By Peter May

Click here for Peter May's view on day one

CLOSE: England 1st Innings 229 for four

1815: Play abandoned for the day.

1812: The heavens have opened and play is almost certainly over for the day though we are still awaiting official confirmation.

1808: The rain re-starts and it's getting darker so play is suspended once again. More play tonight must be an odds-against chance now.

1807: Over 60 Pietersen takes a single to mid-wicket off the first ball and Flintoff plays out the over on the front foot. Warne is struggling to get the slightest movement.

1804: Warne comes on at the Pavilion End as Bucknor and Dar compare light meters. Play will continue, for the immediate future at least.

1804: Over 59 Pietersen works an early single to leg and Flintoff makes his first big impact of the day with a crunching drive through extra-cover. It's getting dark in Nottingham so the light may dictate Tait's continued involvement as much as Ponting.

1756: Over 58 Ponting is lucky to avoid a wide call first up, chucking one a foot outside off and moving it away. Pietersen then flicks the ball through mid-wicket for one and Flintoff looks less than comfortable in being hit high on the pads to an inswinger. Only that single from the over then as the Australia captain steps in magnificently for Glenn McGrath.

1753: Over 57 Pietersen almost perishes to Ponting at gully, flashing at a fast one from Tait but seeing the ball fall short of the Australia captain. The England batsman takes back the initiative by hitting through mid-on for four next ball. Pietersen's new-found maturity once again becomes a foundation stone now and his discipline in leaving a wide one and a bouncer bodes well for an improved display. A quick single wide of Katich at mid-on keeps the strike.

1748: Over 56 Now bowling with two slips, Ponting draws Flintoff into a block first and then almost gets one to nip back through the gate. A four down to third man gets the new batsman off the mark but it's a thick edge and another moral victory for the fielding captain. Who says Australia's biggest handicap is their four-man attack?

1745: WICKET!
MP Vaughan c Gilchrist b Ponting 58 Ponting hits the deck and gets one to move away, Vaughan dangles the bat outside off and catches the slightest edge through to Gilchrist.

1744: Over 55 Tait starts with a beauty, beating the outside edge of Vaughan's bat. The England captain takes two with a square cut as, to the delight of the crowd, Lee slips in trying to field. The next ball also goes straight to the fieldsman on the rope and he keeps it to one this time, stopping with a textbook long barrier. Pietersen continues his Matthew Hoggard impression pushing and prodding to the end of the over.

1740: Tait replaces Lee at the Radcliffe Road End.

1740: Over 54 Ponting almost makes the breakthrough as Pietersen blocks but the ball rolls on towards the stumps only to be stopped by the batsman's back foot. A maiden from the Australia captain, whose figures are now an impressive 4-2-4-0.

1737: There will hopefully be 20 overs more today, but play will finish at 1900BST whatever happens.

1737: Over 53 Lee is given a seventh over in the spell but is still failing to exact the movement enjoyed by Tait. He does, however, dig one sharp bouncer in on Vaughan and the batsman ducks out the way. Pietersen milks singles from the first and last ball with the home skipper also helping himself to a single.

1734: Over 52 Vaughan continues to be the more aggressive against Ponting, working a single to leg straight away. Pietersen pushes one to mid-off and watches his partner play out the over.

1730: Over 51 Lee continues from the Radcliffe Road End despite scant encouragement from the pitch. Vaughan is initially frustrated in his attempts to get the ball away but eventually gets a single and Pietersen plays out the over.

1726: Over 50 Ponting, used by his predecessors as a partnership-breaker, perseveres with himself. He is getting discernable movement in both directions but at gentle pace and with little accuracy. A maiden over with Pietersen reluctant to even offer a shot outside off to the part-time seamer.

1722: Over 49 Vaughan moves himself to 49 and England beyond 200 in somewhat streaky fashion, hitting to square leg and beating Kasprowicz to the boundary as the fielder slips in the wet. But there is nothing lucky about the subsequent boundary, a flick through mid-wicket to bring up his half century. Vaughan pushes the next to cover and then leaves two alone to see out the over.

1718: Over 48 The over begins in wayward fashion to the delight of the crowd, a big outswinger just evading 'wide' treatment ahead of a second ball which is so wide that Bucknor has little choice. The joy on the terraces is almost ended when Vaughan plays the ball down to gully and sends back on over-eager Pietersen, the batsman sliding home after Hayden has missed the direct hit. A single puts the 25-year-old on strike and he takes plenty of time to settle himself, playing out the over watchfully. Ponting, as his wont, then enters into an animated conversation with Bucknor about something or other.

