Australia Eye World Record Chase, Need 209-more

Michael Clarke kept Australia hopes alive with a magnificent century.

London: Michael Clarke survived some fiery new-ball bowling to keep England at bay with an unbeaten century that gave Australia hope when all seemed lost in the second Ashes Test at Lord's on Sunday.

Australia were 313 for five when bad light forced an early close on the fourth day with 12 overs left.

They needed a further 209 runs to achieve what would be a new Test record fourth innings victory total of 522 on Monday's final day.

England, by contrast required five more wickets if they were to beat Australia in a Test at Lord's for the first time in 75 years and so go 1-0 up in the five-match series following last week's drawn opener in Cardiff.

But first they needed to separate Clarke and wicket-keeper Brad Haddin, 80 not out, who'd so far shared an unbroken stand of 185 for the sixth wicket.

If Australia reached their target they would surpass the current fourth innings record victory total of 418 for seven made by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2002/03.

After tea, Haddin - who made a hundred in Cardiff - completed a 95-ball fifty with a single against off-spinner Graeme Swann.

And next ball Clarke went to his 11th Test hundred and first at Lord's when he pushed Swann for two.

He reached the landmark in 159 balls, his first fifty coming in 58 but his second in 101 as Clarke concentrated hard.

It had looked Sunday as if England might wrap up victory with more than a day to spare as they reduced Australia to 128 for five.

But they encountered more than three hours of stylish resistance from the sixth-wicket pair, especially Clarke, who made 83 in Cardiff and 91 in the Lord's Ashes Test four years ago.

England took the new ball as soon as it became available after 80 overs with Australia 287 for five on a still-good batting pitch.

James Anderson and Andrew Flintoff both went close but the Lancashire duo were denied a breakthrough.

England, after captain Andrew Strauss declared on their overnight score of 311 for six, had the rub of the green with umpiring decisions.

Flintoff, who before this match said he would retire from Tests at the end of the Ashes, struck twice to reduce Australia to 34 for two before lunch.

But controversy surrounded both wickets, with veteran umpire Rudi Koertzen, standing in his 100th Test, missing a no-ball in the lead-up to Simon Katich's exit and then giving Phillip Hughes out to a disputed slip catch by Strauss.

Replays showed the fast bowler had overstepped the crease, an action which should have seen South Africa's Koertzen call no-ball and so cancel out the wicket.

Ashes-holders Australia then saw Hughes, their other left-handed opener, on 17 edge Flintoff to first slip Strauss.

The 20-year-old started to walk off but was told to stay by Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who on Saturday had seen England's Ravi Bopara reprieved after the umpires referred a low catch to TV umpire Nigel Llong.

But this time around Koertzen, after asking West Indies' Billy Doctrove if the ball had carried, gave the decision without calling for Llong's assistance.

There was no debate when Ponting played on to paceman Stuart Broad for 38.

It was all a far cry from Cardiff where Ponting made a majestic 150 and Australia were only denied victory by a last-wicket stand between tailenders Anderson and the now dropped Monty Panesar.

Swann then got in on the act with two wickets for two runs in 19 balls.

He removed left-hander Michael Hussey with the aid of Paul Collingwood's sharp slip catch.

Hussey was given out by Doctrove although replays suggested the ball may have missed the outside edge, although Swann's dismissal of Marcus North, bowled between bat and pad, was far more conclusive.

One concern for England, which could have consequences for the rest of the series, was that star batsman Pietersen, who has been troubled by an Achilles injury, spent much of Sunday off the field.

Brief Score: Australia 215 and 313 for 5 (Clarke 125*, Haddin 80*) need another 209 runs to beat England 425 and 311 for 6 dec (Prior 61, Collingwood 54).