CLOSE OF PLAY Australia 181-1 (Langer 88 Ponting 51)
How was it for you? Better than it was for the England players, we hope. Starting the day on 57-3, Andrew Flintoff's side faded swiftly to
157 all out chasing Australia's awesome first innings of 602-9. Then, to compound the misery (or possibly fatten his side's pay packets, as our man at the Gabba suggested), Ricky Ponting chose to bat again. Almost 200 and only one wicket later, England look in disarray.

But there's hope. Consider it thus: by batting again, Ponting has maybe, just maybe, given England a glimmer of a chance. All they need do is bat for two days. Now, you wouldn't want to miss that kind of turnaround, would you? Join us again tonight, for over-by-over coverage of the fourth day.

Until then, click on the page breaks below for over-by-over coverage of all today's sessions.

Australia 178-1 (Langer 87 Ponting 49)
Geoffrey's filed again and, with near-telepathic timing, provided an update on the urn's current status. Which, alas, is almost as disheartening as England's performance:

The urn is currently on tour Down Under, though fans who are not permitted to have their photograph taken beside it. Cricket Australia maintain they have copyright/image rights. As you might have guessed, there have been many disappointed fans.

Australia 177-1 (Langer 87 Ponting 48)
Pietersen completes another over of gentle spin. Five overs left, Australia lead by 622. But, remember, we've been close to this position before. In the first Test at Lords in the summer of 2005, McGrath inspired Australia to victory, before predicting a whitewash. And everybody knows how that summer transpired.

Australia 170-1 (Langer 83 Ponting 45)
There may yet be life in the current England team, but Ponting is strangling the breath from this Test incrementally. That's the hundred partnership.

Australia 155-1 (Langer 75 Ponting 38)
England, captained by Ivor Bligh, won the series 2-1. (Hoggard's overthrow has just incurred further damage to Harmison's figures.)

Australia 146-1 (Langer 69 Ponting 35)
Warming to the theme, the organisers offered the famous urn to the winner of that tour. Contributed by a group of Melbourne women, the urn contained the remains of a piece of cricket equipment, possibly a bail, ball or stump, nobody was sure. It's significance, though, was clear. Just ask Ricky Ponting, racing to his 50.

Australia 138-1 (Langer 67 Ponting 29)
Later the same year, the England team travelled to Australia on a tour that the press described as a "quest to regain the Ashes", referring to the metaphorical remains inspired by Brooks's complaint.

Australia 128-1 (Langer 62 Ponting 24)
In 1882, in response to Australia's displeasing win at the Oval, Reginald Shirley Brooks wrote the following obituary in The Sporting Times:

"In Affectionate Remembrance of English Cricket, which died at the Oval on 29th August, 1882, Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances R.I.P.

N.B. The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia."

Australia 127-1 (Langer 62 Ponting 23)
Geoffrey signs off, for now, with news of another landmark:

The PA announcer has just announced the crowd figure for the third day - 38,719 (down on the first two days). The aggregate of 120,000 for the three days comfortably beats the old record for a Test match attendance at the Gabba - 93,343 in the Bodyline series of 1932-3.

Australia 114-1 (Langer 51 Ponting 20)
Hussain has word that Ponting plans to bat until lunchtime tomorrow. "Perhaps," Gower suggests, also apparently unaware of the Australians' exhausting pay structure. "He wants the biggest-ever winning margin."

Australia 108-1 (Langer 51 Ponting 14)
Giles slows the run rate, though Ponting, it transpires, could extend the hurt for some time yet. Geoffrey explains: