Rain down

FIFTH TEST

Is The Sprinkler an accidental rain dance? England may regret their recent excursion into Strictly Come Sprinkling

To lunch (55-1 in the 30th over) Clarke, in for the injured Ponting, wins the toss. I assume the leave-everything-wide-of-off-stump policy was formulated in the dressing room but surely Clarke ought to have put England in. It would have signified a defiant attitude and saved us the sight of two batsmen who signalled they would be happy not to play a shot for the first two hours on a grassy but not hostile pitch. Tremlett was the best of the seamers; he has been a revelation on this tour and he deserved the wicket of Hughes last ball before the interval.

To tea (111-2 at a rain break) The new boy Khawata starts with a shot demo, is interrupted by bad light and then shows a raw technique from a short backlift. Why didn't Clarke bat at No.3? We got the answer when Watson was caught at slip for 45 and Clarke batted 21 balls for four.

To close (134-4 after more rain): Khawata could not resist a sweep at Swann giving England the bragging rights for the day. Rain prevented further play so that we do not even know whether Haddin or Smith will bat No.6 but there is more rain on the horizon, "Biblical" flooding in Queensland and the feeling of a wet draw about this final match of the series.