England are on the brink of defeat in Cardiff, needing to bat all day to save the game. Ed Hawkins will take you through the action. Email him at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

MATCH DRAWN
Amazing stuff. England have survived and will go to Lord's next Thursday level at 0-0. Monty Panesar and James Anderson shepherded their side through 69 deliveries largely untroubled. But the real hero is Paul Collingwood, who produced a display of concentration and guts which should be admired. This will feel like a defeat for Australia while England, totally outplayed for three-and-a-half days, probably won't be able to quite believe their luck. See you at HQ.

This Test is a draw if...Australia fail to take a wicket this over.

18.32 Eng 251-9
Australia have nine minutes to take a wicket

18.27 Eng 246-9
If England are still batting at 18.41, then they will have saved the game. Play cannot go past 18.50 and with 10 minutes for a change of innings, Australia will have run out of time.

18.21 Eng 245-9
Just to confuse you some more, there is 30 minutes of play left. That is roughly seven overs but if Australia got through their overs very quickly indeed, there would be a couple extra. Finish time is 18.50.

18.19 Eng 244-9
England lead by FIVE. So although the scorecard will say 7 overs left, there are actually only FIVE. They are going to do this I reckon. Incredible rearguard this. Australia are still the favourites though.

18.14 Eng 236-9
England are three behind with nine overs left. If they get a lead, two overs are lost. So they have-to-have-to-have-to-have-to get those three runs. That's why Collingwood flashed like he did.

WICKET 18.08 Eng 235-9
I was just about to write again that England were going to get out of jail. Then paul Collingwood suffered the kind of sporting heartbreak that brings a tear to the eye no matter what you allegiance. He had battled bravely and brilliantly for an incredible 245 balls without a mistake. Then he made one. Driving loosely at a wide one from Peter Siddle, he got a thick outside edge to gully. Mike Hussey, as if to add to the drama and the torture, juggled before pouching. So England must survive for another 10 overs (minus two if they score another four). It is all down Monty and James Anderson.

17.50 Eng 228-8
Australia remain jollies at [1.83] but not for much longer with james Anderson frustrating them. England trail by just 11 now.

WICKET 17.34 Eng 221-8
You know, I was just writing that I feared England would get out of jail. But then Hilfenhaus struck Swann, who was going for a pull, plumb in front and the Notts man was sent on his way. The prices flip flop the other way now. England trail by 18. There are 18 overs left but with Australia likely to bat again (if they take these last two wickets) then you can make that 16 because two overs will be lost for the changeover. It is absolutely thrilling, of course but then we would expect it to be. Whoever said the 2009 series would be nothing on 2005 was talking nonsense. James Anderson has joined Collingwood. Anderson is a much-mproived batsman. He needs to be. Monty is next in.

17.18 Eng 210-7
Flip flop. The draw is as short as [1.73] with Australia out to [2.28]. England trail by just 30. Mitchell Johnson is doing his best to waste the new ball. Best get him off and give it to Peter Siddle. Australia, having been tetchy before the new ball, are now beginning to outright panic.

17.08 Eng 201-7
New ball taken. Both teams are set for panic stations. England, obviously, because the rock will bend more and give more zip to the bowlers. Australia, because if they waste it then they could fail to get over the line. A draw here would feel like a defeat for them. It is all very reminiscent of those rearguard efforts by West Indies in the Caribbean at the start of the year.

17.00 Eng 198-7
Last over before the new ball is due. Australia, Hauritz in particular, have looked a little tetchy. There has been puffing of cheeks, a bit of irritation from Ricky Ponting at easy singles. England trail by 41.

16.51 Eng 184-7
With the new ball up their sleeve, Australia are again approaching value. They are [1.68] and climbing. Could we get [1.80] again before the new ball? Simon Katich is having a go with his brand of spin at the moment while Hauritz is operating at the other end. Both Swann and Colly look pretty comfortable.

16.34 Eng 170-7
The tea break, which eventually turned up, has been done with and we are into the final act of this Cardiff Test. We are all Australians now by virtue of our wager just before Broad's dismissal. I am considering painting my face green and gold, throwing some shrimps on the barbie and being generally obnoxious to really get behind my team. Although I may just settle for a cuppa and a biscuit. We must not fret during this session. Australia have a new ball in nine overs, a potential godsend for us and them if Swann and Colly hang around for a bit.

16.11 Eng 169-7
This is super stuff. Peter Siddle has hit Swann on the fingers, elbow and bottom hand this over. A real roughing up. And for good meausre he's gone down the wicket and called him a soft so and so. Siddle is fast emerging as my favourite Australian. He is absolutely ace. He runs in as if his arse is on fire and then with the blaze put out by him running like the wind, furiously walks back to his mark, gets the matches out and strikes at his trousers. England trail by 70.

