Ashes 2023, 4th Test, Day 3: Wood picks 3 as Australia post 113/4 at stumps, trail by 162 runs

England put on a commanding performance with both their batting and bowling during the match. The day started with England at 384/4, with Harry Brook and captain Ben Stokes at the crease. Both batsmen played brilliantly and contributed significantly to extend their team’s lead.

While Stokes attacked the Australian bowlers from one end, Brook played a supporting role from the other. Unfortunately, Stokes was dismissed by Australian skipper Pat Cummins when he reached 51 runs. Later, Jonny Bairstow joined Harry Brook and added valuable runs to the total. Brook played an excellent innings, scoring 61 runs before being dismissed by Josh Hazlewood.

Jonny Bairstow’s aggressive play caused chaos for the Australian bowlers. He smashed 10 boundaries and four sixes during his impressive knock of 99 runs off 81 deliveries. Bairstow missed out on a well-deserved century as James Anderson fell as the 10th wicket for the Aussies. His innings of 99* will be remembered for a long time.

By the post-lunch session on Day 3 at Old Trafford, England had reached a score of 592, thanks to the splendid performances of Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, and Jonny Bairstow. The lead over Australia was a substantial 275 runs. In the meantime, Josh Hazlewood secured a five-wicket haul for Australia, while Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green each took two wickets.

In response to England’s first innings total of 592, Australia managed to post 113/4 at stumps on Day 3 of the 4th Test. Mark Wood’s pace and bounce proved effective as he dismissed Usman Khawaja (18), Steve Smith (17), and Travis Head (1), helping England maintain complete control over the match. David Warner faced another early dismissal, this time by Chris Woakes, which has become a major concern for Australian cricket, as he has been consistently getting out early.

On the other hand, Marnus Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh were unbeaten on 44* and 1* respectively at the end of Day 3. They will resume batting on Day 4, but with Australia still trailing by 162 runs, losing more wickets could make it challenging for them to win the Test.