Australia have a gilded chance to retain the Ashes today after yesterday rolling England cheaply at Old Trafford before Steve Smith did his thing yet again.
Having been set a huge total to chase today, England will need to produce something remarkable if they are to have a chance of regaining the Ashes.
The Manchester pitch became increasingly difficult for batting as day four wound on yesterday, making Australia’s massive 196-run first innings lead more valuable by the over.
The hosts began the day at 5-201 on what, up to that point, had been an excellent pitch for batting. Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow managed to survive the first ten overs of the day before strike bowler Mitchell Starc found his range with the second new ball.
He was unlucky not to dismiss Stokes in his second over last night, with the all-rounder first French cutting just past his stumps and then next ball hitting a return catch which Starc couldn’t hold.
After a poor showing on day three, when he sprayed the ball across the pitch, Starc was far more precise. That paid off in his third over with the second new ball as he castled Bairstow with a scything delivery which swung back into the right-hander extremely late.
Soon after, Starc got a delivery to straighten on the in-form Stokes, who edged to Smith at second slip. While England are known for having a prolific tail, that has rarely been the case in recent Ashes and so it was again last night as their lower order folded.
First, rookie quick Jofra Archer donated his wicket with a half-hearted waft. Then Starc bulldozed Stuart Broad’s defences to disturb his stumps. Only some late resistance from Jos Buttler (41) allowed England to reach 300.
Starc (3-80) was impressive after labouring on day three, while Josh Hazlewood (4-57) and Pat Cummins (3-60) were brilliant yet again. After bowling far too short in the first half of England’s innings, Australia’s quicks rebounded wonderfully well.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
They have been consistently excellent in this series. Just as predictable was their top order’s failure. David Warner continued his extraordinary form slump, registering his seventh single-figure score in eight innings. The veteran must surely be at major risk of being axed for the fifth Test.
Then his opening partner Marcus Harris was trapped in front by a second piece of fine bowling from Stuart Broad.
First drop Marnus Labuschagne then failed to reach 50 for the first time in five innings this series, caught LBW by Archer. And when Archer bowled Travis Head, whose form has deserted him, Australia were stuttering at 4-44. As grim as that scoreline sounds, it still represented a sizeable lead of 240.
That buffer allowed Smith and Matthew Wade to take on the England bowlers. After tea that pair emerged in an aggressive mood, clearly intent on pushing the game forward. Both men began playing reverse sweeps against spinner Jack Leach and aiming lofted strokes at England’s quicks.
The attacking approach of this pair seemed to catch England off guard. They scrambled to identify the right tactics to combat Australia’s aggression but, by the time they did, the tourists were on a roll.
Australia have given themselves a terrific opportunity to retain the Ashes today. On a wearing pitch, offering variable pace and bounce, England face a very difficult task to thwart them.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
It's a typo oh lord of the edges.
James
Roar Rookie
lol
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
We’re arguing about tiny percentages Pierro. I just hated Head’s approach given the situation. It needed somebody to knuckle down, shelve the big cover drive and play a defensive innings where he allowed the ball to come to him. Instead he engaged that numnut Archer in a pissing contest and was clean bowled to a straight one hiding behind the crease instead of getting forward. Wade knee it required just to soak up a few overs before they looked to chase a target and roped in his attacking instincts and avoided the gobbing with Archer. Game awareness. Wade had it, Head did not.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
you have to say labuschagne , as well as smith and stokes
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Wasn’t a bad 33 oz but the deck was friendlier by then and sheen off the new ball. he retains his place despite 5 to 6 very ordinary batting efforts out of 8. He’s marginally behind head in the pecking order for me not much in it per their series averages which are on par with siddle and pattinson with the bat need I say less. His two run scoring innings have been critical which is why he needed a big innings yesterday or he possibly would have been dropped. If these were green tops as they can be in england though I wouldn’t be playing him though
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Starc does the business in the middle order again. He starts at the oval despite his economy rate being a bit higher. Id just have siddle or marsh in alongside him at the oval as I've said its the way that ground plays. Starc is there for a reason on this deck and oval is also a flatter deck usually and he's got good figures there with deeper bowling line ups. finally we also get an lbw decision that works in our favor taking bails instead of the middle of stumps being not given. Four to go cmon australia !
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Finally we get a good lbw decision that shaves the bails in our favor for a change this series
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Spot on rowdy, smith had no part in planning inciting or implimenting and warner was riled up. Smith had never really kept warner under control but warner continually acts out and is reactive. quite frankly he's pretty mindless warner and SA did rev him up really well and baited him
Pierro
Roar Rookie
can’t agree not his one don, its too critical an issue, how can Smith shut down warner when he didn’t know what was going on really, who on earth would expect warner to come up with sandpaper its so brainless and embarrassing. Its widely known the first time smith saw it was on the big screen like all of us. Can you imagine that and then whats happened since to the bloke. I only have respect for him as he took his punishment not blaming warner he blamed himself. I love the guy it gutted him he loves the game too much and his country too much its in his actions and the way he was devastated compared to warners PR conference which seemed so false. Read the charge sheet for smith, it was all reactionary , he had no intent and no knowledge of a plan to tamper with a foreign object , lets go by what we know not by what we don’t. CA were so slow not getting to him to him before that press conference where his first instinct was probably to defend his players all be it the wrong decisions but a lot of captains would have let alone captains (atherton, de pleasis ) have tampered themselves which smith has not done . No problem him being captain again after the national pitchfork campaign revved up by the media , thrown under the bus by warner for me who is lucky to have ever played for aus again and not doing us any favors in this series at all . Don’t get the love or forgiveness for warner personally
Pierro
Roar Rookie
I could but warners really not that interesting right now averaging 9 for the series thats enough for me to drop him in england, especially after he smiled and laughed after his wicket was taken like it was a joke
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Hmmm. I hope that's not the case.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
hopefully, cloud cover out there so we can shave 5 to 10 overs off for bad light , probably wouldn't assume we have more than 40 to 45 more overs at them (Instead of 55)
Jeff
Roar Rookie
We'll get them no drama!
Pierro
Roar Rookie
640am brutal hours after london last few weeks, lucky you kimosabe, that drive sounds awesome must be a good time of year out west , will be even better if we can get these last five wickets
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Nah, I'm in Perth, so only just finished dinner after a Sunday drive through the hills to see the Spring wildflowers! Only 9.30pm here. If you're in the US, I'm guessing it's between 7.30am and 9.30am?
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Borderline groggy right now with big stomach grumbles haha. It must be getting late where you are but the adrenaline is keeping you up?
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Figured you must have had jet lag or something!!
Pierro
Roar Rookie
on with bells on, had to get up middle of night in US after returning from UK, the ashes are killing my sleep patterns and rhythms but its worth it all
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Why would I have bias oz. I’ve explained my reasons well , it was an essential century and acknowledged he deserved a few more tests but his average in england this series is mediocre for his position as a batsmen in the middle order, its better than others though but only on par with siddle and pattison really which is telling
Jeff
Roar Rookie
not on for the last day at Old Trafford, Pierro?