Cricket:Australia produced a stunning counter-attack to derail England's bid to claim their first Ashes test victory at Lord's in 75 years as Michael Clarke and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin combined in stunning fashion after the tourists were reduced to 128 for five.
When bad light stopped play, Australia were 313 for five, having been set an
unlikely 522-run target.
Clarke's classy, unbeaten 125, his 11th Test hundred, and 80 not out from Haddin clearly got England in a panic.
To such an extent that England captain Andrew Strauss summoned his team together for an on-field team talk when the new ball became available late on in the evening session.
It was during the post-tea play that Clarke reached the landmark with a turn for two in the 75th over, the same in which Brad Haddin brought up a half-century.
Their rally altered the mood of the Australians after England were given a helping hand by some controversial decisions.
Andrew Flintoff struck two blows, both of which came under scrutiny, and Graeme Swann was also gifted a wicket as five wickets went down inside 39 overs.
The dismissals of both Australia openers were questionable as England struck twice before lunch. Simon Katich trudged off as television replays showed he should have been reprieved by a call for no-ball.
Katich sliced a drive from a full delivery from over the wicket and Kevin Pietersen held a good catch at the second of two gullies.
Then, in the 10th over, Phillip Hughes edged low to first slip, where Strauss claimed a catch just above the turf, coming forward.
Hughes turned and took the word of Middlesex colleague Strauss that the chance had been clasped cleanly.
But he was stopped in his tracks by captain Ricky Ponting, his second-wicket partner, who sought clarification from the on-field officials.
After a brief consultation, umpire Rudi Koertzen — standing in his 100th Test — confirmed his departure. However, TV scrutiny cast some doubt on whether the ball had carried or been scooped up as it struck turf.
In addition to the two wickets, Ponting was rapped on the gloves by a James Anderson delivery which jumped from a length.
The 34-year-old appeared in determined mood, no doubt stirred by a sense of injustice, but perished in the second over after lunch when he chopped into his stumps off Stuart Broad.
Then, Swann claimed his first wicket of the series in fortuitous manner when a delivery spun out of a foothole at Michael Hussey, who drove aggressively, and the ball was well taken to his right, at slip, by Paul Collingwood.
It sparked huge celebrations among England's fielders but further analysis of the incident highlighted that umpire Billy Doctrove had been duped by the turn and the sound of Hussey's bat jarring in the ground, as he had missed the ball completely.
Swann doubled his tally with a flatter delivery from around the wicket which speared into Marcus North, brushed the inside edge and thigh of the batsman and crashed into the stumps.
England began their push for victory at 11.15am after Strauss declared on an overnight 311 for six.
Rain delayed the start by 15 minutes but the predominantly pace attack were effectively handed two days to dismiss their opponents to seal a 1-0 lead in the series.
Australia would have to break the world Test record for the highest successful chase to turn that prospect on its head with the current high of 418 for seven set by West Indies against Ponting and Co in 2002-03.