1714: Interesting bowling change as Ponting comes on at the Pavilion End for Kasprowicz.

1713: Over 47 Vaughan continues his selective shot-making against Lee, who has had little impact so far. A flicked four off the legs moves the batsman to 43* and a single brings up the 50 partnership as England edge back in front.

1708: Over 46 A dot to start and then Pietersen shows his power by drilling a ball to the mid-wicket boundary despite the damp outfield with an apparent minimum of effort. The batsman continues his policy of leaving Kasprowicz deliveries outside off, a risky strategy but one which pays dividends in this over as good judgement preserves this crucial partnership for another over.

1703: Over 45 Lee makes a superb start, bowling Pietersen an absolute jaffer which beats the bat with late movement. The batsman takes a couple to compose himself and then gets three to third man for a thick outside edge. Vaughan finishes the over in style, hammering the trademark cover drive to the boundary rope to move onto 39*.

1658: Over 44 Kasprowicz is forcing a new pragmatism from Pietersen, forcing the batsman to reign in his attacking instincts with strait-jacket off-cutters though there is a single off the final ball before drinks.

1653: Over 43 Vaughan strikes a small blow to relieve the pressure, angling a tight bouncer over the cordon and down to the vacant third-man boundary. He then gets bat and body behind Lee's straight line, playing out the over despite a new threat of the bounce offered to pace bowlers by damp ground. The rain has stopped for the moment at least.

1649: Over 42 Australia miss another chance off the bowling of Kasprowicz, Vaughan edging the first ball low to the left of Hayden at gully but the opener cannot hold on. The England captain steals a single and Pietersen blocks until the final ball when he makes an elaborate leave outside off, the ball nips back in and hits high on the back pad with Bucknor right to refuse vociferous appeals on grounds of height.

1645: Bucknor and Dar hold a brief conference on the steady rain and elect to continue.

1644: Over 41 Vaughan opens the face to the loosener, angling down towards the third-man boundary but a slow outfield limits the England captain to three. Pietersen gets a look at the new bowler for a couple of deliveries and then paddles one round leg for a single. Vaughan angles the ball back out to gully for a dot ball and takes a single to leg off the final ball.

1639: Lee replaces Tait at the Radcliffe Road End.

1638: Over 40 Kasprowicz has little problem with his line and length but no-ball issues persist as he gifts England another run. He responds well with some good pace outside off and Pietersen makes a rare leave. The next ball is full and straight and the batsman hits back down the ground, mis-timing the shot and hitting to the bowler's right hand but he cannot hold a sharp but not impossible c & b chance. Two dots to finish the over and the bowler is very angry with himself.

1634: Rain is once again falling in Nottingham.

1634: Over 39 Pietersen appears uncharacteristically cowed by the previous over and begins with four dot balls. Two through mid-wicket takes the batsman to 14* but the bowler rather releases the pressure by firing one down to the fine leg boundary via the front pad.

1629: Over 38 The over is delayed while Ponting and Kasprowicz discuss fielding options. The waiting time does them little immediate good, Vaughan claiming an overdue single off his legs and a no-ball to Pietersen immediately thereafter. But Kaspo then beats the new batsman all ends up by swinging one in through the gate and inches over off stump. A single to square leg - the fieldsman is back on the boundary - puts Vaughan back on strike and he blocks out the over.

1624: Over 37 Tait continues to thunder in with this strange, slingy action. He appears to slow in his approach to the wicket but generates such pace from his shoulder that it doesn't matter. He gives Pietersen a bouncer first up, and then reverts to a fuller length with the batsman swinging wildly to miss an away-swinger. Pietersen's belligerence manifests itself to great effect once again as he responds by hitting through mid-on for four and the over finishes with another dot outside off.

1619: Over 36 Vaughan remains watchful to Kasprowicz, observing four dot balls before taking a single off his legs. Pietersen pushes a single off the final ball to retain the strike.

1616: Over 35 Kevin Pietersen gets off the mark straight away with an aggressive, front-foot push through cover for two. Not for the first time today, an attempted yorker ends as a full toss and the bowler apologises. Pietersen makes his own response, hitting the next ball down the ground for four to bring up the 150.

1614: WICKET!
IR Bell c Gilchrist b Tait 3 Tait continues to get movement since the rain breaks, swinging one away from Bell to tempt an outside edge and Adam Gilchrist scoops low to his right to take a 300th Test victim.

1613: Over 34 Vaughan continues to play Kasprowicz with caution, the bowler denied a maiden only by another no-ball.

