Close England 106 for 1 (Vaughan 49*) trail Queensland 582 (Love 250, Law 68, Carseldine 51, Giles 3-124) by 476 runs
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This definitely wasn't in the script. After a long day in the field yesterday, England had to spend another two sessions watching Martin Love bat at Allan Border Field, and only a sparkling riposte from Michael Vaughan lifted the mood towards the end of the day.

Love was dropped four times before lunch on the way to a mighty 250, the fifth double-century of his career, as Queensland piled up 582. But England put a benign pitch into context by racing to 106 for 1 off 20 overs at the close.

Queensland resumed on 333 for 4, and Love and Lee Carseldine – who was also dropped – took the score to 423 before Carseldine clipped Ashley Giles to Andrew Flintoff at short midwicket. Flintoff had already dropped Love twice, but managed to hang on and Carseldine was gone for 51.

Giles struck again in his next over when Wade Seccombe was lbw for 2 (431 for 6), but if England thought that was the end of the misery, they were wrong. Love added 84 for the seventh wicket with Ashley Noffke (30) and a further 65 for the eighth with Nathan Hauritz (31). After nine hours at the crease, Love finally fell lbw to Matthew Hoggard, and the innings ended when Mike Kasprowicz was run out by Nasser Hussain.

"The problem is going to be how we get 20 wickets against the Test side on flat pitches," said Graham Dilley, England's assistant coach. "Although it's not the way we would choose to have done it, it's good that we've had a long bowl before the first Test.

"It's a very flat pitch - I've not seen a flatter pitch anywhere. But we've got to take all the chances we get. You can't afford to give the great players of Australia more than one chance."

Vaughan, in his first innings since the Oval Test against India, and Marcus Trescothick came flying out of the blocks, and reached another century partnership in only 17 overs before Trescothick was needlessly run out for 46.

Vaughan was also dropped by Jimmy Maher at second slip, but otherwise he played beautifully, lashing eight fours and a six in reaching 49 not out off 58 balls. For England, it was a happy end to an otherwise forgettable day.

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