Joe Root and James Anderson put England in sight of history and a once unthinkable victory in Adelaide

Australia 442-8 dec & 138, England 227 & 176-4: On the back of their captain's unbeaten 67 and Anderson's first five-for Down Under England are in range of a miraculous 354 chase

Joe Root's captain's knock leaves England with a chance of what would be a remarkable victory in Adelaide (Getty)

Through short, sharp intakes of breath, we watched. With cold, sweaty palms and thudding hearts, we watched. Whether 10,000 miles away on a pale winter’s morning in front of a flickering screen, or in the Chappell Stand at dusk, surrounded by empty beer cups; whether English or Australian or none of the above, we watched. As England slowly accumulated, as the miracle hovered tantalisingly into view, you could scarcely do anything else.

Sometimes, Test cricket really is the absolute nuts.

The bare facts are that England need 178 more runs to win this match. They have six wickets in hand and plenty of time.

The considered opinion is that they remain second favourites by a distance, even if you disregard the weight of history, the importance of this match, the unspeakable pressure that will accrue as they approach the target, the simple monstrousness of what they might achieve.

Three years ago, on this very same ground, India were 242-2, chasing 364. They lost comfortably, the rug swept from under them by Nathan Lyon on a turning pitch. This pitch is turning. England will have to face Lyon, who is arguably better now than he was then. The new ball is 18 overs away. There is virtually no margin for error. This is why the odds are still stacked against England.

Anderson claimed his first ever five-for in Australia (Getty)

The counterpoint is that nobody outside their dressing room gave them the remotest hope of making it even this far. England, remember, were 142-7 on the third afternoon, a full 300 runs behind. They had been pummelled for seven full sessions. Already, thoughts were beginning to turn to Perth, and beyond, to whitewash.

And so this is a Test that has subverted the recent history of Ashes encounters, in which the first punch has generally been decisive. First Chris Woakes and Craig Overton with the bat, and then Woakes and James Anderson with the ball, and then Joe Root with the bat, hauled England out of a seemingly irredeemable predicament. For the first time in the series, Australia are the ones wasting reviews, dropping catches, looking like a team on the run.

Anderson's five wickets helped bowl out Australia for just 138 (Getty)

A long road lies ahead. But for the first time in this game, England have hope where there was none.

Anderson, bowling unchanged for the first hour of the day, claiming his first ever five-wicket haul on Australian soil, was the catalyst. First Lyon, the nightwatchman, offered a simple catch to Stuart Broad at mid-off. Peter Handscomb went next, shuffling to and fro across his crease like a man trying to get a good view, and finally offering a sharp catch to Dawid Malan at third slip.

Vince's waft outside the off stump could well be his last Down Under (Getty)

Woakes chipped in with the wickets of Tim Paine and Shaun Marsh, before Anderson returned to mop up. Despite their collapse with the bat, there were still few alarms for Australia. And yet their gameplan of batting until dinner and setting England over 400 under lights was in tatters. England were set just 354, and got to begin their chase in the benign middle session.

Slowly, and by degrees, the mood of the match was beginning to shift. Mark Stoneman offered some early impetus, taking Mitchell Starc for 15 in an over. Alastair Cook earned an early reprieve when trapped on the crease by Josh Hazlewood, first from umpire Chris Gaffaney, and then by Steve Smith, who turned down a review that would have seen Cook given out.

Root's innings was as timely as it was impeccable (EPA)

And so after just nine overs, with England 36-0, up strutted Lyon to bowl a mesmerising spell: side-spin and over-spin, rippers and tweakers, the ball spitting off the pitch like a pan of hot fat. Cook, never the most comfortable against Lyon at the best of times, was soon cast adrift. Two runs came in five overs. Finally, like a trained hypnotist, Lyon snapped his fingers, and Cook was back in the dressing room: LBW on review.

Stoneman went soon after, fencing at a shorter one from Starc and getting caught in the gully. And as the lights came on, the dismissal of James Vince, slashing at a wide half-volley, offered the first hint of the swing available, as well as a very strong hint that Vince has catfood for brains. There is a time for the cover drive, and Vince plays it well, but if you are going to take it on against a pink ball under lights, when your dismissal would expose Lyon to England’s left-handers, then you had better middle it.

Smith looks on dejectedly in front of the big screen (Reuters)

Root, meanwhile, was riding his luck. He was given out LBW after a fascinating duel with Lyon, only for the decision to be overturned. A huge shout for caught behind off Cummins went unheeded. And when Smith unsuccessfully challenged an LBW decision against Malan, Australia had lost both their reviews in the space of three balls.

Events were cruelly conspiring against Australia’s captain. Sledged at the crease, bowled by a debutant, failing to enforce the follow-on, three clear blunders with the DRS. A sharp chance at slip off Lyon went down. When the same bowler unsuccessfully appealed for LBW a couple of overs later, a thousand gleeful Barmy Army fans taunted Smith by making T-signs with their arms. “Can we lend you a review?” they trilled.

Cummins struck late to remove Malan (Getty)

But there was to be a final twist. Twelve minutes remained in the day when Cummins, straining every ligament in his arm, found just enough movement from the surface to weave the ball past Malan’s inside edge. Clean bowled. Malan looked back at his shattered stumps, then back down at his defensive stroke, as if dumbfounded by a magic trick. Finally, with heavy ankles, he dragged himself from the arena. He had resisted for 79 balls and almost two hours.

Woakes, in as nightwatchman, survived the turbulent late surge. And so England were still in it, still there, after one of the most fascinating days of Test cricket they have been involved in for a good while. The tension has been almost unbearable at times, and yet on a fateful fifth day, it promises only to intensify. You’ll watch. We’ll all watch.