16.01 Eng 166-7
Bit confused. We are still playing. I think this is one of those very rare occassions when I've failed to pay attention to a schedule change in terms of sessions to make up for lost overs. I'm sure you'll forgive me. After all, had I not been paying such attention we might have missed out on one of the best of the summer.

WICKET 15.47 Eng 159-7
Verging on the sexual. Stuart Broad has been pinned in front by the loveable Hauritz and we've made Nostradamus look like an absolute amateur by comparison. Australia had hit [1.80] but so what? Six minutes ago we told you to back Australia because they were stonking value and they have done us proud. That deserves a jam sandwich.

15.41 Eng 158-6
So much for my wondering about whether Australia would hit [1.75] after tea. They have just touched [1.78]. Get on that. There are 40 overs left and few fears about England surpassing Australia's lead, which is currently at 81. Besides, the tea break could work in our favour. It might reduce concentration levels to bring a wicket and allow the Aussies to regroup a bit. And don't forget there could be plenty of fluctuations to come. Even if these two batted another 20 overs and then one of them fell, Australia would come right down again.

15.34 Eng 157-6
In such a tight two-horse race between the draw and Australia, where a wicket will see a huge market move, should the match odds not react to which batsman is on strike? Yes. Paul Collingwood, the king of obduracy, looks in his element, while Stuart Broad, less so. He has edged twice in this over to Peter Siddle. It stands to reason that Broad is the more likely of the two to be dismissed so a couple of clicks south when broad is facing is not an unreasonable request.

15.15 Eng 147-6
We are 25 minutes for tea and we are approaching the possibility of a monster wager on Australia. They have drifted to [1.63] and with so much cricket left in this game, they are an extremely tempting price. However, because we are so close to tea we could risk being greedy by waiting until after the break when the Aussies could be as big as [1.75], providing England are still six down.

15.03 Eng 142-6
Attritional cricket now. England's run rate is a meagre 1.9 in the last 10 overs. There are still 50 overs left in the day. They are 102 runs behind. Their only hope of survival in this game is to bat all of those overs because their run rate just isn't quick enough to reduce the deficit. Australia are bowling spinners Marcus North and Nathan hauritz in tandem. Australia are [1.48].

WICKET 14.40 Eng 127-6
We couldn't quite get our [1.90]. Andrew Flintoff has prodded forward meekly and tentatively to Mitchell Johnson and Ricky Ponting held on at slip. Stuart Broad has just survived a strong appeal for leg before to the same bowler.

14.32 Eng 126-5
Conversely could there be a better man for this sort of job than Paul Collingwood? Nope. He was born for this sort of role and although we have criticised him for being dull, a situation like the one England face is exactly why he continues to be picked. Australia are coming out as a result of this 56-run partnership. They are [1.80]. If we can get [1.90] we'll smash in.

14.10 Eng 118-5
To continue the negativity surrounding England at the moment, it has to be said that there must be few worse batsmen in the world game to have at the crease when you are trying to bat for two sessions than Andrew Flintoff. Flintoff's natural game is to attack, to be positive, to be aggressive. Nothing wrong with that you may think but the problem is his natural game is also one that involves plenty of risk. He must reign himself in today because if he was to get out playing a loose, or over-aggressive shot, he would be pilloried. Yet if he is becalmed, he becomes tentative and almost strokeless. This will be most evident against the rag and bite of Nathan Hauritz. He has a poor record against spin (he has been dismissed 35% of the time to twirl). In other words, he is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

14.00 Eng 105-5
Australia have found some reverse swing. Gosh, it really couldn't get any worse for England could it? Australia's spinner has outbowled Panesar and Swann, their swing men have made Anderson and co look amateurs and now they are getting it to go the other way. It is a damning indictment on England's chances in this series when they are being so comprehensively outbowled.

13.48 Eng 102-5
Play has resumed after lunch with Mitchell Johnson beginning with a maiden. Put a blond wig on Johnson and he would be the spitting image of former Aussie fast bowler Jeff Thomson. He is old enough to be Johnson's love child, I suppose although before we get sued by Johnson senior, we should point out that this is only a bit of fun by dint of needing to write something, anything following England's pathetic effort this morning. Besides, Johnson's action is nothing like Thommo's , which was pure slingshot.

