RAIN WRECKS THE START OF DECIDING DAY

EDGBASTON FINALE UP FOR GRABS AS ENGLAND TARGET SEVEN WICKETS FOR OPENING ASHES WIN

- Malik Ouzia Cricket Correspondent at Edgbaston

A GRIPPING Ashes series opener had to be kept on hold this morning, as rain pouring on Birmingham forced a delayed start to day five.

After four days of sunshine interrupted only by a thunderstorm on the third afternoon, Tuesday's forecast downpour duly arrived in the early hours, with the covers on at Edgbaston and rain still falling by the scheduled start time of 11am.

The entire morning session was wiped out, with early lunch taken at 12.30pm, but with the afternoon and evening outlook more promising, all four results remained on the cards, with a sell-out crowd still expected. Australia had been set 281 for victory - notably just one run shy of their target in England's thrilling two-run win here in 2005 - and had made a smooth start to what would be their second-highest away Ashes chase on the third evening, openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja sharing a 61-run stand before Ollie Robinson's breakthrough.

Stuart Broad then dismissed both Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne in another superb spell to leave England seven wickets from victory and Australia 174 runs shy.

Broad has enjoyed phenomenal success against Warner in recent Ashes series, but had said earlier in the county season that he was working on improving his out swinger as a specific ploy to target Labuschagne and Smith.