The fourth Ashes Test has got off to a perfect start with neither England nor Australia appearing to be too pleased or disappointed with the turn of events on Day I at Old Trafford.
Put in to bat in breezy conditions after losing the toss, Australia didn’t do badly, reaching 299/8 at stumps on Wednesday. But on a surface that seems quite good for batting and strokeplay, England too would be reasonably pleased for having dismissed eight Australian batsmen.
Chris Woakes was the star of the English bowling attack, finishing the day with 4/52 while Stuart Broad reached the 600-wicket milestone when he had Travis Head taken at the deep early in the day’s final session. Broad is the second pacer after countrymate James Anderson to take his Test wickets tally to 600.
Australia went to tea at 187/4 with Marnus Labuschagne (51) dismissed towards the end of the second session, failing to deal with a delivery from off-spinner all-rounder Moeen Ali that spun in just a little bit.
Australia were making steady progress, thanks to the Labuschagne-Head fourth-wicket partnership after losing Steve Smith (41) who, in spite of looking solid, was trapped lbw by a 92mph delivery shaping in from England’s Headingley Hero Mark Wood.
Labuschagne’s dismissal against the run of play certainly came as a relief for England as they had more reasons to cheer when the short-pitched stuff finally worked in their favour after Head’s attempted pull saw him perish at the deep for Broad’s 600th.
England’s hopes of restricting Australia to within 250 though was crushed by Mitchell Marsh (51 off 60 balls), who produced another brisk, counter-attacking knock following his century in Leeds. The 65-run stand between Marsh and fellow seamer all-rounder Cameron Green put the pressure back on the English bowlers, till Woakes’ double strike in the 63rd over of the day pegged Australia back.
At times, Woakes did drift from his line, but in the day’s final session in particular, he was the most incisive among the English quicks as he brought the ball back in and shaped it away as well to perfection. That too, in conditions that were bright and sunny.
The delivery with which he dismissed Marsh was a peach, moving away at the last moment to take the edge off the bat before keeper Jonny Bairstow took a fine catch.
Keeper-batter Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc were pushing Australia towards 300 with their eight-wicket stand. But Woakes stood up again, striking immediately after England took the new ball. A faint edge of the inside edge off Carey’s bat brought about his dismissal, with Woakes picking up his fourth wicket.
Earlier in the morning session, Broad moved to 599 Test wickets when he had Usman Khawaja lbw for three in the fifth over of the game. Woakes then claimed the wicket of David Warner (32), who began the proceedings by cracking the first delivery of the match for four through the covers.
Written with AP/PTI inputs
