Thankfully it is not raining at Edgbaston on Sunday morning but the outfield is still holding moisture, a point that Australia skipper Ricky Ponting might just be making to umpires Rudi Koertzen and Aleem Dar
Play starts at 1200 BST after a one hour delay and Ian Bell is soon under pressure, surviving a huge lbw shout by Peter Siddle after playing across his pad again but umpire Rudi Koertzen gives it not out
Australia claim the early wicket they are looking for when England skipper Andrew Strauss edges a short of a length delivery from Ben Hilfenhaus to Ponting in the slips having added just five to his overnight 64
And in the shortened first session, Australia strike again on the stroke of lunch with Paul Collingwood edging Hilfenhaus to Ponting in the slips for 13, England 159-4
Play resumes after lunch and Bell reaches a half century on his return to the team but his somewhat charmed innings comes to an end shortly afterwards when he falls lbw to a delighted Mitchell Johnson
The dismissal of Bell sees Andrew Flintoff join Matt Prior out in the middle and the England all-rounder quickly finds himself enjoying a jaunty, chirpy exchange with a fired-up Johnson
England find themselves teetering when the dismissal of Bell leaves them on 168-5 but Prior and Flintoff play some expansive and entertaining strokes as they bear down on the Australian total of 263
Flintoff may not be the force of old with the bat but there is evidence of vintage Freddie at Edgbaston as he executes a series of forceful and crisp drives, particularly off the medium pace of Shane Watson
Prior refuses to be outdone and plays some sweet shots himself before a disappointing and unnecessary mistimed hook sees him caught at mid-on by sub fielder Phil Hughes having struck 41 in 59 balls
The Edgbaston crowd gives Flintoff a generous reception as he reaches his first half century of the series with a powerful sweep off Nathan Hauritz
But just when it seems that Flintoff, who is on 74, is really set to cut loose a delivery from Hauritz spins dramatically, hits the batsman on the glove and it well caught by Michael Clarke
England resume on 316-7 after tea and Graeme Swann is quickly into the action, playing a series of aggressive strokes and exchanging words with Johnson as he makes a useful 22
England continue in a positive frame of mind and the home team's players continue the lively banter with Johnson as Broad exchanges words with the Australian bowler
Jimmy Anderson makes just one before he departs and Broad (pictured) is the final man to fall but not before he plays a series of eye-catching strokes as his 55 helps England reach 376 - a lead of 113
Watson, unlike a tentative Simon Katich, looks to be positive as Australia begin their reply and he strikes three boundaries off the first over bowled by Graeme Onions
Katich reaches 26 before he attempts to drive a fullish delivery from Onions that he nicks to Prior - much to the obvious delight of the England bowler
Ponting survives a huge lbw appeal off the bowling of Swann but has no answer to a delivery later in the over that spins and beats the Australian skipper's defences - leaving his team on 52-2
Onions narrowly fails to take a very difficult caught and bowled chance off Mike Hussey but Australia reach the close on 88-2 to trail by 25 after a brilliant day's cricket that sets up an intriguing final day
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