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The Ashes are heating up – with England scoring at T20 charges and Nathan Lyon dragging Australia again right into a seesawing contest. FOLLOW LIVE.
And the on-field motion is simply as spicy, with Pat Cummins and Scott Boland rattling the vacationers with a 22-ball onslaught final evening earlier than Joe Root and Harry Brook hit again this morning.
England’s lead is constructing quickly, however the wickets are falling steadily on one other seesawing day of Take a look at cricket.
12.10PM: DRINKS! AUSSIES ROAR BACK INTO THE CONTEST
This match is in a really tense spot, with England main by 222 – an affordable chase as it’s, particularly with rain to come back tomorrow – and with the tail on the crease.
The runrate has slowed since Ben Stokes’ dismissal, as you would possibly anticipate with the recognised batsmen again within the grandstand.
Australia are up and about after a stable half-session after lunch to date, however they will’t let the tail wag in any respect.
To that finish, it’s fairly shocking how a lot leeway they’re giving Ollie Robinson with the defensive fields he’s dealing with.
11.55PM: WICKET! STOKES STUMBLES TO OPEN DOOR FOR AUSSIES
That’s the wicket the Australians needed!
Ben Stokes has been in a temper since lunch, however Pat Cummins has acquired him useless to rights there.
Trapped in entrance, Stokes reluctantly evaluations however you observed he is aware of it’s a foregone conclusion – as ball-tracker confirms, though it’s umpire’s name on clipping the leg stump.
It’s an necessary 43 from Stokes, however his wicket leaves the door ajar for Australia.
He leaves with England holding a lead of simply 217, and Australia are into the tail.
As a result of right here comes the person of the second: Ollie Robinson. Will the Australians give him a heat welcome to the crease, after his send-off of Usman Khawaja yesterday?
11.40PM: WICKET! LYON WITH THE BREAKTHROUGH
Effectively, it’s been coming. After a collection of near-misses, and overturned choices, Australia has their breakthrough.
Nathan Lyon has a 3rd wicket of the day, and it’s Jonny Bairstow who falls simply after England’s lead pushes previous 200.
Bairstow, given out LBW, tried for a overview – and why not? DRS has been form to England in the present day – however this one has missed the glove, and is crashing into leg stump.
That’s wicket quantity 494 for Lyon, with the unbelievable 500-mark quickly approaching.
Bairstow is gone for 20, and there’s one other twist on this contest.
Out comes Moeen Ali, he of the burned finger. And after this partnership, Australia will get a have a look at England’s tail.
Does Stokes dial it up one other notch?
11.30PM: ENGLAND PUSH LEAD INTO DANGEROUS TERRITORY
A tough 10 minute stretch there for Australia.
As soon as once more, they thought they’d Stokes once more – seemingly caught by Scott Boland at gully off a reverse sweep, however replays present it’s a bump ball.
The followers love that one. Their favorite chant of the Take a look at, “Usual Aussies, at all times dishonest”, will get one other run.
Quickly after, a thick edge from Jonny Bairstow evades the clutches of Steve Smith at first slip – and travels for 4, stretching England’s lead previous 200.
It is a very harmful interval for Australia. Stokes and Bairstow are in a temper, they’re scoring rapidly, and earlier than lengthy this lead may very well be reaching areas that may take away an Australian victory from the probably outcomes.
11.15PM: STOKES ON THE CHARGE
We’re seeing a unique Ben Stokes after lunch.
He’s taking a much more aggressive strategy on the crease, charging Scott Boland and making an attempt reverse sweeps to disrupt Australia’s bowling plans.
It’s not 2019 Headingley Stokes (but, I suppose), however there’s a bit extra fluidity to how he’s enjoying now in comparison with earlier than lunch.
He additionally seems to be favouring the knee which has brought on him such hassle over the previous 18 months, after being caught on the crease by a Lyon supply which stored low within the first over after lunch.
He’s shifting freely between the wickets, however there’s a noticable whince on some strokes.
Nevertheless he’s additionally actually pushing exhausting and it’s bordering on reckless. Australia will have a look at this and suppose there’s a chance for a wicket. But when it comes, how a lot injury could have been carried out?
11.00PM: SECOND SESSION UNDERWAY
We go once more. One other lengthened session, to go for 2 hours and quarter-hour, and one other enormous alternative for one among these groups to impose themselves on this recreation.
