Only three balls were possible in the final afternoon session of the Old
Trafford Test as rain allowed England to creep closer to retention of
the Ashes. Two wickets to Ryan Harris and a hotly-debated caught behind
decision to dismiss Kevin Pietersen had lurched the hosts to 35 for 3 in
the morning, but after Peter Siddle stung Ian Bell's thumb with a
prancing delivery on resumption, the forecast showers set in.
It might have been even worse for England, had Michael Clarke held onto
the sort of slips chance he would usually claim when Joe Root snicked
Siddle, but Pietersen's exit left the tourists feeling chipper.
Pietersen looked distraught to be given out, though a noise at precisely
the moment the ball passed the bat backed up Tony Hill's call and that
of the third umpire Kumar Dharmasena.
Rain overnight and in the morning left many pessimistic about the
chances of a resumption, with England needing only a draw to retain the
Ashes after victories in the first two Test of the series.
However the skies cleared enough for a concerted cleaning and drying
effort from the ground staff, starting at around 10am, and following an
inspection at 10.45 Hill and Marais Erasmus informed the captains Clarke
and Alastair Cook of their plans to resume.
Clarke immediately declared, and threw the ball to Harris when play
began at 11.30. As he has done repeatedly when called on, Harris
responded with a spell of heart and skill, picking up the two early
wickets that his captain required. Cook was drawn across his crease by
balls angled towards the slips and then pinned lbw by an inswinger. He
referred even though the ball was curling in to hit middle stump, adding
to the gravity of the blow.
Jonathan Trott has looked out of sorts in this match, and Harris worked
him over in similar fashion, moving outswingers away then arrowing the
odd ball back in. Harris' first attempt at the plan resulted in an
awfully close lbw shout declined by Hill. Australia's referral was lost
as the ball was hitting less than half of leg stump, but in Harris' next
over Trott again fell across his crease, this time glancing straight
into Brad Haddin's gloves.
Pietersen announced his arrival with a prancing pull shot that signalled
Harris' withdrawal after a fine spell. In Siddle's first over replacing
him, Root was squared up by a ball angled in and seaming away, but
Clarke surprised everyone in attendance by dropping the chance.
Australian heads were not to be bowed for long however, as Siddle
appeared to extract a fine edge from Pietersen as he prodded forward.
Hill's finger was raised, an upset Pietersen referred, and Kumar
Dharmasena upheld the on-field call after a sound could be heard at the
moment ball passed bat. Pietersen walked off muttering, and minutes
later Australia followed him with a spring in their step. They returned
with hope as the afternoon began, before rain began to wash such
optimism away.