Manchester: England grabbed four Australia wickets to press closer to an Ashes-series levelling victory on day three of the fourth test at Old Trafford on Friday, July 21. After posting a rapid-fire 592 for a massive first-innings lead of 275, England extended its domination when Australia was reduced to 113-4 in its second innings when stumps were drawn.
Mark Wood's hostile pace and timely insertions into the attack made the difference as he dismissed Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and Travis Head cheaply to pass 100 Test wickets, and Chris Woakes bagged experienced opener David Warner.
England forced the pace of its innings at 5.5 runs per over ahead of forecasted bad weather this weekend. Jonny Bairstow smashed an unbeaten 99, most of it in a last-wicket partnership of 66 with James Anderson, who contributed five.
Also read: 4th Ashes Test: Zak Crawley blasts 189 as England leads Australia by 67 runs with six wickets left
The 592, built on Zac Crawley's blast of 189, was England's highest home Ashes score since 1985 and might be enough for a win if there are enough breaks in the expected rain. England must win to force the series to a decider at the Oval, in London, next week.
Australia, up 2-1 in the five-Test series, will retain the urn with an unlikely win or more possible draw thanks to the weather. After demoralising the Australians by batting for 107 overs and making them need 276 runs just to make England bat again, the home side prised out Usman Khawaja before tea in Mark Wood's first over.
After easily handling James Anderson and Moeen Ali, Usman Khawaja was taken aback by Mark Wood's pace and nicked behind on 18. David Warner chopped on out of the blue against Chris Woakes on 28. Steve Smith seemed to settle with Marnus Labuschagne but when Mark Wood came back for a third spell and only his fourth over, Steve Smith was hurried to nick a leg-side bouncer straight behind. Mark Wood celebrated his 100th career wicket.
He got his 101st wicket soon after when Travis Head on 1 tried to defend Mark Wood and deflected to Ben Duckett at deep gully. Mark Wood had 3-15 from 31 balls. Marnus Labuschagne reached stumps on 44 and Mitch Marsh was with him on 1. But Australia was four down and England had all the momentum from a two-day batting blitz.
Jonny Bairstow was left high and dry on 99 not out from just 81 balls. He has had an eventful series a self-inflicted stumping at Lord's, costly wicketkeeping errors and tussling with a Just Stop Oil protester but put himself in the thick of things for all the right reasons with an outstanding innings.
England was 67 ahead overnight and 120 in front when he arrived at the crease, but his dominant strokeplay piled on the misery for the visitors. Despite a ring of boundary riders trying to shut him down, he hammered four sixes and 10 boundaries. Bairstow's controlled aggression was deserving of a hundred but, after expertly managing the strike for the majority of his time with the tail, he found himself stuck at the non-striker's end after deciding against a risky second run that could have got him there.
James Anderson was trapped lbw by Cameron Green's next ball, stopping Jonny Bairstow in his tracks and making him just the second Ashes batter to finish undefeated on 99, after former Australian captain Steve Waugh in 1995. Bairstow grinned broadly as he left the pitch and was afforded a centurion's ovation.
Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were on the receiving end of muscular sixes thrashed into the leg-side, but Jonny Bairstow would have taken most satisfaction from the pair of furious blows off Australia captain Pat Cummins.
Pat Cummins, who has looked bereft of energy and inspiration this week, ended up with figures of 1-129, the worst of his career. England's day started in typically lively fashion, with a morning session that added 122 runs and four wickets to the scoreboard in just 24 overs. There were half-centuries for Ben Stokes (51) and Harry Brook (61), and some success for Josh Hazlewood, who finished with 5-126 amid the carnage.
Australia would have hoped to have started batting soon after lunch but Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson, playing his last Ashes test on his home ground, delayed that hope in style. (With agency inputs)
