Australia 280 and 6-174 (Chris Rogers 52, Shane Watson 46, Stuart Broad 2-34, Graeme Swann 2-64) requires 137 more runs to beat England 215 and 375 (Ian Bell 109, Stuart Broad 65, Kevin Pietersen 64, Mitchell Starc 3-81)

The Australians followed the chase superbly but their middle order batting crumbled against the splendid bowling by the Englishmen who are anticipating a win.

England scored 215 followed by 375 in their two innings whereas Australia responded with 280 in the first innings and were struggling at 174 for the loss of six wickets in the second.

The play of the fourth day in The Ashes – 1^st Investec Test concluded on Saturday, July 13, 2013, at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.

Earlier, England went into bat at 6-326 after 133 overs whereas Ian Bell and Stuart      Broad were batting at 95 and 47 runs respectively. Broad reached his 10^th Test fifty with a four in the second over of the day and Bell thrashed his 18^th Test century in the following one. They shared a match winning 138 runs partnership for the seventh wicket as Broad was gone at 356 after scoring 65 off 148 balls with 7 fours. Ian Bell followed him at 371 after a heroic knock of 109 off 267 deliveries with 15 fours. The entire home side was sent back to the pavilion for 375 runs after they had utilised 149.5 overs.

Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle were the most successful bowlers with three wickets each whereas James Pattinson and Ashton Agar shared two wickets each.

The hosts gave a target of 311 runs to the Kangaroos who got off to a positive start. Shane Watson along with Chris Rogers scored 28 runs in the first seven overs with 4 fours from the first and 2 from the latter as the lunch break was taken. The duo continued in an aggressive style after the interval and found boundaries at will. The score was enhanced to 84 after 24 overs and the well set batsman, Shane Watson, was declared leg before wicket off Stuart Broad on the first ball of the next over for 46 runs.

Ed Cowan walked in next as Rogers was batting excellently at his end while adding sufficient runs. Cowan added a couple of fours in the 32^nd over whereas Chris Rogers dispatched his maiden Test half century three overs later with a four. Ed Cowan became the next victim at 111 for 14 and Rogers departed 13 runs later for 52 off 121 with 8 fours. The skipper of Australia, Michael Clarke along with Steven Smith got together and tried to get the rhythm back for their team. They hit 2 fours until the 45^th over but went back to their shells as Clarke got a four in the 57^th one.

The pair crept to 161 when the visitors suffered a double blow from the home side. Michael Clarke was adjudged, caught behind by Matt Prior off Broad for 23 even after he took a review on the last ball of the 59 over. Steven Smith was held lbw off Grame Swann on the first ball of the following over for 17 and Phillip Hughes became the next victim of the same bowler for a duck. A sudden downfall in the middle order batting brought them to 6-164 in 61.5 overs as Ashton Agar joined in with Brad Haddin. They saw the day off by taking their team to 6-174 after playing 71 overs. Haddin scored 11 from 39 balls and Agar scored just one run off 24.

Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann destroyed the rival batting while getting two wickets each whereas James Anderson and Joe Root chipped in with one wicket each.

England is on the driving seat at the moment and another miraculous innings from Ashton Agar to save the match since there is no chance of rain tomorrow in Nottingham.