1609: Over 33 Bell and Vaughan are England's classical batsmen and show that style in an over of technical defence and well-run singles. The image is rather ruined when the Warwickshire man almost runs out his captain with a confusion over calling but the batsmen do a good job in re-asserting their superiority over Tait. Six from the over.

1604: Over 32 Good control from Kasprowicz, who bowls out a maiden to Vaughan with England suddenly on the back foot for the first time in the day.

1558: Over 31 Ian Bell arrives at the crease and takes two off his legs from the final ball of the over, his first.

1557: WICKET!
ME Trescothick b Tait 65 Vaughan takes two runs and then a single to Tait. The fast bowler then takes his first wicket in Test cricket with Trescothick's first ball since the restart, swinging one back through the gate to a somewhat adventurous shot under the circumstances.

1555: Play resumes.

1530: Just as Steve Bucknor and Aleem Dar come down the steps to get play back under way, the heavens open once again and the covers go back on.

1500: The rain has stopped again and play will resume at 1530BST assuming there is no deterioration in the weather.

1435: The weather worsens in the East Midlands. We aren't hopeful of any play in the next hour, keep on this page for the official updates from umpires Bucknor and Dar.

1425: Dark clouds and heavy rain in Nottingham now. No immediate return for the players, keep in touch for the latest news from Trent Bridge as it breaks.

1423: Over 30.1 Vaughan taps down a 93mph bouncer to the off side and is promptly forced to leave the field as the shower gets heavier. Play is suspended.

1422: There is a light shower and Bucknor consults Dar before deciding to play on.

1422: Over 30 Kasprowicz's first ball skips past Trescothick down leg, the second is pitched up on off stump and taken for a quick single to mid-off. Vaughan follows suit with more good running next ball and Trescothick plays inside the line to fake groans of expectation from the cordon. Two dots, courtesy of textbook defensive shots, finish the over.

1419: Over 29 Tait begins with a loosener outside off and subsequently elicits a wild slash from Vaughan with the away-swinger. The South Australian is buoyed by that movement and keeps the ball well pushed up throughout the over, getting the ball moving away in overcast conditions. Maiden, and a promising one at that, from the debutant.

1415: Shaun Tait comes back on in place of Brett Lee at the Radcliffe Road End.

1415: Over 28 Kasprowicz begins with a decent ball angled across the left-hander but promptly provides the 19th no-ball of the day. Trescothick takes two behind square on the off side to a fuller delivery and blocks out the over.

1410: Michael Kasprowicz to bowl from the Pavilion End. Shane Warne makes way, Trescothick is on strike.

1407: Umpires Bucknor and Dar return to the field with play to resume at 1410. Tea will now be taken at 1540 with 30 minutes to be added to the day's play. More showers are forecast throughout the day but long delays can hopefully be avoided.

1340: A brief shower has delayed the restart time further, but we are hopeful of play shortly after 1400.

1325: Play will resume at 1400, assuming there is no more rain.

1310: The restart is delayed due to rain during the lunch break. It is very dark for the moment and no play is imminent, but there should hopefully be no need for Channel Four to raid the Friends archives in order to fill an afternoon's programming. We will bring you updates as and when we get news of the umpires' intentions.

1232: End of session

England 1st Innings 129 for one

England go to lunch after an excellent first session in which they have capitalised upon winning a good toss.

Marcus Trescothick has led the way, making an unbeaten 50 in his usual style but it has not been chanceless and he was bowled on a no-ball shortly before lunch.

The no-ball problem has been a blight for the tourists, 18 coming in this first session, with debutant Shaun Tait suffering an inauspcious start to his debut while senior bowlers Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz struggle to find their rhythm.

It was, predictably enough, Shane Warne who made the only breakthrough but some immature posturing in the run-up to lunch suggests that he too realises the tourists are very much up against it here.

Michael Vaughan, who got the better of the legspinner in their duel just now, will be targetting total of over 400 with wickets in hand by the close.

1232: Over 27 Lee is now bowling a full six inches behind the mark in order to avoid a continuation of the no-ball shambles. Trescothick rotates the strike early and Vaughan then hits down the ground for four to mid-off. A couple of blocks and the over finishes with a square cut for four to take England to lunch in high spirits.

1229: Over 26 Vaughan flicks a full ball off his legs and takes a fast two to fine leg. He blocks three in a row and Warne again postures aggressively. The bowler then wants to bowl off one pace but Vaughan takes his time in taking strike, Warne then walks back to his full mark but the batsman blocks the long-awaited delivery with ease. The final ball is played back to the bowler and Warne takes a needless shy at the stumps, Vaughan blocking the ball with his bat as it is directed at his chest. No shortage of conversation in the middle this morning.

