Jimmy Anderson took all four remaining wickets to ensure that England started this summer's Investec Ashes series victorious, after one of the tensest days of Test cricket in recent years.
On seeing the overcast conditions in Nottingham earlier in the day, many had touted England's bowlers to make easy work of the final day, but when Haddin and Agar resumed with a total of 137 in mind, the pair played with great discipline through the early exchanges. Despite the pace of Anderson and the guile of Swann, the batsmen nullified the attack and an eerie sense of tension fell across the ground.
The new ball arrived after 82 overs, and with it a renewed sense of purpose. The deliveries became sharper, and the fielding more urgent. It paid dividends too, when Anderson made the breakthrough, Agar's edge flying to Alastair Cook at first slip. He departed for 14, and Australia found themselves 104 behind, with three wickets remaining.
Mitchell Starc entered a cauldron of noise, the crowd finding their voices after the wicket. He survived the first abll, but minutes later the same pairing saw Starc removed. Another wonderful delivery clipped his edge, and Cook was there once more. Two wickets in next to no time, and surely England had one foot in the door.
The next chance came from Anderson to Cook once more, this time Siddle's edge, but where his hands had been so safe before, this one eluded him. He made up for it in Anderson's next over, though, with a sublime catch off Anderson to send Siddle back. England required one wicket.
Brad Haddin and James Pattinson's last wicket stand threatened, the former deciding enough was enough and launched Steven Finn for three consective boundaries and passing the 50 mark in the process. The 80 runs required when the 9th wicket fell was rapidly decreasing, and Broad replaced the Middlesex man after two overs.
The match was on a knife edge, and with a late lunch taken England nearly finished proceedings, when Haddin was almost run out but the ball flew past the stumps and conceded an overthrow.
Finn had a chance to finish the innings himself, after Haddin launched one from Swann toward the boundary, but despite a sprint and dive, Finn couldn’t hold on and the Australians endured, requiring 22 runs, of which two were knocked off before lunch was taken.
The session resumed to an electric Trent Bridge crowd, and a huge appeal for an edge off Haddin exploded from the entire team. Aleem Dar said no, but after a lengthy review the cameras found the faintest of marks on the bat, and the decision was overturned.
An ecstatic Anderson was joined in jubilant celebration by his team and the crowd, and a despondent Haddin was left to walk back to the pavilion. The decision to overturn came as a surprise to the England team, and the Test that had everything ended in the cruelest of fashions for Haddin, Australia 14 runs away from their target.
