MICHAEL CLARKE scored 103 not out as Australia batted out a draw Monday on the final day of the third Ashes test against England, which remains 1-0 up in the five-match series.
Clarke added 185 with Marcus North (96) for the fifth wicket to help Australia reach 375-5 when stumps were drawn.
Australia held a lead of 262 runs in its second innings with England still to bat again after the whole of Saturday was lost to rain and 60 overs Thursday.
“We knew what job we had to do this morning. The North-Clarke partnership was something special. They controlled things perfectly and it ended up being a reasonable game of cricket considering the amount of time we lost (to rain),” Australia captain Ricky Ponting said.
It was Clarke’s 12th century in his 50th test, while North fell to a spectacular diving one-handed catch by fast bowler James Anderson at gully off Stuart Broad after tea. Both were mostly untroubled on a flat last day pitch at Edgbaston, though Clarke was caught by slip fielder Anderson off Ravi Bopara off a no-ball when on 96.
Australia, seeking to retain the Ashes, lost only three wickets in the day after resuming on 88-2 from overnight and under pressure as England had obtained a first innings lead of 113 runs.
The teams will now meet again at Headingley on Friday before the final game at The Oval.
Clarke — who also made 136 at Lord’s in the second test that England won — and North successfully blunted England’s attack for 209 minutes. Clarke was dropped on 38 by England captain Andrew Strauss from a powerful pull shot at short midwicket but it was a rare lapse in his 283-minute stay.
The only other near-miss came when Clarke (on 43) was caught by wicketkeeper Matt Prior off his boot from Graeme Swann’s bowling and, though England appealed nosily and caused umpire Rudi Koertzen to consult his fellow umpire and the third umpire, the correct “not out” decision was the end result.
Clarke eventually faced 192 balls and struck 14 boundaries, while North received 159 deliveries and plundered 15 fours in his innings, which just fell short of becoming his third century in his fifth test.
Overnight batsmen Shane Watson and Mike Hussey were dismissed before lunch, both caught by Prior. Watson was out for 53 trying to drive a straight and full delivery from Anderson to make the score 137-3.
Hussey’s highest test innings of the year ended on 64 when he pushed at Broad’s 12th ball of the innings to give Prior another catch, rousing a sold-out crowd at Edgbaston. Hussey hit 13 boundaries in his innings.
The first test was drawn at Cardiff, before England won the second test at Lord’s by 115 runs.(SD-Agencies)