In the 10th over, Pietersen departed in a near carbon copy of his dismissal against the West Indies when he pulled O'Brien straight to deep mid-wicket, and at the halfway stage England were just 49-4.

BBC: England through as rain wipes out Ireland match

Asked by Newsweek about his unlikely rise from the cotton fields of the Deep South to the pinnacle of Wall Street, O'Neal replied with almost teenage glee.

NPR: Merrill Lynch CEO Seeks Exit in Wake of Losses

Finally, however, Pompey's pressure told as the tireless Dindane nodded in at the back post from O'Hara's enticing deep centre.

BBC: Portsmouth 1-1 Sunderland

They managed to hold out until deep into the final minute, when O'Gara slid a precise grubber kick through the London Irish thin green line and Tuitupou touched down.

BBC: London Irish 23-17 Munster

As half-time approached, Jim O'Brien had a good effort on goal from deep inside the penalty area that drifted wide, but it was Falkirk who enjoyed the lead at the interval.

BBC: Ryan Flynn

After the hour-mark, a succession of Ulster charges from deep asked questions of the home defence but the impressive O'Connell rallied his colleagues with a key turnover in the 69th minute.

BBC: Munster 24-10 Ulster

Leinster were given a route back into the game deep into first-half injury time when Nick De Luca blocked O'Driscoll as the Irish province attacked and referee Tim Hayes awarded a penalty try.

BBC: Edinburgh 29-10 Leinster

Jamie O'Hara almost brought Tottenham a late reward, volleying Taarabt's deep cross narrowly wide from the angle, and Dimitar Berbatov forced a neat save with a drive, but it would have been ill-deserved after an uninspired display.

BBC: Tottenham 0-1 PSV