Match drifts towards a draw at The Oval in dead-rubber game.
England have finished on 247-4 at the end of play on day three, as the pace of the fifth Ashes Test match of the series ground to almost a halt at The Oval.
In what was a tough day all-round with just 215 runs in 98 overs and four wickets taken by the Australians as the match, seemingly, drifted nowhere.
Australia remain in a strong position, though, if the forecast rain stays away tomorrow.
All the England batsmen made starts with Joe Root and Kevin Pietersen moving past fifty, but it was certainly a day lacking a dramatic edge or spark.
Australia’s bowlers were very consistent, on a flat pitch, and some of the spells from Ryan Harris (1-41) and Mitchell Starc (2-60) were very sharp.
The only wicket to fall in the evening session was that of Pietersen after he edged through to Shane Watson at first slip, after he played a strange shot with no footwork away from his body.
The right-hander was dismissed for an even 50 as the score moved to 217-4, with Pietersen’s strike rate of just 37 a sign of the game plan England had in mind for much of the day.
Ian Bell and Chris Woakes finished unbeaten at the end of the day on 29 and 15 not out, with the Three Lions seemingly playing for the draw, as they find themselves still 245 runs shy of the Australian first innings.
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