| Scores | Upcoming | Results |
Birmingham: Australia was fighting to keep alive its hopes of winning the Ashes series Sunday, slumping to 88-2 at stumps on the fourth day of the third test to trail England by 25 runs.
Shane Watson was 34 not out and Michael Hussey unbeaten on 18 at Edgbaston after England had totaled 376 and then dismissed Simon Katich and Ricky Ponting in consecutive overs.
Katich was caught behind off Graham Onions for 26, trying to drive a straight delivery through mid-on to leave Australia 47-1 in the 14th over.
Ten balls and five runs later, Ponting was bowled between bat and pad for 5 by a delivery from Graeme Swann that spun back sharply.
Ponting, who became Australia's leading test run-scorer Friday, could also have been lbw to Swann two balls before his dismissal, but umpire Rudi Koertzen turned down the appeal.
Watson and Hussey saw out the remaining 13 overs with play extended because an hour was lost at the start of the day due to a wet outfield. Saturday's play was washed out, as was 60 overs on Thursday.
"It's a big day for us tomorrow," Flintoff said. "We've lost a lot of time to rain, but if we can start well like the other day (when England claimed wickets with the first two balls on Friday) and put some pressure on Australia we can win the test match.
"But they might think if they have a good morning they can do well so, it's a big morning for both teams. It's going to be attritional cricket, but there's a quiet confidence, though we know it's going to be tough."
With a day remaining, Australia will struggle to gain enough of a lead and be able to bowl England out again for a series-leveling victory. A draw would mean Australia could still win the series with wins at Headingley and The Oval. A drawn series would be enough for Australia to retain the Ashes.
"We always try to win, but with the amount of rain in the game it's probably made it hard," Australia's Ben Hilfenhaus said. "We will look to bat for as long as we can and if we are enough runs in front, who knows in the last session?"
England resumed on 116-2 and took command after Andrew Flintoff struck an aggressive 74 to help give his side a first-innings lead of 113. He added 89 from 97 balls in a match-turning sixth wicket stand with Matt Prior (41).
"It's nice batting with Matt Prior as he is an aggressive batsman as well," Flintoff said. "It was a good partnership in the middle order and put us in a decent position for tomorrow."
Flintoff hit 10 fours and a six in 79 balls before being dismissed just before tea, following Prior and Ian Bell (53) to the pavilion in the session.
Flintoff, who will retire from test cricket after the series because of injury troubles, was out trying to leave a short delivery from offspinner Nathan Hauritz, the ball turning back and flicking his glove on the way to slip.
It had been an entertaining innings. He asserted his authority with a signature straight drive for four off medium-pacer Watson in his first over and played a second straight drive along the floor for another boundary in Watson's second over.
Flintoff brought England level with Australia's 263 with a six over long-on off Hauritz, before a powerful sweep shot two balls later gave England the lead and Flintoff his half-century.
"We had plans to get him out but he batted reasonably well and had an impact with the way he batted," Hilfenhaus said of Flintoff. "We had hoped to bowl them out quickly and push on with the bat earlier, but we will now have to turn to 'Plan B."'
Prior's 59-ball innings ended when he mistimed a short ball from Peter Siddle and scooped it to mid-on. But Stuart Broad didn't allow the momentum to subside, hitting nine boundaries to score 55 in 64 balls. He also exchanging heated words with bowler Mitchell Johnson during an over that cost 15 runs.
England's last five wickets added 208 runs, whereas Australia's could only score 70 on Friday.
Australia started the better on Sunday, dismissing Andrew Strauss for 69 when he edged Hilfenhaus to wicketkeeper Graham Manou after trying to cut a ball that was too close to him.
Hilfenhaus, who finished with 4-108, then had Paul Collingwood caught by Ponting at second slip on the stroke of lunch.
Although Bell was lbw to Johnson five overs after the interval, Flintoff, Prior and Broad gave England the advantage with some enterprising stroke-play.
Brief Score: Australia 263 and 88 for 2 (Watson 34*, SM Katich 26) trail England 376 (Strauss 69, Bell 53, Flintoff 74, Broad 55, Hilfenhaus 4-109) by 25 runs.
