Daunting task ahead of Australia

LONDON: Jonathan Trott’s hundred on debut left England eyeing a stunning Ashes triumph as it closed in on a series-clinching victory in the fifth and deciding Test at The Oval here on Saturday.

Australia, at stumps on the third day, was 80 without loss — needing 466 more to reach what would be a new Test record fourth innings victory total of 546.

The highest fourth-innings total to win a Test at The Oval is 263 for nine by England against Australia 107 years ago.

But openers Shane Watson (31 batting) and Simon Katich (42 batting) ensured Australia made a sound start to its imposing chase.

Trott’s 119 was the centrepiece of England’s second innings 373 for nine declared.

Trott, who was run out for 41 in the first innings, became the first England player since Graham Thorpe in 1993 to score an Ashes century on debut.

Andrew Strauss and Trott took the overnight total of 58 for three to 157 before the England captain was caught at slip off Marcus North for 75 shortly before lunch. It was Strauss’ second half-century of the match.

Admirable composure

Trott showed admirable composure on a pitch which held few terrors after 15 wickets had tumbled for 243 on Friday.

He drove the ball handsomely through the off-side reaching his 50 in the morning session from 89 balls.

After Matt Prior had run himself out for four, Andrew Flintoff came to the wicket to a standing ovation in his last Test innings.

He struck four quick boundaries but was caught at long-off for 22 trying to hit North out of the ground.

The noisy greeting that next man in Stuart Broad received seemed like a changing of the guard as England’s leading all-rounder. Broad turned the match with his bowling on Friday by taking five for 37.

Broad employed the same explosive tactics as Flintoff, crashing three boundaries off North in the 71st over, the last one registering the 400-run lead.

The first was a lofted straight drive, the second lifted over cover and then he swept through midwicket. This came after Broad was dropped on five by North off his own bowling.

North, who took over the off-spinning duties after Australia omitted specialist Nathan Hauritz, took four for 98 from 30 overs.

Graeme Swann entertained the capacity crowd with nine boundaries in his 63 from 55 balls, while Trott patiently acquired runs at the other end before he was finally out after striking 12 boundaries from 193 balls.