1644: MATCH RESULT: Australia (190 & 384) beat England (155 & 180) by 239 runs.

1644: WICKET!
SP Jones c Warne b McGrath 0 McGrath sends one down the hill and away from Jones and he edges the ball to Warne at first slip.

1642: Over 58 Pietersen gives the sparse, demoralised crowd something to cheer with a sweep-slog against the spin over the mid-wicket boundary. He takes another two on the leg side but refuses a single to mid off from the third. He was strangely willing to expose Hoggard and Harmison but not Jones, who is at least their equal with the bat. Warne responds with an astonishing straight bouncer which Pietersen leaves with a staggered smile before smashing the final ball down the ground for four with a beautiful, clean strike.

1639: Over 57 Pietersen tries his best to keep McGrath out but gives in to temptation and tries a wild swing, getting an inside edge which falls short of Gilchrist. He manages to rotate the strike at least.

1635: Over 56 Simon Jones sees out the over in less than convincing fashion. The final ball leaves Ponting with a trademark smirk as a big legbreak pitches outside left-hander Jones' off stump, draws a wildly inaccurate slash and cuts in to miss off by a whisker.

1632: WICKET!
SJ Harmison lbw b Warne 0 Pietersen gets two down to mid on straight away for a 50 and follows that with another club down the ground for one which leaves Harmison on strike. The paceman fails to get outside the line of his stumps and his hit full on the pads by a straight slider. Dar raises the finger, Harmison is out first ball and Australia are one wicket from victory.

1628: Over 55 That ball brings an eventful over to an end and Australia closer to victory.

1628: WICKET!
MJ Hoggard lbw b McGrath 0 Pietersen bats a very straight off drive back past McGrath, handing Hoggard the strike from ball two. The Yorkshireman gets a rare McGrath delivery, one that moves away from the right-hander, but the result is a ball far too good and he can't get near it. More nervous moments follow but there is relief for England when a bouncer swings big between stumps and wicketkeeper to allow two byes. The next is unplayable for a man of Hoggard's ability, jagging down the slope to trap his legs at shin height for an indisputable lbw.

1624: Over 54 Pietersen misses the first ball down leg but gets bat on the next two before driving down the ground to mid off for one. Hoggard blocks with confidence.

1620: Over 53 Pietersen takes an early single to leave Hoggard on strike to McGrath, who starts the softening-up process with two bouncers. He does not follow up with a real jaffer in the danger zone, however, and the tail ender survives without too much discomfort.

1616: Over 52 Hoggard keeps out a full ball to complete the over.

1614: Play resumes The players return to the field at the umpires' request but the rain continues to fall. The England batsmen are reluctant to return and umpire Dar makes his displeasure known.

1606: Over 51.5 Very good is apparently the answer to my question. Pietersen takes a single early on and it begins to rain. A look to the skies suggests that this will not be a long break, however. Play suspended
England 2nds Inns 159 for seven chasing 420 to win

1603: Over 51 How are you at a rain dance? McGrath is so menacing down the slope at Lord's but it's disastrous over for England with two soft dismissals effectively ending their slender hopes unless the heavens open. Matthew Hoggard sees out the over but you can forget comparisons with '81 now, this is a whole new ball game.

1557: WICKET!
AF Giles c Hayden b McGrath 0 McGrath sends down a snorter first ball and Giles can't get near it. He then plays a half-hearted block outside off stump and edges into the slip cordon.

1554: WICKET!
GO Jones c Gillespie b McGrath 6 Pietersen gets a shortish one first ball and tries to pull it through mid-wicket. The connection is poor but he scampers a single and made a statement of intent. From the other end he then sees Jones succumb with a brainless dismissal, trying to pull a fullish ball from McGrath from middle and off, miscuing to mid-on for the easiest catch of Jason Gillespie's career.

1553: Over 50 The first ball is pitched full and Pietersen causes no little concern by going back and across to leg with his defensive stroke. The England batsman gets the scoreboard moving next ball with a single to mid-off and Jones is welcomed with an absolute jaffer which turns from leg past the outside edge to wide of off. The England wicketkeeper looks assured to the next one but part of Warne's genius is his relentlessness. With play able to continue until 1900, light permitting, it is a long evening ahead.

1550: Shane Warne begins from the Pavilion End and post men on the cover and mid-wicket boundaries for Pietersen.

1549: Over 49 An impressive maiden. McGrath begins to Jones and the movement is immediately ominous for England. The first ball jags from outside off towards middle and leg but the England wicketkeeper blocks. The next two balls are less dangerous and left alone but the fourth, like the first, is eerily imminent of the massive movement which characterised that devastating Thursday afternoon spell. The penultimate ball jags down the hill, too, and cuts Jones in half, brushing the back thigh on the way through but England finish on a positive note with a solid cut to point which yields no run.

1544: Glenn McGrath will begin from the Pavilion End.

1542: The umpires, Australia, Pietersen and Jones stride out to half-empty stands with dark clouds still visible overhead.

1525: Good news! Well, news at any rate. The second pitch inspection passes play to begin in 20 minutes meaning that England will likely have to bat for more than two hours tonight, while the forecast for tomorrow is mixed.

It is hardly the best development for the hosts' chance of claiming an undeserved draw but obviously positive news for those fans and players who simply want to see some cricket played at Lord's today.

One of those will doubtless be Pietersen, who restarts on 42 to continue his attempt to be the eighth England player to score two half centuries on debut.

Or if you prefer, as Tony Greig was one of the previous seven, the second South African to do so for England.

Either way, the hosts' hope rest almost exclusively on the Hampshire star's shoulders with Geraint Jones needed to play a big supporting role.

1445: The rain stops and umpires Aleem Dar and Rudi Koertzen make an initial inspection with another one planned for 1515 when the covers have been removed. Play may start as soon as 1600 if the duo like what they see.

1430: The skies are growing lighter as per the forecast but still rain drips from the nose of the WG Grace statue. It is perhaps odds-on that we will see some play today, but that will not be until after 1500 and perhaps later.

1230: As heavy rain continues to pour at Lord's, the atmosphere in a frustrated Australia dressing room must be not unlike a bored infant school class. Brett Lee will currently be working off excess energy by chasing Michael Clarke around the corridors while Shane Warne pulls Jason Gillespie's hair and John Buchanan looks wistfully out of the window muttering, "There like this every time." Still no chance of play in the near future with clearer spells not forecast until 1600.

1130: The rain is if anything falling more heavily and there is no immediate chance of play. The ground is almost deserted, and there is little to do but wait and hope. What you are hoping for rather depends on who you are supporting, of course.

1000: At least one of the ancient Gods of Rain to whom England fans were praying overnight was obviously listening.

The start to day four of the first Test at Lord's is delayed by a constant drizzle in north London, and no start time has yet been set as the rain continues to fall.

How much longer the hosts can rely on Zeus, Jupiter and co rather than Ashley Giles remains to be seen but they will certainly be up against it if and when they resume on 156 for five chasing 420.

Kevin Pietersen and Geraint Jones put on 37 before the close and, as the last two recognised batsmen, will carry most of the responsibility for trying to get as many of the 265 runs still required for victory as possible.

Shane Warne and Brett Lee were England's tormentors-in-chief yesterday, but Ricky Ponting can also call upon a fresh Glenn McGrath and improving Jason Gillespie as he goes in search of an early, emphatic victory.

Though the Baggy Greens' ambitions were thwarted early in the day, with six sessions available there is still little danger to their hope of a 1-0 series lead as yet.