The result of the match was a foregone conclusion. The only thing keeping one team going was the fact that one of their team mates was on the verge of a fine century.

Michael Clarke scored his first Test century against England but that was the secondary success. What mattered was that he batted for the better part of two sessions to ensure that Australia did not even give England a chance to believe they could make more of the match that it was.

Ultimately the match was drawn to a close typically after Ricky Ponting declared Australia were done in the third Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, when Clarke scored his century run.
Marcus North missed his moment of glory when he missed his century by four runs.
It's over to Headingley and England still leading 1-0 in the Ashes and honours perhaps debatable after this Edgbaston story.
Ashes T 3 Day 5 Lunch and Tea: Australia nullfiy England's Winning Chances
Ashes T 3 Day 4 Stumps: England Have the Advantage
Ashes T 3 Day 4: Day 3 Washout Sees Sedate Start to Day 4
Harmison Denies retirement, Wants Ashes Avenging
Ashes T 3 Day 2 Stumps: England Ram Home the Points
Ashes T 3 Day 1 Stumps: Watson Drives Away the Blues
Ashes T3 Day 1: Rain in, Hughes Out
Strauss Wants more ECB Stringency for IPL
Strauss, Ponting Exchange 'Aura' Theories
Ashes Drama Dampener, Flintoff’s NASA Experience
Border Wants ‘Don’t Blame Mom’ Johnson To Take Backseat
Warne Digs into Bell, Bell Promises to Return Fare
Lord’s Blows Hot over Lampard’s Pass Up
Mitchell Johnson's Time is Up according to Australia
Langer Not Making Test Comeback
Ponting Wonders about Lord’s Reaction
Flintoff Fired Up, Pietersen Flustered
Steve Harmison Joins Retirement Brigade?
Ponting: Not Being Fooled Twice
KP To Be Made an Example for Future England Players IPL Participation?
Flintoff Endorses Gilly’s View for Fewer Tests
Johnson’s Mother blamed for His Loss of Form
Qantas Offers Low Fares to Mark Australia’s Low
Mitchell’s Mother Moans CA’s Disregard for Parents
Lee, Watson On Road to Recovery, Ponting Needs Replacements
Richard Branson's Message for the Ashes Met With Angry Responses
Kevin Pietersen Out of Ashes with Achilles Surgery, Concerns for Oz
Australia Boil Over on Umpire Misgivings
Ponting: I am not talking to Border and Ian Chappell
Should SA Have Halted the Game?
Ashes: Ian Chappell Believes Australian Selections Will Backfire
Thomson Flays Ponting’s Captaincy
Flintoff: Taking a Bow and a Laugh
Ashes T 2 Day 5 Before Lunch: England, Flintoff Change History at Lord’s
Ashes T 2 Day 4 Stumps: England And Australia Alternate Fortunes
Ashes T 3 Day 3: England Get the Momentum, Australia Flattened
Ashes T 2 Day 3 Lunch and Tea: England Still in Command, Aus Slow Things Down
Ashes: Russell Crowe Steals the Show Post Tea
Warne Disagrees With Ponting, as does Hauritz
Ashes T 2 Day 2 Stumps: England Have their Hands Around Aussie Necks
Queen At Lord's, England Reign
Lee, Watson On Road to Recovery, Ponting Needs Replacements
Ashes T 2 Day 2 Lunch and Tea: Rain Halts After Team Trade Wickets
Ashes T 2 Day 1 Stumps: Aus Pick Wickets, Strauss Extends Himself
Ashes T 2 Day 1 Lunch & Tea: Strauss & England on Top, Australia Wayward
Ashes at Lord's: Warne Resumes his Battle with Bopara
Flintoff Makes Retirement Announcement, Tests Out
Atherton: England Should not Grieve over Andrew “Second Hand Car” Flintoff
Ponting Cries Foul; Umpire Disagrees; Duncan Slams
Boycott Digs into KP, Calls him “Spoilt Child”
Flintoff, Monty in Trouble, Harmison and Onions vie for Spot, Aussies Unsympathetic
Ashes T1 day 5: England Complete a Houdini, Draw with Australia