It’ll be Nathan Lyon to Ben Stokes to begin.
LUNCH: LATE WICKETS LIFT AUSTRALIA
An elongated session, however does anybody actually know who’s in entrance right here?
England dodged a large bullet within the ultimate over earlier than lunch, with Jonny Bairstow given out LBW to Scott Boland earlier than having the choice overturned on overview.
Ball-tracker exhibits the ball nipping excessive of the leg-stump, a lot to the dismay of Steve Smith who was out to the same supply within the first innings.
Simply because it regarded like England had been about to essentially take Australia out of the sport, via Joe Root and Harry Brook, each have fallen to Nathan Lyon earlier than lunch.
Australia took three wickets, whereas England added 127 runs, to as soon as once more share honours in a desperately tight contest.
Lyon additionally thought he’d trapped Ben Stokes LBW, however didn’t get any luck with the third umpire – with DRS discovering an edge that didn’t appear to exist, and ball-tracker later showing to have a thoughts of its personal.
However because it stands, England lead by 162 – heat favourites at this level, given the power of the 2 males on the crease, Stokes and Jonny Bairstow, in addition to a tail that has proven it could actually wag.
There’s loads of rain forecast tomorrow, so who is aware of if a outcome will even be attainable. However what would Australia really feel comfy chasing on this wicket, if the climate Gods play their half?
10.00PM: LYON STRIKES BEFORE LUNCH!
We’re practically on the lunch break of this prolonged session – and Australia have grabbed a vital scalp earlier than the main break.
Harry Brook, who has hammered away at roughly a run-a-ball all day, falls simply in need of his half-century as Marnus Labuschagne takes a superb low catch at mid-wicket.
He falls to Nathan Lyon for the second time this Take a look at, and turns into Lyon’s second sufferer of the day.
It wasn’t a classic Lyon supply, brief and regarded prefer it was there to be hit actually, nevertheless it drags him nearer to the unbelievable mark of 500 Take a look at wickets.
He’s as much as 493 now. What number of extra to come back in the present day?
9.40PM: LYON DENIED BY CONTROVERSIAL DRS CALL
Big attraction from Nathan Lyon and Alex Carey, who suppose they’ve Ben Stokes trapped LBW.
Their pleas fall on deaf ears with umpire Marais Erasmus, however they’ve satisfied Pat Cummins to take a overview.
After a prolonged course of whereas the third umpire waits for Extremely-Edge footage to look, the Australians are denied with replays indicating there was an under-edge earlier than it hit Stokes’ pad.
However former Australian captain Mark Taylor believes there’s been a misstep by the DRS.
“That one’s confused me, to be trustworthy. There’s a noise, nevertheless it’s not a pointy noise. It’s not a flick on the bat. I feel Ben Stokes would possibly’ve mentioned that he didn’t hit it,” Taylor mentioned.
“He’s been given not out. (And) I feel there was a niche between the ball and the bat. There actually wasn’t a spike.
“You’ll be able to see daylight between ball and bat. There was a noise, nevertheless it may’ve been the shuffling of his toes. He hasn’t hit it.”
All of it quantities to nothing, as a result of HawkEye, quickly after, exhibits that the ball wouldn’t have gone on to hit the stumps anyway – though that, too, has raised some eyebrows.
Australia are down to at least one overview.
9.20PM: WICKET! JOE ROOT FALLS IN GAME-CHANGER
That’s an enormous wicket for Australia, with Joe Root properly and actually taking the sport away from the vacationers.
He falls simply in need of his half-century, and it’s Nathan Lyon who takes the wicket – a person whose confidence can rise and fall quickly.
An early wicket for Lyon may imply nice issues for Australia.
Root has been aggressive all morning, however he would possibly remorse charging down the wicket there – overwhelmed by flip as he seems to thump Lyon via midwicket, and Alex Carey’s tidy work behind the stumps does the remainder.
England are 4 down, with a lead of 136. Massive partnership, this, between Harry Brook and Ben Stokes.
9.10PM: DO AUSTRALIA NEED A TACTICAL MAKEOVER?
It’s been England’s session this morning, with their lead ballooning out to 128 after the hour (and a bit) of play as Joe Root continues has first Take a look at masterclass.
