The Ashes, 4th Test: England vs Australia, As it happened - Ian Bell's ton takes England to 234/5 on Day 3

An improving Australia is threatening to make life trickier for the hosts in the fourth Test at Chester-le-Street. Catch all the live updates of the match here: (Scorecard | Commentary)

 

That's it for Day 3 proceedings. Ian Bell not-out on 105 off 189 and Tim Bresnan on 4 off 21. England 234/5, lead Australia by 202 runs.

 

23:14(IST): A triple off Lyon's over, England 231/5, lead by 199.

 

What a century by Ian Bell! A couple off Jackson Bird that was a risky late-cut and then a cheeky single to bring up his 20th Test ton and third of the current Ashes. England 228/5, lead by 196.

 

Bairstow gone! Nathan Lyon gets his man. Did not spin that much and the right-hander trying to force a cut, edges it to Brad Haddin. England 223/5 after 68 overs, lead by 191.

 

22:47(IST): Ian Bell in top form. Hit Jackson Bird for another four and then Nathan Lyon for a supreme straight drive boundary. Racing towards a century. England 215/4, lead by 183 now.

 

And England move their second innings score past 200 with a fine boundary by Jonny Bairstow off Peter Siddle.

 

And now Ian Bell on the floor! Ryan Harris has been bombarding the England batsman with a flurry of short balls and finally one in the right place hits Bell on the knuckles and he is down. A ball ago, Bell hit a brilliant cover drive for four. England 199/4, lead by 167.

 

22:26(IST): A couple of boundaries - one each off Siddle and Harris by Bell and Bairstow respectively, has England motoring along after the 'rain break'. 194/4 in 61 overs, lead by 162.

 

Bad light called in Durham! England 186/4 in 59.2 overs, Bell on 75, Bairstow on 18. And they comeback! Lead is 154 runs.

 

150 lead for England comes up with a beautiful Bairstow boundary! And he proceeds to crack another boundary right after off Ryan Harris. Both off the backfoot - one a supreme punch past covers, then a pull to backward square leg. Jonny Bairstow on 18 and England now 186/4, lead by 154.

 

21:42(IST): Ian Bell and Jonny Bairstow have the task of taking England through to the close of play. Bell on 73, Bairstow on 10. England 176/4, lead by 145.

 

Pietersen goes! At least Clarke-Bird combined awful review did not haunt Australia much. KP tries to flick Nathan Lyon but that ball holds its line and he gets a leading edge, gobbled up by Chris Rogers at short cover. England 155/4 and Jonny Bairstow comes in. Lead is 123.

 

An appeal! Ridiculous one at that. Michael Clarke goes for the review off Bird but the ball hit Kevin Pietersen way outside the off-stump. Even the umpire Tony Hill seems a bit disturbed by that. Some bad reviews have been there in the Ashes but this one was the worst. 152/3, England lead 120. Pietersen on 44, Bell on 59.

 

And Shane Watson pulls up! As soon as he comes into batting form, he gets injured while bowling. It is the groin, commentators are saying. He did not complete his over as a twitch was felt. Sad for Watto and Aussies. Bird to complete his over. England 152/3, lead by 120.

 

21:16(IST): Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen have hit a four each - while KP's was an edge of sorts low past Haddin, Bell's was silken as ever. The score keeps ticking on.

 

20:59(IST): Ian Bell brings up his fifty as England look to build a substantial lead over Australia in the second innings.

 

20:17(IST): Tea on Day 3 - England recover from 3/49 to 3/123 as Kevin Pietersen (37 off 56) and Ian Bell (37 off 75) fight hard. Ryan Harris took all the three wickets to fall till now. Pietersen hit the last tow balls before tea for four off Peter Siddle.

 

19:57(IST): Going from strength to strength are Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen. Look more assured on the crease now. Lyon though bowling well while Jackson Bird being taken for a few. England 111/3, lead by 79.

 

England go past 100! Pietersen hits a four and a couple off Siddle to get past that figure. Largely quiet though. 105/3 in 29 overs, Pietersen on 26 off 37 and Bell on 30 off 52. Lead is 73.

 

19:32(IST): And Nathan Lyon comes on. Three off his first over. This contest between Pietersen and Lyon may well decide the course of the match. England 94/3, lead by 62.

 

19:21(IST): A maiden from Peter Siddle to Ian Bell, who is on 20 off 36.

 

19:13(IST): Another late-cut for boundary by Ian Bell in Shane Watson's over. England 85/3, lead by 53.

 

19:08(IST): Peter Siddle's over is a bit expensive, nine off it as Ian Bell hits a fine boundary through gully off the backfoot and Pietersen hits a streaky one through the vacant slips and gully region. England 80/3, lead by 48 now.

 

19:02(IST): Pietersen (12 off 16) looking to counter-attack as clouds are gathering in Durham. England 71/3 in their second innings, lead by 39.

 

18:53(IST): All going well for Australia as Shane Watson bowls. Kevin Pietersen (3) and Ian Bell (6) try to resurrect the England innings. England 58/3 in 18 overs, Lead by 26.

 

18:38(IST): WICKET! Disaster for England, Australia celebrate as Ryan Harris removes Jonathan Trott. Harris dug it in short, Trott tried to pull and gobbled up by Haddin. 49/3.

 

18:31(IST): WICKET! Alastair Cook goes. Slashes one hard outside the off-stump, uncharacteristic. Ryan Harris gets his second wicket as Brad Haddin completes a simple catch. England 42/2, lead by 10.

