Darren Gough, Alex Tudor and finally Andy Caddick. With a spirit that warmed the cockles, England came back at Australia in the gathering gloom of evening in a manner which few may have thought possible.

Dismissed by tea for 185, with five more wickets to the mighty Glenn McGrath, England saw Australia add 49 for the first wicket in the best part of 13 overs, and with it any chance of getting back in the contest for the Ashes disappearing fast.

The next hour and a half transformed the complexion of the day and, who knows, the series as seven wickets fell for a further 57 runs as the England pace bowlers found rhythm, adrenalin and a competitive edge that hitherto they had lacked, and the catches began to stick.

Two wickets apiece went to Gough and the gangling young Tudor, and then, when the situation had been set up for him (why does this happen so often) three in the space of 11 deliveries to Caddick who, from an appalling start with the new ball, switched to the Radcliffe End for his second spell and surged in with real venom.

With three and a half overs of the day still to be bowled, the light closed in sufficiently to bring play to a halt before further damage could be inflicted and Australia will resume this morning on 105 for seven, 80 runs adrift, and much depending on Adam Gilchrist.

England, if they continue to hold their nerve along with their catches, are in with a real chance of hauling their way back into the series.

This, it has to be said, is not a good pitch, something that cannot have been levelled at Trent Bridge surfaces of recent vintage. This strip, two along at least from the usual one, has been relaid, and even before play began was showing the sort of cracking that can indicate indifferent bounce.

From McGrath's first two balls of the match - the first of which seared past Mike Atherton's nose and the second of which, from a similar length , came through waist high and clipped the batsman's forearm guard as he dropped his hands to avoid it to the final over bowled by Tudor, the bounce remained erratic and will become more so.

To produce an international pitch such as this when the conditions for its preparation have been ideal, is unacceptable.

Batting last, as it now looks Australia must, will be no sinecure, but neither will batting third. One innings of bravery, skill and perhaps the biggest essential, luck, will win this match.

England had their first slice of luck when Atherton won the toss, the first time that England have done so in 10 attempts.

Perhaps their luck will hold.