England fight to save rain-hit fifth Ashes Test

England, following on 209 runs behind Australia, reached 40 for one in their second innings before the fourth day of the fifth and final Ashes Test was washed out on Sunday.

Michael Atherton, almost certainly playing in his final Test, was the one wicket to fall as he was dismissed for the 19th time in his 115-Test career by Glenn McGrath.

The 33-year-old Atherton, England's fourth most prolific batsman in Tests with 7,728 runs, was given a standing ovation by the crowd and the Australian players as he trudged off after edging a catch to Shane Warne at first slip for nine.

Marcus Trescothick was 20 not out and Mark Butcher 11 when bad light, followed by rain, stopped play just before lunch after 21.3 overs had been bowled during the morning. The players never reappeared.

Earlier, the home team, replying to Australia's formidable total of 641 for four declared, had fallen just 10 runs short of saving the follow-on as they were dismissed for 432, Mark Ramprakash making 133 and Warne finishing with seven wickets and his best Test bowling figures on English soil.

England, 3-1 down in the Ashes and who have now lost the last seven series against the Australians, had resumed on 409 for eight, still needing 33 to reach safety.

Ramprakash, on 124 overnight, and Darren Gough took their ninth-wicket stand to 74 before McGrath broke through.

Ramprakash's six-hour innings ended with the total on 424 when he tried to force the pace bowler through the off-side off the back foot, only to edge a catch to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist. He hit 18 fours in his 232-ball knock.

Gough, who struck McGrath for an imperious four through the covers, should have been caught without a run being added when he edged Warne to second slip, only for Steve Waugh to put down a regulation chance, the Australian captain almost hurling the ball to the ground in disgust.

The arrival of number 11 Phil Tufnell, one of cricket's premier 'rabbits', was greeted by an ironic roar of approval from the packed crowd at The Oval.

But the left-arm spinner hung around until Gough, on 24, became Warne's seventh victim.

He tried to drive the leg-spinner, the ball dribbling through bat and pad to Gilchrist, who complete the stumping for his 100th Test dismissal, reaching the landmark in 22 Tests, faster than any gloveman.

Warne, who became only the sixth bowler in Test history to take 400 wickets on Saturday, took seven for 165 from 44.2 overs.

Mail Cricket Editor