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

 The England top four batsmen contributed to their own dismissals with the Australians deciding to leave out off-spinner Nathan Hauritz, bowling with sustained aggression and control. Peter Siddle being the best of the Aussie bowlers with figures of four for 63.

Andrew Strauss won his fourth toss of the series and play began under threatening black clouds, which rolled away during the morning session and gave way to bright sunshine after tea. Alastair Cook (10) was the first of the England top four to gift his wicket when he played the impressive Siddle with angled bat to Ricky Ponting at second slip.

Strauss, England’s key batsman in the absence of the injured Kevin Pietersen, responded with an impressive half century, clipping 10 fours square of the wicket on the lightning fast outfield. However, Bell continually threatened  by Mitchell Johnson, fending unconvincingly at three successive bouncers. He survived to play some superb drives but lost Strauss in the third over after lunch after one further boundary, caught behind from a terrible  defensive shot off Ben Hilfenhaus.

Paul Collingwood made 24 before he also played a terrible  shot, slicing a wide delivery from Siddle to Michael Hussey at gully. Bell then dragged his first delivery after tea, a full delivery from Siddle, on to his stumps and Matt Prior (18) lobbed Johnson to Shane Watson at cover.

Andrew Flintoff (7), on walking on to the pitch was given a standing ovation by the Oval crowd in his final test but ultimately disappointed hugely when he slashed Johnson to Haddin. Trott’s promising start to his  innings was cut short when he was brilliantly run out by a direct hit at the batsman’s end by short-leg Simon Katich.

A late flurry of runs by Stuart Broad (26 not out) and Graeme Swann (18) took the hosts  past 300 before Swann was caught behind to give Siddle his fourth wicket.

There were glimmers of hope for England in the form of Ian Bell, who top-scored with 72 playing at number three, and a confident start for debutant Jonathan Trott who made a useful 41.Also, England can also take heart from the Oval pitch, which after having been baked by the hottest day of the year on Wednesday, was starting to take spin from Marcus North offering real promise to Swann when he takes his accurate spin attack to the Australians. But at the end of the day, Australia will be the happier of the two teams after a full day’s play.