Ashes 2019: Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad give England hope at Old Trafford
Written by News on 07/09/2019
Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer tore through Australia’s top order to give England renewed hope in the fourth Ashes Test.
Australia remain favourites at Old Trafford and lead by 259 at tea on day four despite slipping to 63-4 in their second innings.
Three wickets from Mitchell Starc had seen England bowled out for 301 earlier in the day, a first-innings deficit of 196, with Jos Buttler making 41 to ensure they avoided the follow on.
The tourists would have been keen to score quick runs, bat England out of the game and get the hosts back in as soon as possible but were confronted by two fired up opening bowlers and, with four sessions left in the match, find themselves with work to do before they can think about a declaration.
Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow had made it safely through the six overs to the new ball at the start of the day but a full, fast, in-swinger from Starc pegged back Bairstow’s middle stump and broke the partnership.
Four overs later, Stokes was gone, his watchful knock ended as Starc hit the perfect line a fraction outside off stump and found the edge with Steve Smith on hand to gobble up the chance at second slip.
Archer followed after fiddling needlessly outside off and nicking behind off Pat Cummins – and his furious reaction suggested he knew it was a poor shot.
That was the trigger for Buttler to move through the gears, hitting Nathan Lyon for a pair of boundaries in the next over. He and Broad battled through to lunch but the latter was bowled soon after the restart with England still 15 short of avoiding the follow-on.
Jack Leach came out to a rapturous reception from the Old Trafford crowd after his efforts in the third Test at Headingley and soon after a boundary, thumped through the covers by Buttler, confirmed that Australia would have to bat again. England progressed little further though as Cummins bowled Buttler in the next over.
England needed a fast start with the ball and they got it when Broad trapped David Warner lbw with the last ball of the first over, the sixth time he has dismissed the left-hander in the series as the Aussie opener departed without scoring for the second time in the match.
Marcus Harris did not fare much better, taking a review with him as he walked off for six, another lbw victim for Broad, and when Archer had Marnus Labuschagne leg before three overs later, England sensed an opportunity.
Archer had a few words for Travis Head (12), who was more than happy to go back at the fast bowler, but it was the England bowler who had the final say by flattening the left-hander’s middle stump as the Manchester crowd roared their approval.
As ever though, Smith was proving harder to shift and England’s opening bowlers could not keep going forever and were eventually taken out of the attack, each having bowled a excellent nine-over spell.
Smith and Matthew Wade, who also enjoyed a verbal exchange with Archer, steadied things for Australia from 44-4 and will resume their partnership in the evening session.
Watch continued live coverage of the fourth Test between England and Australia on Sky Sports The Ashes.
(c) Sky Sports 2019: Ashes 2019: Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad give England hope at Old Trafford