 

And the lead is overhauled! Jonathan Trott hits a meaty blow past mid-wicket off Ryan Harris for a boundary to help England overcome the arrears. 36/1 now the Three Lions in their second outing, lead by 4 runs.

 

18:12(IST): England's batsmen Jonathan Trott and Alastair Cook are back after lunch. Jackson Bird bowls the first over.

 

17:39(IST): Lunch on Day 3! England lost Root and are 24/1 in 9 overs in their second innings. Still trail Australia by 8. Cook on 17 off 29, Trott on 5 off 6.

 

17:23(IST): WICKET! Joe Root cleaned up by Ryan Harris with a peach of a delivery. That ball deviated just at the right instant as Root pushed forward. Hits the top of off-stump. England 17/1 in their second innings, trail by 15.

 

17:20(IST): 7 runs in the last two overs - one by Harris, other by Bird. Cook hit a fine drive straight past Bird for a four. England 17/0, trail by 15 runs.

 

17:08(IST): Another four and a single in Ryan Harris' second over. England 10/0, trail by 22.

 

17:03(IST): Alastair Cook and Joe Root are out to bat for England in a brief 35 minute period before lunch. Jackson Bird and Ryan Harris opening the bowling for Australia. Not too much to give an indication either way in the first two overs, England 5/0. Trail by 27.

 

Read innings report

 

16:54(IST): Australia dismissed for 270 in their first innings as Stuart Broad removes Ryan Harris, lbw, plumb in front. Harris scored a well-made 28 off 33. Broad took a fine five-wicket haul, ending 5/71 in 24.3 overs.

 

16:39(IST): Ryan Harris the batsman turns up to haunt Stuart Broad in that over. Three consecutive boundaries - one a pull, another an on drive and then a caressing straight drive. Australia 270/9, lead by 32 now.

 

16:30(IST): WICKET! James Anderson gets his second wicket with Nathan Lyon's lbw, trapped right in front. Lyon had earlier hit a streaky four in that over. Australia 258/9, lead by 20 runs. On replays, that was not-out though. Going down and missing the stumps but surprisingly no review by Aussies. They have one left.

 

16:25(IST):A small delay as Stuart Broad changes his boot. And a beautiful cover drive by Ryan Harris off Broad for four plus an even better backfoot punch for three. Australia 253/8, lead by 15 runs.

 

16:18(IST):WICKET! Peter Siddle goes, dismissed by James Anderson's ball just leaving him a tad bit. He scored 5 off 21 even as pressure was building up from both ends. Alastair Cook took a comfortable catch at first slip. 245/8 now Australia, lead by 7 runs.

 

16:15 (IST): Plenty of plays and missed off Stuart Broad's over by Peter Siddle. Earlier Ryan Harris and Siddle played quiet overs off James Anderson and Broad too. Australia 244/7. Lead by 6 runs.

15:50 (IST): WICKET! Graeme Swann strikes again to remove Chris Rogers (110). Rogers leans forward to defend it but finds a faint edge of his glove onto pads, keeper Matt Prior dives at short leg position to take a brilliant catch. Umpire gives it not out, which is overturned by the third umpire after England reviews it. Australia 233 for 7, trail by 5 runs.

15:35 (IST): WICKET! Brad Haddin (14) departs early and it's Graeme Swann who gets the breakthrough in the opening over of the day. Haddin goes on the backfoot to play it on the on side, but misses it completely only to be trapped in front. He opts for a review and it is turned down. Australia 224 for 6, trail by 14 runs.

Drizzle in the air at @DurhamCricket, but the covers are now off #Ashes

- England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) August 11, 2013

15:05 (IST): The conditions are overcast at Chester-le-Street and the pitch is covered. England pacers will once again look to exploit conditions with the second new ball available in 5.2 overs. Stuart Broad bowled superbly to bag four wickets yesterday while Tim Bresnan chipped in with one.

14:45 (IST): Australian media paid tribute to Rogers' doggedness in the most testing of batting conditions against the probing England seamers. "Considering he is short-sighted and colour-blind, Rogers did remarkably well to see Australia through to a dominant position on a gloomy day when the ball was nipping at batsmen like a rabid blue heeler (dog) from first over to last," Australian's Wayne Smith wrote. (Continue reading)

 

Good morning from Emirates Durham ICG! Unfortunately the earlier sun has been replaced by cloud #drizzle #Ashes pic.twitter.com/i4OhejGNM9

- England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) August 11, 2013

14:14 (IST): STAT! Chris Rogers is averaging fifty-plus in first-class cricket - 20139 (ave.50.34) in 244 matches, including 61 centuries.

14:00 (IST): Chris Rogers said he was a relieved man after his maiden Test century left Australia well-placed in the fourth Ashes match against England at Chester-le-Street. (Read full story)

13:32 (IST): STAT! Matt Prior has become the third England wicketkeeper after Alan Knott (250) and Alec Stewart (227) to complete 200 catches in Tests. He is the 11th keeper overall to accomplish the feat.

13:20 (IST): Rogers had waited five years since making his Australia debut in 2008 before playing his second Test at the start of this Ashes series after several years of heavy run-scoring in both Australian and English first-class cricket.

13:10 (IST): Australia rode on Chris Rogers' maiden Test century to end second day's play on 222/5. Rogers remained not out on 101 along with Brad Haddin (12*). Not to forget Shane Watson's contribution (68 off 134 balls), that was crucial in a 129-run stand for the 5th wicket with Rogers.