Rain, rain, please keep and are available once more tomorrow, hey?
Adapting the lyrics to a well-known previous nursery rhyme are about the one hope Australia has left as day 4 of the fourth Ashes Test will get underway at Old Trafford.
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Apart from some transient moments on day one, England has owned this Test match, a match it must win to forestall Australia from retaining the Ashes as soon as extra.
But as day 4 opens below heavy rain and darkish clouds, the Aussies could have a shot at pulling off an amazing escape.
If the climate clears, Australia will start its second innings on 4-113, nonetheless a whopping 162 runs away from making the hosts bat once more after England’s record-setting innings of 592 all out got here to an in depth on Friday.
Marnus Labuschagne (44 not out) and Mitch Marsh (1 no) are nearly Australia’s solely hope if play does get underway, however the under-fire Pat Cummins and his males will likely be desperately hoping the covers stay over the Old Trafford wicket for the following 48 hours or so.
10.05pm – Covers coming off
The rain has eased and the covers are being eliminated though loads of rain stays on the outfield which may delay proceedings nonetheless.
A pitch inspection is ready to happen at 11pm.
It’s good news for England and the very last thing Pat Cummins and his males would have needed.
But one other subject for England is there keeper appears to have taken off to catch a sport of footy in the course of the rain delay.
9.30pm – Piers Morgan lets everybody know his emotions about all this
Outspoken British media identification Piers Morgan has weighed in on the dreadful climate that’s stopping play getting underway on day 4 of the Ashes.
Australia will retain the Ashes if the English climate fails to permit play to proceed, with surprising circumstances forecast for the ultimate two days at Old Trafford.
That’s as a result of the Aussies maintain a 2-1 sequence lead, with only one Test remaining, though England are in an especially robust place in Manchester.
“It will be the greatest travesty in the history of Ashes cricket if the trampled, battered, beleaguered, Bazballed, desperate, white-flag-flying Aussies now avoid inevitable defeat and retain the urn because of bloody rain,” he wrote.
8.45pm – Former England captain questions Ben Stokes’ captaincy
The rain retains pouring down in Manchester, for ever and ever, so commentators are on the lookout for one thing to say.
Talking on BBC Sport, ex-England skipper Michael Vaughan has questioned whether or not England batted for too lengthy of their first innings.
The English have been lastly knocked over for 592 of their first dig, earlier than they lowered Australia to 4-113 at stumps.
“This England side have played a Test match this week as good as we’ve seen an England team play against Australia in many, many generations,” he mentioned partially.
“They’ve absolutely hammered them in all aspects of the game.
“But the question will be asked at the end of the game, and it’s always the proof in the pudding, Ben could have declared after lunch (on day three).”
You can see his prolonged ideas on what Australia would possibly must do on day 5 under.
7.45pm – No likelihood of any cricket early on
Australian followers desirous to tune into the cricket on Saturday evening will sadly must get used to the sight of these covers being everywhere in the Old Trafford pitch.
The climate is dreadful to begin the day in Manchester and former Australian Test cricket captain Mark Taylor gave a stable abstract of the state of affairs.
“The forecast here is not good,” Taylor mentioned on Channel 9.
“There’s a 90% chance of rain or greater all day and it’s about the same at this stage for tomorrow.
“Terrible news for the spectators and commentators here at the ground. But great news for this Australian side.”
On day three, the Poms continued to batter the Aussie bowlers as they posted a mammoth whole, England’s first rating of greater than 500 in a house Ashes Test since 1985.
That was solely a part of the undesirable historical past inflicted on Cummins’ facet. Six of England’s prime seven made no less than 50 – the primary time they’ve carried out that since 1930.
The humiliation was accomplished with Jonny Bairstow (99 not) smashing them everywhere in the park throughout a 66-run tenth wicket stand with Jimmy Anderson.
Mark Wood is looming as an actual key for the hosts, driving England in the direction of what must be a cushty win after putting late on day three to take away Steve Smith and Travis Head.
After earlier dismissing Usman Khawaja, Wood shocked Smith with a legside bouncer that he tried to paddle in the direction of the fence, however may solely handle to glove it by way of to keeper Bairstow to fall for 17.
It continues a lean sequence for one the sport’s greats, who exterior of a primary innings century at Lord’s has scores of twenty-two, two, 34, 16, six, 41 and 17.
Head was subsequent in however was additionally uncovered by Wood’s velocity.
The Aussie No. 5 made only one run earlier than taking his eye off a brief ball concentrating on his physique and deflecting a catch to Ben Duckett at gully.
With six wickets remaining and an enormous effort wanted simply to ask England to select up their bats a second time, rain is Australia’s solely actual hope.
If the match does certainly find yourself a draw, Australia will retain the urn, holding a 2-1 sequence lead with one Test to play.
Originally revealed as Poor climate may hand Australia the Ashes and Piers Morgan is furious
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
