England finally saw the back of Justin Langer to break the best stand of this Ashes series on the third day of the fifth Test against Australia at The Oval here on Saturday.
No sooner had Stephen Harmison bowled Langer for 105 than the rain which had marred the day's play returned before Australia captain Ricky Ponting could take guard.
Australia were 185 for one, 188 runs behind England's first innings 373 with Matthew Hayden 70 not out. The bad weather kept the players off the field for 95 minutes until tea, over two-and-a-half hours lost in all to the elements, in a match Australia had to win to level the series at 2-2 and retain their 16-year grip on the Ashes.
At lunch Australia were 157 without loss, Langer 91 not out and Hayden unbeaten on 60 after only 14 overs were possible in the session.
Afterwards Langer completed his 22nd Test hundred and fourth against England when he steered Harmison, England's fastest bowler, down to third man for four, having faced 142 balls with two sixes and 10 fours.
Another similar boundary saw Langer become only the eighth Australian to score 7,000 Test runs.
But England then got the breakthrough they wanted after 52 overs of trying when Langer, on 105, inside-edged a Harmison delivery on to his thigh before the ball clipped off-stump.
Langer's was only the second century by an Australia batsman this series after captain Ricky Ponting's 156 in the drawn third Test at Old Trafford and together with Hayden he's shared the best partnership for any wicket by either side in this Ashes campaign. Hayden, who hadn't scored more than 70 in his 30 previous Test innings, had faced 175 balls in four minutes short of four hours.
Australia resumed Saturday on 112 without loss, 261 behind, having gone off for bad light immediately after tea on Friday,
But Langer, having seen leg-spin great Shane Warne take six for 122 in England's first innings, said after stumps Friday there was still plenty of time for Australia to win the match.
He began Saturday on 75 not out with Hayden 32 not out as the left-handed pair shared their 14th century partnership.
It was their first in 21 Test innings since putting on 137 in the first innings of November's second Test against New Zealand in Adelaide.
In overcast condtions Langer survived a huge lbw shout from Matthew Hoggard off the first ball of the day when he missed the Yorkshireman's inswinger.
Replays suggested the ball had pitched on and would have hit leg-stump but New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden ruled in favour of Langer, dropped on 53 on Friday by Marcus Trescothick at first slip off Paul Collingwood, a difficult chance.
Further lbw appeals from Hoggard and impressive all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, whose first five overs Saturday cost just five runs, followed in the swing-friendly conditions.
SCOREBOARD
ENGLAND (1st Innings): 373 (A Strauss 129, A Flintoff 72; S Warne 6-122):
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AUSTRALIA (1st Innings - overnight: 112-0):
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J. Langer b Harmison 105
M. Hayden not out 70
EXTRAS: (LB-3, W-2, NB-5) 10
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TOTAL: (1 wkt, 52.4 overs, 236 mins) 185
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FALL OF WICKET: 1-185
TO BAT: R Ponting, D Martyn, M Clarke, S Katich, A Gilchrist, S Warne, B Lee, G McGrath, S Tait
BOWLING: Harmison 12.4-1-43-1 (2nb, 2w); Hoggard 14-1-53-0 (1nb); Flintoff 12-5-25-0 (2nb); Giles 10-0-44-0; Collingwood 4-0-17-0
TOSS: England
UMPIRES: Billy Bowden (NZL), Rudi Koertzen (RSA)
TV UMPIRE: Jeremy Lloyds (ENG)
MATCH REFEREE: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI).
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