1225: Over 25 Lee is back around the wicket to Trescothick and promptly produces the costliest of Australia's 17 no-balls this morning: the batsman edges onto his stumps but Dar calls no-ball, Vaughan calls his vice-captain back and Australian celebrations are curtailed to ironic cheering from the terraces. Another no-ball follows, short and wide, and Trescothick cashes in on the anger by hooking for four. Two dots and a single and England are off the no-ball hook for the third time this series.

1221: Over 24 Buoyed by the sight of a new batsman on strike, Ponting crowds the bat. Vaughan plays inside the line of one and feels the force of a 90-second monologue from the bowler. A stylish square cut is stopped to keep the right-hander on strike but otherwise he plays with the circumspect style of a man 10 minutes from lunch.

1217: Over 23 Lee is charging in but Trescothick famously takes some shifting once set and is timing the ball beautifully now. The left-hander plays out six dots plus a no-ball.

1212: Over 22 Vaughan gets off the mark first ball with an emphatic four through the off and blocks the final ball of the over.

1207: WICKET!
AJ Strauss c Hayden b Warne 35 Warne brings in Simon Katich at short leg at the expense of an extra cover and Strauss punishes the move first ball, driving a full delivery to the off-side boundary. He pushes around the next two and then tries to sweep a full ball, edging onto his front foot only to see the ball bounce up and into Hayden's hands at first slip. Bucknor refers to the third umpire to be sure and the Middlesex batsman is given out.

1204: Trescothick 50: 77 balls, 6 x 4s, 1 x 6

1204: Over 21 Strauss takes a single to put Trescothick back on strike and two through the leg side takes him to the brink of a half-century. Two more through leg bring up the personal 50 and then the 100 partnership follows thanks to a trademark cover drive for four. The second 50 has come at quicker than a-run-a-ball, almost twice as fast as the first 50. Lee switches around the wicket and Trescothick leaves the final delivery well alone.

1200: Lee returns to the Australia attack.

1200: Over 20 Warne gives the first one plenty of air but Trescothick judges well, waiting on and driving down the ground for three. The next is a full toss and Strauss swipes a one. It is rare for Warne to bowl so loosely and he pushes a quicker one onto the batsman but sees the next clubbed back over his head for six. Trescothick finishes the over on 47*.

1155: Over 19 Tait habitually bowls over 90moh, a boast even Lee and Steve Harmison find difficult to consistently match. But on this pitch and with such erratic placement he is easy enough to play. The over brings up the 14th no-ball of the innings and more soft runs for Trescothick.

1151: Over 18 Warne begins with a very defensive field, three men stopping one on either side with another man back on each boundary. He is inviting the mistake from two batsmen who are nicely set and difficult to intimidate, but who are also keen to get after the legspinner. One delivery in particular moves significantly but is slow enough to be blocked with ease while a strong cover drive is stopped by the acrobat Clarke. Cautious start to this phase of battle from both teams.

1146: Shane Warne is introduced to the Australia attack.

1145: Over 17 Three dots to start but a full toss from Tait is met with a let-off as gully kills the pace on the ball to limit Trescothick to a single. Strauss takes one square on the off, denied only by the brilliance of the chasing Clarke, and the over finishes with Trescothick 35*, Strauss 27*.

1141: Over 16 Kasprowicz begins around the wicket to Strauss and promptly bowls the tenth no-ball of this fledgling innings. Strauss takes a two and then a three, Trescothick hammers a four to the point boundary and another no-ball follows. Incredibly, he follows this with another no-ball as the Somerset batsman chops off the inside edge and away for a single. A miserable over with 13 runs added.

1137: Over 15 Tait resumes after the break but only reinforces a name for a scattergun approach. One short ball is pulled away for four by Strauss but a wide, off-stump delivery is stopped at cover. Another no-ball and a single off the final delivery keeps the hosts moving along.

1131: Over 14 Trescothick brings up the 50 partnership with a beautifully angled cover drive and there are no other runs from the over. England go to drinks with plenty to be pleased about as the sun breaks through the Nottingham clouds.

1127: Over 13 Trescothick begins with two boundaries, the first a touch streaky but the second a beautifully judged cover drive. A single puts Strauss on strike and he leaves one alone which nips right back, missing off stump to a call of 'no-ball!'. The over finishes with Ponting left with plenty to ponder.

1123: Over 12 Clarke makes a good stop low to his left, enough to suggest that the Old Trafford back injury is behind him. Kasprowicz's reputation is as of a specialist against left-handers but he has made little impression this morning.