13.00 Eng 102-5 LUNCH
Australia delighted with their morning's work. If England are to have any chance of saving this game, Paul COllingwood and Andrew Flintoff must still be at the crease at tea. Collingwood one fancies will probably manage it but Fred? I have met five-year-olds, high on Cherry pop and suffering from attention deficit disorder with more discipline. Australia are [1.41] with the draw [3.40].

12.41 Eng 79-5
Captain S has been in touch. "Regarding your question about how much cows cost. They are very expensive. £300 on a weekend away for her birthday, £75 on a fancy meal out and a further £100 on jewellery. And is she happy? No. I just can't win..."

12.34 Eng 76-5
So it is Hauritz who is doing the damage. He has taken five wickets so far and in the shape of Andrew Flintoff, a truly horrendous player of spin, he has a walking, talking sixth. Hauritz is getting enough spit and bounce to makes Messrs Swann and Panesar think about new careers. Hauritz looked hopeless against England Lions at Worcester last week so it remains a surprise to see him doing so well. Or is it? Those with long memories may recall a certain Shane Warne playing at Worcester in a warm-up on his first tour of England in 1993. Graeme Hick hit him out of the ground, into the river and, almost, the next county, which for those who know their geography is Herefordshire. Warne was written off by the media. Not long after he produced the 'Ball of the Century' to Fat Gatt at Old Trafford.

WICKET 12.25 Eng 70-5
Prior gone. Hauritz gets another one. Not bad for a bloke who couldn't turn a page, eh?

12.23 Eng 70-4
Okay, so 20 runs since the last wicket and the prices for Australia and the draw drifted and shortened respectively by 0.06 and 0.04. Still, England pair Matt Prior and Paul Collingwood are looking far from assured. They remain circumspect in their strokeplay, which is fair enough I suppose given a disastrous session. In other news, we're out of milk here again. Jesus, we go through like toddlers. Would it be cheaper if I bough a cow? Does anyone know how much cows cost?

12.00 Eng 56-4
England won't like the look of this weather radar. But at least they can console themselves that it is the French who are now getting very wet indeed. Drinks are coming onto the field. Raise a glass to Australia, folks. They have been fantastic since lunch on day two and by our odds-related reckoning, they are about to win their ninth session in a row. Patriotism is, of course, eschewed on this blog and as punters we like nothing more than the formbook holding up. Australia came into this series shorter favourites than they were in 2005, and so far they are living up to their billing.

11.49 Eng 47-4
Australia down to [1.32] from the [1.72] region. Matt Prior is the new man at the crease and England would appear to have no chance. Andrew Flintoff is the next man in and he is hardly world renowned for crease occupation.

WICKET 11.45 Eng 46-4
I don't think we're going to be here ver long. Strauss gone, caught at the wicket by Nathan Hauritz.

11.44 Eng 46-3
With the odds certain to fluctuate today it is pertinent to try to get some idea of how the match odds market wil react. So I'm keeping a tally of the prices at 10-run intervals for each wicket. It is fascinating stuff already. Australia have drifted by 0.08 and the draw has come in by 0.04 when Strauss and Collingwood had added 10 since KP's dismissal.

11.40 Eng 41-3
The recriminations have started in earnest. SC says on email: "We get excited, get our hopes up and they let us down. If the last two days are anything to go by, we'd do well to take 20 wickets in the series, let alone in one match. Time for Monty to go."

11.22 Eng 35-3
Pietersen's miscalculation sums up how important it is for us to get our decisions right today. Before that wicket, Australia were [2.04]. They immeditaely collapsed to [1.61]. To make profits today, our timing needs to be spot on because it is likely that prices for Australia and the draw ill flip flop all day. The correct thing to do now is to back the draw at [2.58] and then lay off after a 30 or 40-run partnership when the price goes below [2.00].

WICKET 11.17 Eng 31-3
A terrible misjudgement from Kevin Pietersen. He left a straight one! Bowled by Hilfenhaus.

11.07 Eng 25-2
Crease occupation and runscoring share equal importance for England. If they plod along at anything less than three an over, pressure will only build. Ideally they should score at the Test average of 3.5 so by tea they themselves have a lead and the pressure will have switched to Australia. However, there 98 possible overs today so really anything more than six wickets down in the final session and the nerves will continue to jangle. You know, I'm beginning to think Australia are the bet.

10.50 Eng 20-2
One feels that the theme music from telly show The Apprentice (Montagues and Capulets from Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev) would be more appropriate to greet England's players this morning than Jerusalem. If they fail to bat out of their skin, one of them is going to get fired before next week's task at Lord's. Not only to they need crease opccupation, but they need runs, too with Australia leading by 219. Australia have shortened to jolly status this morning. They are [2.00] with the draw [1.98].

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