England responded to a good old fashioned pasting in an aggressive fashion at the Oval yesterday evening. Faced with making 442 even to avoid the possibility of a follow-on in the final Test of the summer, Marcus Trescothick put bat to ball in his uncomplicated fashion and in the eighteen overs available before the close had made 55, helping England reduce the deficit by 80.

It did not come entirely without cost however. Mike Atherton had made just 13 when in Shane Warne's third over he received one of those speciality leg breaks that pitched outside his leg stump, and as he groped forward, broke across the face of his bat to clip the top of the off.

In a series that has been played at a frenetic pace, Trescothick's vibrant riposte put the stamp on yet another heady day that produced 397 runs from 88 overs for the loss of just three wickets, two of them gifted to England.

Australia had begun the day on 324 for two, and by the time Steve Waugh pulled the plug on the innings 40 minutes after tea, had taken that on to 641 for four.

If the honours went to Justin Langer on the first day, then they belonged to the Waugh twins yesterday. Both made centuries, Mark's the 20th of an illustrious career and Steve's the 27th of one which transcends illustrious to touch greatness.

Yesterday Mark creamed his way elegantly to 120 with two sixes and 16 fours but he attempted one too many, stepping away contemptuously to wallop Darren Gough through the offside and losing his middle stump.

By that time Steve had reached 98, the pair having added 197 for the third wicket, and despite an eternity spent scrambling the two runs to reach his ninth century against England, he was still there unbeaten on 157 when he called a halt to the carnage.

There had been help besides for Adam Gilchrist, promoted above Damien Martyn to force the pace, who had walloped 25 before smacking a wide slow full toss from Usman Afzaal straight to extra cover (thereby giving Afzaal a first Test wicket with only his third ball). Then Martyn, when he did get in, helped himself cockily to an unbeaten 64 from 54 balls, the majority share of an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 107.

Langer, hit on the head on the first evening, but raring to go yesterday, did not even get the chance to carry on.

Steve Waugh's was a phenomenal effort by a remarkable cricketer. Just what is it that drives him beyond even the ethic of the baggy green and the team, personal pride, and the memory of actually having lost a series to England? Fewer than four weeks ago at Trent Bridge, in setting off for his first run, he tore his right calf muscle in two places, and was out of the game.

Perhaps in that lies the key to yesterday's innings, played effectively on one leg, for as he was stretchered from the field the jeers and catcalls came raining down. You can bet he took note. No way am I going to let that be this country's last sight of me, he would have said to himself. It is the "stuff you" ideal. It is why seven of his centuries against England have been on these shores. He wants to rub English noses in it and yet again he has done it.

On his debut in this country he made 177 not out and now, on what is very likely to be his swansong (he will surely not bat in a second innings if there is one), he has 157 not out. There is a satisfying symmetry to things now. The point has been made and salute him for having the courage to make it.

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