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The Roar

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Highlights: Aussies on cusp of dead rubber win

23rd August, 2015
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Rain looms as the only roadblock to Australia winning the fifth Ashes Test, a result likely to gladden and grate retiring captain Michael Clarke.

Clarke and Chris Rogers are set to end their international careers on a bittersweet note at The Oval, where England slumped to 6-203 at stumps on day three.

Clarke enforced the follow-on for the first time in his Test career, emboldened by a first-innings lead of 332 runs on Saturday.

England require a further 129 runs to make the tourists bat again in the dead rubber.

Showers are predicted for day four but they’re not expected to impact the morning session.

“We’ve got the new ball (available after one over),” Peter Siddle said.

“A bit of cloud cover, the ball will be doing plenty.

“We’re probably not going to have a lot of time.

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“Whether it’s six hours tomorrow or two, we’ve got to … try and do it as quick as possible.”

Siddle, recalled after almost nine months in the Test wilderness, shined the brightest on the hottest day of the series.

The Victorian finished with 10 maidens and figures of 1-14 from 16 overs, his teammates benefiting from the build up of pressure.

The 30-year-old sent down a remarkable 34 dot balls before conceding the first and only run of his opening spell in England’s second innings.

That stretch included the all-important first breakthrough, Adam Lyth out for 10.

It was one of three catches that Clarke claimed in the slips on Saturday.

Australia worked their way through England’s batting order slowly but surely after that, Alastair Cook providing the sternest resistance.

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Cook will still be wondering how he soaked up 234 balls and five-and-a-half hours, only to fall on 85 to part-timer Steve Smith.

Smith’s breakthrough, in the third last over of the day, further shortened the odds of Australia finishing 3-2 losers in the five-Test series.

“It topped off today nicely … it was a very long day,” Siddle said.

The squad could have ended the nation’s 14-year away Ashes drought had they produced such patience with bat and ball in Cardiff, Birmingham and Nottingham.

Instead they ceded the urn after being skittled for 60 in the fourth Test.

“You can’t really worry too much about the past,” Siddle said, having been overlooked for all four previous games.

Nathan Lyon produced a decisive over in the final session, dismissing both Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes.

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Jos Buttler, unbeaten on 33, could only look to the skies for for inspiration.

“The Great British weather may come and give us a bit of help,” Buttler said.

“It’s disappointing the way we’ve played here.”

Mark Wood and Moeen Ali added 42 runs to England’s overnight score of 8-107 before Mitchell Johnson dismissed both with consecutive balls in his first over.

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