Day four (close): England (425 & 311-6dec) lead Australia (215 & 313-5) by 208 runs at Lord's.
Australia were threatening to pull off an unthinkable win at Lord's when bad light brought play to an early close on Sunday evening.
Two superb innings from Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin had carried the Aussies to 313 for five, only 209 runs short of their target. And with Andrew Flintoff limping badly on his wonky left knee, the England attack looked ragged.
Australia had seemed to be out of the game this afternoon, at one point reaching the unpromising score of 128 for five. But Clarke and Haddin refused to be cowed by the situation, attacking the bowling with venomous strokeplay and some well-judged running between the wickets. Their unbroken 185-run stand has put the pressure right back on the home side.
England's anxiety was demonstrated by the huddle called by their captain, Andrew Strauss, when the second new ball became available. Strauss tried to lift his troops with a speech, and both Flintoff and James Anderson did go past the bat a couple of times in the next six overs, they could not find the edge that might have ended the partnership.
Clarke's innings was a masterpiece of cool-headed judgement in difficult circumstances, and he completed his 11th Test hundred with a clip to midwicket off Graeme Swann's off-spin. He went into the close of play on 125 not out, while Haddin had an undefeated 80.
England will be all too well aware that a declaration in Adelaide two years ago resulted in one of the most demoralising defeats of the modern era. If history repeats itself here, the agony will be even worse.
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