Webdesk: England made tremendous progress in breaking down Australia’s batting line-up in the thrilling fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford.
England must win to force a series decider at The Oval. Australia leads 2-1. Australia finished 299-8 after regularly striking.
Stuart Broad took two key wickets, including Travis Head, who hooked to long leg. He became the fifth Test bowler to reach 600 wickets.
Chris Woakes took four wickets for 52 runs, including a brilliant catch by Jonny Bairstow to dismiss Mitchell Marsh.
England won the toss and fielded first, seeking to take 20 Australian wickets before the weekend’s inclement weather. Despite good batting conditions, Australia’s batsmen struggled to convert their starts.
Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, Head, and Steve Smith scored 51, 48, 48, and 41, respectively, showing their attempts but not their impact.
England looked poised to bowl out Australia in one day at 255-7, but Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc resisted the English attack. Woakes dismissed Carey with the second new ball to give England a chance to finish off Australia the next day.
High stakes and tough cricket made Old Trafford uneasy. Every wicket and run is crucial to both sides’ outcomes. England fielded early to maximise their chances of winning before bad weather disrupted the play.
After his crucial involvement in the Headingley Test, Woakes was England’s standout bowler. Broad, Mark Wood, Moeen Ali, and James Anderson also helped keep the English bowlers dangerous.
Australia struggled to take advantage of the good batting conditions while knowing it could win the Ashes. Despite including all-rounder Cameron Green, they lost wickets at vital times, hindering their march towards a commanding score.
Most of their top-order batsmen failed to convert promising beginnings into large scores, allowing England to stay ahead.
