MICHAEL Clarke has become the latest player involved in a catching controversy as Australia collapsed in the first Test against England at Trent Bridge.
The Australian captain stood his ground after a low catch from wicket-keeper Matt Prior off Stuart Broad prompted riotous celebrations from the England players.
There was a long delay, first as umpire Aleem Dar checked with colleague Kumar Dharmasena if Prior had taken the catch cleanly.
Dar then gave Clarke out and he immediately called for a review, prompting another delay before video umpire Marais Erasmus confirmed Dar's decision.
FIRST TEST, DAY FOUR
AGAR EARNS A PROMOTION
FOLLOW IN AGAR's FOOTSTEPS
Clarke's departure for 23 was immediately followed by Steve Smith (17) and Phil Hughes (0), both leg before wicket to Graeme Swann, as England ripped the heart out of Australia's batting line-up.
Australia lost 3-3 in 18 balls, staggering to stumps at 6-174, still 137 runs short of a record-breaking victory.
England set Australia 311 to win thanks to Ian Bell's most important century. It was a formidable target, with no team chasing more for victory at the ground than the 284 England made against New Zealand in 2004.
It was ironic the catch was off Broad given that Clarke had caught Broad at slip a day earlier but Dar gave him not out after a thick edge flew from Brad Haddin's gloves to the skipper.
A caught behind chance off Michael Clarke is first called for a review by the umpire, and then by the batsman himself, before eventually being given out.
Joe Root may have ended Ed Cowan's Test career after dismissing the left-hander cheaply. Cowan was out on the stroke of tea for just 14 after a first ball duck.
Batting in his new position at number three, both dismissals were to loose drives. Cowan has just one century in 18 Tests and his average has fallen to 31.
Resurrected opening batsman Chris Rogers played well for 52 before chipping a catch to mid-wicket off Jimmy Anderson.
Earlier Shane Watson failed to capitalise on another good start, leg before wicket to Broad for 46.
Watson has made just two centuries in 42 Tests. On day four he played across the first ball after drinks in the middle session and immediately reviewed the decision.
Stuart Clark reviews the Day Four action from the First Test at Trent Bidge.
The review showed the ball was just clipping leg stump. It was the fourth umpires call for close leg before wicket decisions that had gone against Australia in the Test.
Resuming at 6-326, 261 in front, England extended the lead to 291 before Broad, the villain of day three, was caught behind for 65 pushing at James Pattinson once too often.
If Steve Harmison set the tone for 2006-07 with his famously wayward opening ball that flew to Andrew Flintoff at second slip then Mitchell Starc appeared to set the tone with his first ball on day four.
A shoulder high full toss wide of Bell almost skittled Clarke at slip on the way to the boundary for five no balls.
Two deliveries later a lower full toss was guided by Bell between slip and gully to the boundary and he moved to 99 with Australia recklessly conceding runs.
More wasteful runs came three deliveries into the second over when Broad edged a ball from Pattinson between Clarke at second slip and Watson at first.
It was catchable height but sailed unimpeded to the boundary as the fieldsmen looked at each other, giving Broad his 10th Test half-century.
In the following over Bell pushed a ball from Starc to point and a diving Ashton Agar could not gather it cleanly, offering the single that brought up three figures.
It gave Bell his 18th Test century but none have been more significant. He came to the wicket with England just 66 ahead and guided his side into a strong position at the start of an Ashes series.
Bell was caught behind for 109 after spending almost six and a half hours at the crease batting Australia out of the match.
Brad Haddin (L) and Ashton Agar of Australia walk off at the end of play during day four of the Ashes Test match between England and Australia at Trent Bridge.
The tail fell quickly, with Swann (9) edging a ball from Peter Siddle into the slips.
This time Clarke and Watson both went for the catch, with Clarke taking the ball in front of his former vice-captain.
Anderson bunted a simple catch to Phil Hughes at short mid-wicket, giving Siddle three wickets for the innings and eight for the match.
SCOREBOARD
England 1st Innings 215 (P Siddle 5-50; J Pattinson 3-69)
Australia 1st Innings 280 (A Agar 98, P Hughes 81 no, S Smith 53; J Anderson 5-85)
England 2nd Innings (overnight: 326-6)
A. Cook c Clarke b Agar 50
J. Root c Haddin b Starc 5
J. Trott lbw b Starc 0
K. Pietersen b Pattinson 64
I. Bell c Haddin b Starc 109
J. Bairstow c Haddin b Agar 15
M. Prior c Cowan b Siddle 31
S. Broad c Haddin b Pattinson 65
G. Swann c Clarke b Siddle 9
S. Finn not out 2
J. Anderson c Hughes b Siddle 0
Extras (b2, lb13, w1, nb9) 25
Total (all out, 149.5 overs, 660 mins) 375
Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Root), 2-11 (Trott), 3-121 (Pietersen), 4-131 (Cook), 5-176 (Bairstow), 6-218 (Prior), 7-356 (Broad), 8-371 (Bell), 9-375 (Swann), 10-375 (Anderson)
Bowling: Pattinson 34-8-101-2 (1nb); Starc 32-7-81-3 (5nb, 1w); Agar 35-9-82-2 (1nb); Siddle 33.5-12-85-3 (2nb); Watson 15-11-11-0
Australia 2nd Innings
S. Watson lbw b Broad 46
C. Rogers c Bell b Anderson 52
E. Cowan c Trott b Root 14
M. Clarke c Prior b Broad 23
S. Smith lbw b Swann 17
P. Hughes lbw b Swann 0
B. Haddin not out 11
A. Agar not out 1
Extras (lb9, nb1) 10
Total (6 wkts, 71 overs, 303 mins) 174
Fall of wickets: 1-84 (Watson), 2-111 (Cowan), 3-124 (Rogers), 4-161 (Clarke), 5-161 (Smith), 6-164 (Hughes)
To bat: P Siddle, M Starc, J Pattinson
Bowling: Anderson 17-4-44-1; Broad 16-5-34-2 (1nb); Swann 28-5-64-2; Finn 8-3-17-0; Root 2-0-6-1
Match position: Australia need 137 more runs to reach their victory target of 311 with four second innings wickets standing.
Toss: England
Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK), Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)
TV umpire: Marais Erasmus (RSA)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)
