Australia’s tailenders frustrated England on the first day of the fourth Ashes test at Old Trafford. The tourists ended the day on 299-8, with the weather forecast not looking favorable for the weekend.
The momentum of the match swung back and forth throughout the day. Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, and Mitchell Marsh all looked set for big scores before England halted their progress.
With Australia seven wickets down and only one and a half hours remaining, England hoped to make further inroads before the close of play. However, they could only manage to take one more wicket.
Stuart Broad reached a milestone in his career, taking two Australian wickets to reach 600 in test cricket. James Anderson, making his return to the England side, was left frustrated along with the rest of his team.
Labuschagne expressed slight disappointment that no one in the Australian team managed to score big. He believed that England would show more intent in their batting, considering the need to win the test match and the forecasted rain.
The focus was on Anderson as he replaced Ollie Robinson in the England lineup. However, it was Broad who made an impact by dismissing Usman Khawaja and David Warner early on.
Smith’s promising innings was cut short by Mark Wood’s spell, while Labuschagne and Head also fell to England’s bowlers. Mitchell Marsh reached his half-century, but Woakes took two wickets in one over to swing the momentum once again.
Woakes continued his success by dismissing Alex Carey, taking his fourth wicket of the day. Mitchell Starc remained unbeaten, hoping to delay England’s first innings alongside captain Pat Cummins.
Broad expressed his satisfaction with reaching 600 wickets, especially from the James Anderson End. He highlighted the team’s strategy of bowling first and aiming for a first innings lead.
The match is poised for an intriguing continuation, with the possibility of rain affecting the outcome.