Australia have the wicket of Ollie Pope to point out for his or her efforts, however since his dismissal Root and Harry Brook have added practically 50 at greater than six runs an over.
And once more questions are being requested about their ways. Are they too passive? Steve O’Keefe want to see Australia’s quicks drive England’s batsmen onto the again foot with some short-pitched bowling, however there’s been nearly none of that within the opening hour of play.
After the drinks break, it’s Josh Hazlewood to bowl his first spell of the morning. Maybe he’ll have some totally different plans.
8.50PM: BROOK DEMOLISHES LYON IN PAYBACK MISSION
Nathan Lyon is into the assault, and Harry Brook greets him with a cutshot for 4, and backs it up with a sweep for a similar outcome.
This will probably be an intriguing battle.
Lyon gained the combat on day one when Brook was eliminated through one of many extra freakish dismissals you’ll see in cricket – the ball rolling up the thigh pad, practically touchdown on the batsman after which spinning again into the stumps.
However Brook has arguably been Bazball’s best product, bursting onto the scene and instantly changing into one among cricket’s most prolific batsman.
He’s signalled his intent by taking 13 runs off Lyon’s first over this morning.
8.35PM: WICKET! CUMMINS CASTLES POPE
Pat Cummins has delivered an absolute peach of a supply there!
Full, and angling in, Ollie Pope stood no probability as Cummins breaches his defence with a thunderbolt.
It’s the primary wicket of the day, and Australia badly wanted that – as a result of England had began to get getting in an enormous method, via Joe Root primarily.
Pope is gone for 14 and he seems fairly miffed at that one. England three down, with an 84 run lead.
And in comes Harry Brook, as Cameron Inexperienced joins the assault for the primary time this innings.
8.25PM: HOW LONG UNTIL AUSTRALIA UNLEASH LYON?
England’s lead has grown quickly this morning, with Joe Root taking the sport to Australia with a mixture of the elegant (superb cowl drives) and the ridiculous (equally superb revere ramp pictures for six).
And he’s on the verge of hitting Scott Boland out of the assault. Boland had a tough opening day in Edgbaston, earlier than briefly trying like his regular self underneath cloudy skies final evening.
However on a heat day, he seems susceptible as soon as once more and Root is on the assault – with Boland’s first two overs going for 26 runs.
How lengthy till Nathan Lyon is known as on by captain Pat Cummins? There’s no query Lyon will shoulder an enormous workload in the present day, and on a wicket that has taken flip from Moeen Ali and Joe Root, he looms as the important thing for Australia.
It gained’t be lengthy earlier than he’s requested to heat the fingers up.
8.05PM: ROOT’S OUTRAGEOUS WARNING SHOT
If there was ever any doubt about what England’s strategy was going to be in the present day, Joe Root has eliminated it after only one supply.
On the primary ball of the fourth day, Root tried a reverse ramp shot off Pat Cummins – a outstanding, creative stroke which delivered two sixes in his first-innings century.
“I’m unsure I’ve ever seen that in Take a look at cricket…” provides England nice Kevin Pietersen.
It’s actually a daring technique. However that’s the Bazball method. The English entertainers will not be going to let this recreation meander.
The next over, Root goes once more – and ramps Scott Boland over the fence for six, after which for a boundary the very subsequent ball.
Extraoardinary.
8.00PM: DAY FOUR IS UPON US!
A monster day of Ashes cricket awaits.
With yesterday’s rain, we’ll have elongated classes and a complete lot of cricket to get via, with 98 overs scheduled.
And we’re able to experience the rollercoaster once more. No workforce has actually been in a position to get on high on this match – even when England scored practically 400 on day one, it didn’t really feel like Australia was out of the competition on a flat wicket, and the times which adopted have delivered extra of the identical.
England will begin with Joe Root and Ollie Pope on the crease, each but to attain, and with a 35-run lead of their pocket.
They’ll be aiming to push the tempo and apply the blowtorch to Australia’s bowlers, who in flip will probably be searching early wickets to money in on their exhausting work from final evening
7.30PM: ASHES GREAT’S REVENGE THREAT FOR ENGLAND VILLAIN
Australian Ashes nice Brad Haddin has given England villain Ollie Robinson truthful warning: there will probably be retribution for his ugly day three antics.
