Ashes 2019 4th Test, England vs Australia Day 3 preview: Uphill task for England after Smith does his job

After being hammered for a day and a half, England finished Day 2 at Old Trafford on 23/1, still 476 behind in first innings, after Steven Smith followed his 144, 142, and 92 with 211. A solid-looking Rory Burns is out there on 15, along with night-watchman Craig Overton, on 3. This, after Matthew Wade took a spectacular catch at forward short leg to dismiss Joe Denly (4) off Pat Cummins.

It is going to be an uphill task Australia, given that they had rolled over for 67 in the first innings at Headingley. A lot will depend on Burns, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes if England have to make a match out of this Test – though a win is probably ruled out at this stage.

Stuart Broad (3/97) struck early in the day, trapping Travis Head (19) leg before. Matthew Wade (24) then lobbed one to mid-on off Jack Leach (2/83). However, Smith found a capable partner in Tim Paine (58), who got his first fifty in almost a year. Together, they added 145 for the sixth wicket.

Smith got a reprieve on 118, when Leach had him caught at slip, only for the decision to be overturned when replays revealed that Leach had overstepped. There was no more mishap as Smith marched on as Overton (2/85) had Paine caught behind and Leach got Cummins (4) caught at slip.

Smith’s first hundred had taken him 160 balls. The second took him 150. He eventually hit to third man while trying to reverse sweep Root. Mitchell Starc (54* in 58) and Nathan Lyon (26* in 26) then had some fun, adding 59 in 49 balls before calling it a close.

Key players

Ben Stokes (England): Stokes had slammed a third-innings hundred at Lord’s and got one of the greatest hundreds of all time at Headingley. Who else but him to take the attack to the enemy camp?

Mitchell Starc (Australia): Left out for three Tests, Starc got the necessary boost with a rapid fifty. It is time for him to pepper England with bouncers the way Jofra Archer had done to Australia.

Brief scores:

Australia 497/8 decl. (Steven Smith 211, Marnus Labuschagne 67, Tim Paine 58, Mitchell Starc 54*; Stuart Broad 3/97) lead England 23/1 (Rory Burns 15*; Pat Cummins 1/10) by 474 runs.

Prediction

England to score somewhere around 300.