England survived a mesmeric spell of bowling from Shane Warne and a clutch of Brett Lee thunderbolts to steal a nerve-racking win over Australia in the fourth test at Trent Bridge yesterday. The three-wicket victory left the hosts 2-1 up in the series with one game left. Australia will retain the Ashes they have held since 1989 if they can win at The Oval next week.
The leg spinner took three wickets for seven runs in 29 balls as the home side, chasing 129 to win on a blameless fourth-day pitch, stumbled to a nervy 57 for four.
Strike bowler Lee then tore out the middle order to make it 111 for six and keep the 16,000 capacity crowd on tenterhooks.
Warne added a fourth wicket and his eighth of the match with 13 still needed for an England victory but Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard clung on to spark scenes of jubilation around the ground.
Warne ended with four wickets and Lee three.