Leeds, August 19: England will go into the final day of the fourth Ashes Test needing another 311 runs to win following a bold declaration by Australia captain Adam Gilchrist at Headingley here on Sunday.

After a second rain delay had seen another three hours and 20 minutes playing time lost, wicketkeeper Gilchrist, deputising for the injured Steve Waugh, decided to attack.

Australia's second innings ended on 176 for four, a lead of 314. Mark Waugh was 24 not out and Simon Katich nought not out.

Then just two overs and three balls into their opponents' reply, bad light ended play for the day with England four without loss.

Michael Atherton was four not out and Marcus Trescothick yet to score.

Only 25 overs were possible in the whole day. Had there been one less ball the England and Wales Cricket (ECB) would have been obliged to refund the crowd 50 percent of their ticket price.

As it was, according to ECB estimates, the third ball of Glenn McGrath's second over saved the board 200,000 pounds (294,000 dollars).

But Australia did England no favours with the bat.

Another explosive knock from Ricky Ponting, who had bludgeoned a brilliant century in the first innings, saw the Tasmania right-hander hammer a run-a-ball 72 as Australia edged closer to going 4-0 up in the series.

Dropped on four by Michael Atherton at first slip off Darren Gough on Saturday, Ponting, who made 144 in the first innings, made England pay dearly for their lapse.

Australia started the day on 69 for one, a lead of 207, with Matthew Hayden 12 not out and Ponting 30 not out.

The tone was set when recalled Hampshire left-armer Alan Mullally, bowling the first over of the day and his first of the innings, saw 11 runs come off it.

Fellow southpaw Hayden straight drove him for a textbook four and took another boundary off him through the vacant third man area.

But it did not take long for Ponting to get into his stride. In the second over, bowled by Darren Gough, Ponting forced the Yorkshire quick through point for four and straight drove him to the Football Stand End rope.

England captain Nasser Hussain immediately replaced Mullally at the Kirkstall Lane End with Andrew Caddick.

It made little difference to Ponting. His fifty came up in a mere 52 balls including seven fours. He cover drove Caddick for four and when the bowler set a man back for the hook at fine leg, Ponting responded by pulled him for six.

A rain break at last offered England some respite. In nine overs Australia had added 55 runs.

When play resumed after a 45 minute break it seemed as if Ponting was on course to complete his second century of the match.

But on 72, Gough who had an lbw shout the previous ball rejected by Indian umpire Venkat, brought one back and Ponting, going across his stumps was lbw to the local hero.

Ponting had faced 72 balls including one six and 10 fours in 90 minutes of superb strokeplay, putting on 104 in 122 balls with Hayden.