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By Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at Old Trafford
England face a battle to save the Ashes after Australia took three late wickets on the third afternoon of the fourth Test at Old Trafford.
Josh Hazlewood removed Jason Roy, Joe Root and Rory Burns to leave the house side 200-5, still 297 behind the 497-8 of Australia announced.
When Burns and Root were adding 141 for the third wicket, England were making progress.
But Hazlewood backed up a great to possess Burns fencing to slip for 81, then immobilized Root lbw for 71.
After Roy stump has been removed, England had lost three wickets for 30 runs.
Jonny Bairstow and ben Stokes were together when bad light ended play in order to prevent defeat, together with England needing to bat for much of Saturday and Sunday.
Ashes holders assured of retaining the urn and Australia will be 2-1 up to play Should they fail.
England are unlikely to have this rain that postponed play on Friday’s benefit – that the weather forecast is clear to the weekend.
Equipped with such a huge total, England arrived knowing any kind of batting slump in their second or first innings will ship the urn back down beneath.
For so long, Burns and Root were defiant from Cummins and Hazlewood particularly. Burns was peppered from the short ball, while Root came via an early examination from Nathan Lyon.
From a Old Trafford audience still having to shiver throughout the chilly, they were awarded more vocal assistance – while Lyon came in for regular taunting following his fumble in the end of England triumph at Headingley, every run was mythical.
Australia had to battle the conditions that faced the bowlers of England for much of the initial two days – not only the wind, but also the pitch.
That they tested the batsmen would be to their credit, and also the overdue victory of Hazlewood was deserved by the tourists.
It moved them a step closer to retaining the Ashes, but England could nevertheless take the contest in case the remainder will replicate the fighting qualities of Root and Burns.
There were a few signs of frustration creeping into to the tourists as their efforts could be wasted as it seemed.
Through an electrical 10-over bout from Cummins both sides of tea, Root edged on 54 between keeper Tim Paine and slide David Warner and, at the following over, Australia squandered a review on a lbw appeal against precisely the identical man.
Whereas Cummins was luckless, his substitute Hazlewood was incisive.
He got one to go that the left-hander edged at second slide to Steve Smith and followed, then got one to scuttle that the pinned Root didn’t bother to review.
The sequence had already moved down after opening at the first three Tests and was in no place to play one that nipped back, pushing hard around the walk along with his toes and with his hands. It left 4-48 to Hazlewood, having removed nightwatchman Craig Overton of the afternoon from the second.
This was Australia’s momentum, it appears probable they’d have done more harm had the mild not shut in.
England were under pressure when Root combined Burns from 23-1 with Overton and overnight adding only two to his successive three.
The pace bowler was bravely repelled by burns, Root had his box broken by a blow from Mitchell Starc and also engaged in a battle of wits with Lyon.
Runs were accumulated when Starc was wayward and Lyon fell brief, as they warmed to the task.
Root and burns scored square of the wicket on both sides. Root followed his half-century at the second innings while Burns has almost 100 runs over most the other openers in the series combined.
Though Burns’ dismissal sparked the downturn that was late, England were moved from where they ought to get the 98 runs that they will need to avoid the follow-on.
However, by the day’s end, there have been a few indications of this ball beginning to maintain low, including a further complication to save the game.
England opener Rory Burns on BBC Test Match Special:”It’s not perfect, losing these wickets, but how we fought throughout the day, we are in an adequate position.
“Test cricket is Test cricket and it was hard occasionally. I found a way to get through today and that’s probably the technique of my own batting.
“It is about partnerships, now. We’re in a fight and it’s very obvious what we will need to do come tomorrow”
Former England captain Michael Vaughan:”This is Australia’s game to lose. England have to bat into the day session beyond lunch and they’re taking overs from the game that they’ll have to bat on Sunday when they can reach 350. It will be the excellent escape.”
“That Pat Cummins charm was probably the best of the series and the truth is, Rory Burns survived that charm. That should give him a enormous amount of confidence. Each and every person that loves Test cricket could respect what Cummins made for his group today.”
Australia bowler Pat Cummins:”The ball started to zip around and I sensed in the game. It wasn’t to be for me. This takes wickets in the other end straight away and makes me happy when Josh comes on. He did say,’I owe you one for that’.
“We are pretty happy being 300 ahead. It was a challenging day of Test cricket. To get those three wickets overdue, we feel really in the game.”
Curious and Australian Steve Smith is a cricketer that is unique, says BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew.
Steve Smith created day 2 of the fourth Exam feel like torture although england shouldn’t be written off, writes Stephan Shemilt.
Why was Ben Stokes’ Test at Headingley the England triumph of all time?
Analysis and view by the BBC’s cricket correspondent.
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