Justin Langer mixed lavish strokes with a little luck as Australia, chasing England's first-innings total of 373, closed a truncated second day of the fifth Ashes test on 112 without loss.
Australia's hopes of exploiting their strong position, however, were thwarted by bad light followed by rain which wiped out the entire final session. Langer, who moved to 75 not out, and Matthew Hayden, on 32, accepted the light as the players came back out after tea.
To the frustration of a packed Oval, the teams never returned to the field, with 37 overs remaining. England lead the series 2-1. Australia need to win at The Oval to retain the Ashes, which they have held since 1989.
Langer and Hayden's stand was their best of the series, dwarfing their previous high of 58 runs in the first innings at Old Trafford. Earlier, Shane Warne took the last English wicket to complete a six-wicket haul costing 122 runs. The leg spinner has taken 34 wickets for the series, equalling his best previous Ashes return.
Friday was a day of role reversals. Langer normally plays the part of dour Australian anchorman, crabbing about in his crease while the broad-chested Matthew Hayden swings as boldly as a lumberjack with his favourite axe. On Friday, it was Langer wielding the axe, and never more so than when he faced Ashley Giles's first over.
{{/usCountry}}Friday was a day of role reversals. Langer normally plays the part of dour Australian anchorman, crabbing about in his crease while the broad-chested Matthew Hayden swings as boldly as a lumberjack with his favourite axe. On Friday, it was Langer wielding the axe, and never more so than when he faced Ashley Giles's first over.
{{/usCountry}}The left-arm spinner's second ball sailed into the stands, soon followed by his fourth. Langer then exploited an Andrew Flintoff misfield to scamper two runs and reach his half-century. By the close Langer had hit eight fours and two sixes, though he required two slices of luck. On 26, he cut hard at Matthew Hoggard. The ball would have hit Andrew Strauss around the midriff but the gully fielder seemed to lose sight of the ball and it whistled past him.
HARD CHANCE
On 53, Langer edged medium-pacer Paul Collingwood's eighth delivery high to first slip where Marcus Trescothick spilled a hard chance one-handed. Hayden, meanwhile, averaging just 22.50 during the first four tests compared to a career mark of more than 51, replaced trademark drives with studied defence, nudges and nurdles. By the close he had faced 96 balls, just nine less than his partner. Earlier, England had added 54 runs to their overnight score of 319 for seven in bright sunshine.
Giles made 32 and last man Steve Harmison pulled and hoiked four boundaries in his unbeaten 20.
Strike bowler Brett Lee had broken through with the ninth ball of the day when Geraint Jones, England's last batsman of note, was bowled for 25.
Hoggard scored two off 36 balls and was dropped by Ricky Ponting at second slip off Glenn McGrath before getting off the mark. Harmison took a different approach, clouting Lee for three boundaries in a row before Giles fell lbw to Warne. More bad weather is forecast for Saturday before brighter skies return for the final two days.