LONDON, July 19: England were left needing to rewrite cricket�s record books after being set a mammoth 509 to win by Australia on the fourth day of the second Ashes Test at Lord�s today.
At lunch, England were seven without loss, Adam Lyth two not out and captain Alastair Cook five not out after Australia skipper Michael Clarke had declared his side�s second innings on 254 for two.
No side have made more in the fourth innings to win a Test than the West Indies� 418 for seven against Australia at St John�s in 2002/03.
However, Sunday morning�s play was overshadowed not by records but by the concerning sight of Australia opener Chris Rogers leaving the field with a dizzy spell.
Rogers, who in the first innings of this match scored a Test-best 173, had added five run to his overnight 44 not out when, after two overs� play on Sunday, he crouched down by the side of the pitch and then sat motionless.
He then received several minutes� on-field treatment before walking off unbeaten on 49, with Australia 114 without loss.
A team spokeswoman said the left-handed batsman, who had shown no signs of illness before play started Sunday, was still at Lord�s.
The 37-year-old Rogers, who has said he plans to retire after the Ashes, missed Australia�s recent 2-0 series win in the Caribbean with concussion after being hit on the head while batting in the nets.
And Friday saw Rogers struck on the helmet by James Anderson during his marathon first innings effort.
Rogers�s fellow left-handed opener David Warner, dropped on nought by Adam Lyth in the gully on Saturday, started today on 60 not out.
Warner was missed again, on 66, when a leaping Joe Root at short extra-cover could only get fingertips to a mistimed pull off Mark Wood.
But with a coveted hundred at Lord�s his for the taking, Warner fell on 83 when he drove Moeen Ali to Cook at short extra-cover.
Steven Smith, who made a Test-best 215 in Australia�s first innings 566 for eight declared, had come in when Rogers retired.
SCORECARD
Australia 1st Innings 566-8 dec
England 1st Innings 312
Australia 2nd Innings (overnight: 108-0): Rogers retired hurt 49, Warner c Cook b Ali 83, Smith b Ali 58, Clarke not out 32, Marsh not out 27. Extras: (LB-5) 5. Total: (for 2 wkts dec in 49 overs) 254. Fall of wickets: 1-165, 2-210. Bowling: Anderson 7-0-38-0, Broad 8-2-42-0, Ali 16-0-78-2, Wood 10-3-39-0, Stokes 3-0-20-0, Root 5-0-32-0.
England 2nd Innings (target: 509): Lyth not out 2, Cook not out 5. Total: 7 for no loss in 3 overs 7. Bowling: Starc 2-1-5-0, Hazlewood 1-0-2-0. � AFP