By 
It was an outstanding day of Test cricket at the Oval, with Australia displaying dominance on Day 4. The day before, Stuart Broad had announced his retirement from professional cricket, marking the end of his illustrious 17-year international career.
At the beginning of Day 4, the Australian team paid their respects to Broad by giving him a guard of honor. England resumed their innings at 389/9 on Day 4. In the first over bowled by Mitchell Starc, Broad managed to hit a six off a short-pitched delivery. However, Todd Murphy dismissed Jimmy Anderson in the second over of the day, bringing England’s innings to a close at 395 runs in the second innings.
In their pursuit of a target of 384, the Australian openers made a strong start and were in a comfortable position. Both batsmen looked in excellent form, with David Warner, who had a tough Ashes series, playing a vital role in the chase with a crucial knock of 58 runs. His partner, Khawaja, was also in great touch and contributed 69 runs.
Together, they added 135 runs for the opening wicket before rain interrupted the match proceedings. As they head into Day 5, the Australian batters will be confident, requiring 249 more runs to win with all ten wickets intact.
England will be eager to dominate on Day 5 and take early wickets in the morning session to put Australia under pressure. A victory on the final day would be a perfect farewell for Stuart Broad, adding significance to his retirement if England manages to win the Test.
Comments