The England batsmen dominated the third day’s play at the Oval, setting  Australia a world record 546 if to they are to win the fifth and final Ashes Test after Jonathan Trott scored a century on his Test debut at The Oval. The West Indies previously recorded the highest fourth innings winning total six years ago when they reached 418 for seven against Australia at St John’s in Antigua.

Trott, who was run out for 41 in the first innings, became the first England player since Graham Thorpe in 1993 to score an Ashes century on debut. Trott and the England capatain, took the overnight total of 58 for three to 157 before the England captain was caught at slip off Marcus North for 75 shortly before lunch. It was Strauss’s second half-century of the match.Trott showed terrific  composure on a pitch which held few terrors after 15 wickets had tumbled for 243 on Friday. He drove the ball handsomely through the off-side reaching his 50 in the morning session from 89 balls.

Matt Prior having run himself out for four, saw the England  hero of the 2005 Ashes series come to the crease – Andrew Flintoff. A sporting handshake from the Australian captain Ricky Ponting and a standing ovation from the Oval crowd welcomed him on this his last Test batting appearance. On a stage taylormade for him, he struck four quick boundaries but was caught at long-off for 22 trying to hit North out of the ground. North, who took four for 98 from 30 overs.

Graeme Swann enthralled  the capacity crowd with nine boundaries in his 63 from 55 balls while Trott steadily acquired runs at the other end before he was eventually  out after cracking  12 boundaries from 193 balls.

At the close of the third day, Australia had reached 80 for no wicket with six sessions remaining leaving England still quite a lot to do but have two days to bowl the Aussies out. The drama builds and England know that the Ashes are there for the taking