declaration was the only option. With 120 total overs lost in the match so far, weather is currently conspiring to preclude another Aussie victory.