1119: Over 11 The first impression upon seeing Tait is that watching his slingy action from an easy chair is enough to cause back problems. He begins with a couple of loose balls, pitches one up that swings back in and sees the attempted bouncer hooked away for a couple. He finishes with a yorker and has obvious talent but Trent Bridge will not assist his style though there are rumours that this is the one tourist capable of telling reverse swing.

1114: Shaun Tait begins his first spell in Test cricket.

1113: Over 10 Kasprowicz is struggling due to a lack of variety, angling the ball across the left-hander but unable to make a consistent impression. He tempts Trescothick into another wave of the bat outside off and a thick inside edge misses leg stump by a whisker and races away for a four. England are 35 without loss.

1109: Over 9 Lee continues despite an undistinguished start. Trescothick takes a single off his legs and five dots to Strauss follow. England's scoring rate is relatively conservative but it is the comfort with which they are batting which will cause concern.

1105: Over 8 Bowling off a short run-up, Kasprowicz has a five-man cordon and a short mid-off of the type employed by England to Matthew Hayden. But the bowler's no-ball problems continue as he also errs in his line for the first time, allowing Trescothick three through mid-on and Strauss a four to the square-leg boundary.

1101: Over 7 Lee attempts the off-cutter (moving away from the left-hander) but get his line wrong and Strauss flicks away for four to fine leg. The bowler responds with a bouncer but looks sub-par thus far.

1056: Over 6 Maiden over for Kasprowicz, who continues to look the pick of the openers. His opposite number in the swing-bowling department, Matthew Hoggard, will certainly be encouraged as he spends the morning wearing flip-flops, flicking through the Racing Post and pulling faces at Kevin Pietersen.

1052: Over 5 Trescothick gets off the mark with a boundary off a poor delivery pitched short on his legs. The next is a no-ball and the batsman makes another leaden-footed wave outside off, perhaps we'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say he heard umpire Dar's shout. The over passes without incident, reinforcing the view that this was a good toss to win.

1048: Over 4 Kasprowicz begins superbly, digging one in short of a length and getting steep rise to hit Strauss high on the bat. The next ball has good away-swing and he continues to move the ball throughout the over with a six-strong cordon ready and waiting. The Middlesex left-hander plays out the over with assurance.

1044: Over 3 Lee begins to find his pace and rhythm but the bounce is true and slow enough to give further encouragement to England. Strauss takes two off his legs and another single, Trescothick gives the bowler a boost with a trademark waft-outside-off-while-wearing-concrete-boots but digs out the fifth-ball yorker and leaves alone a no-ball and a dot to take the score to 5 for 0.

1039: Over 2 Strauss drops his hands on the first ball of the over and takes a single backward of square on the off to get this innings off the mark. Trescothick plays out the over.

1035: Michael Kasprowicz to bowl from the Pavilion End.

1034: Over 1 The first impression is one of a very tasty looking track with minimal grass covering. Lee does not get much movement in the air and as such Kasprowicz may prove the biggest danger from the seam attack. The over passes without incident, except for Marcus Trescothick considering a quick single to Michael Clarke at point only for Andrew Strauss to wisely send him back.

1030: Brett Lee to bowl from the Radcliffe Road End.

1029: The players take the field, led by umpires Aleem Dar and Steve Bucknor.

1005: Another impetus injection for England as Michael Vaughan wins the toss and elects to bat under clear East Midlands skies.

There were fears that the hosts had missed their chance in failing to close out a win at Old Trafford but fortune has once again favoured Vaughan this morning.

With showers predicted throughout a fresh, breezy day the fall of wickets is inevitable but winning the toss allows England to set the tone and at the very least keep the series alive through to the final rubber at The Oval in two weeks' time.

1000: England's hopes of winning the fourth Test at Trent Bridge to take full control of this Ashes series are strengthened hugely by the news that Australia bowler Glenn McGrath is ruled out injured.

The veteran's absence at Edgbaston was obviously a decisive factor in the hosts' two-run victory while his return at Manchester allowed the tourists to salvage a draw.

He is replaced by Michael Kasprowicz, who was unfortunate to be overlooked from the initial XI since his swing bowling will prove dangerous in the Nottingham conditions.

The other change to the Australia line-up was known earlier in the week, young paceman Shaun Tait replacing the out-of-sorts Jason Gillespie.

England are unchanged for the fourth successive Test, and go into the game billed on both sides as "the biggest we have played in" knowing that defeat will end their hopes of regaining the urn.