Robinson hit the headlines for his expletive-laden send-off of first-innings hero Usman Khawaja, the place he sceamed ‘f**okay off you f**king pr**okay’ after ending the Australian’s innings on 141.
Robinson additionally employed England’s short-ball ways towards Australia’s tail-enders, a method which Haddin warned may come again to chew him and England’s fellow quick bowlers when it’s time for Pat Cummins and his tempo allies to have a crack on the host’s decrease order.
“I feel it’s silly (Robinson’s send-off). I assumed England and the best way they had been going to play their cricket, this wasn’t going to be a part of the sport,” Haddin informed the Willow Speak radio present.
“However it wouldn’t have gone unnoticed within the changeroom. Ollie went after the Australians with short-pitched bowling at 123kms.
“It’s going to be an fascinating… as a result of Australia get a proper of reply. Ollie Robinson, sure he let feelings get the higher of him right here nevertheless it wouldn’t have gone unnoticed from the Australian bowling cartel.”
Quick-ball barrages have been successfully deployed in Ashes battles lately, with Mitchell Johnson famously rattling England with tempo and aggression in a career-defining collection in 2013-14.
And with speedsters Cummins, Scott Boland and Josh Hazlewood, Australia have the artillery to return fireplace at Robinson and the remainder of England’s tail.
“I don’t suppose Usman would’ve actually seen what occurred,” Haddin added.
“However there would’ve been just a little phrase (within the changerooms), ‘simply maintain that behind your thoughts, we’ll get a proper of reply and a chance to make use of our short-pitched ball’.
“They’ll keep in mind it. They gained’t say an excessive amount of about it however simply watch when Ollie is available in to bat. The sport will simply raise in power.”
6.45PM: WEATHER UPDATE: HUMID, BUT NO RAIN
We’re just a little over an hour away from the primary ball of day 4, so it’s time in your all-important climate replace.
After yesterday’s showers, and twin rain delays, followers will probably be excited to listen to that the rain ought to keep away in the present day – however Pat Cummins and his quick bowling allies will probably be happy that the air is thick with humidity.
That must be encouraging for Australia’s quicks, after Cummins and Boland did made essentially the most of yesterday’s overcast circumstances with a brutal 20-minute onslaught that delivered the wickets of each English openers.
The lack of practically two classes of play on day three will lengthen play by an additional half-hour in the present day and tomorrow, which means the scheduled end time is 3.30AM AEST – earlier than the extra half-hour allowed for gradual overs throughout the day. So a 4am end seems probably tonight, for these eager to go the space.
6.00PM: FIERY SLEDGE REVEALS ENGLAND’S BRUTAL PLAN
Australia’s tail-end batsmen are fastening their seat belts for a rib-rattling summer time.
For generations Australia have been famend because the cricket workforce who would mercilessly snip your tail … instantly they’re watching their very own.
A pointed throwaway line from feisty English seam bowler Ollie Robinson has spotlighted the one space the place England could have a bonus over Australia this collection and can mercilessly goal.
Robinson cheekily commented: “We mentioned as soon as we get previous (Pat) Cummins (at No 8) we really feel like they’ve three No 11s. It’s one thing we will goal via the collection and try to wrap up their innings fairly fast and provides us that momentum into our batting innings.’’
He was commenting after Australia misplaced 4-14 on the finish of the primary innings of the primary Take a look at.
Nathan Lyon (one), Scott Boland (0) and Cummins (38) fell to brief balls which is able to certainly turn out to be commonplace fare for them for the remainder of the collection.
Over the generations Australian bowlers corresponding to Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Jeff Thomson and Mitchell Johnson had been often called nice tail-spinners however now Australia will face its personal challenges.
Australia’s lengthy tail was one motive why it was such a significant choice to omit Mitchell Starc who has a batting common of 27 in England.
Australia matches up properly towards England in most areas. It’s bowlers are youthful and sooner. Nathan Lyon is a superior spinner to Moeen Ali. Alex Carey has Jonny Bairstow coated as a gloveman and isn’t as far brief as a batsman as many suppose.
Australia’s batsmen dominate the world rankings and Cameron Inexperienced’s numbers could outshine Ben Stokes’ on the finish of the collection.
However with Mooen coming in at quantity eight with a Take a look at batting common which floats round 28 England have a stronger tail on paper. – ROBERT CRADDOCK
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