Broad double-blow leaves Test in the balance ahead of day five

England and Australia traded blows on another pulsating day of action in the first Test at Edgbaston to leave the match evenly poised ahead of the fifth and final day. The hosts scrambled their way to 273 in their second essay, giving Australia a fourth-innings target of 281 before Stuart Broad made some key breakthroughs late in the evening to leave the match in the balance, with England needing seven wickets and the visitors 174 more runs to take an early lead in the five-Test series.

It was another fluctuating day of cricket at Edgbaston, which began with some jaw-dropping stroke play from Joe Root. Resuming the morning on 28 for 2, Root stepped on the accelerator in the first session as he brought out his trademark reverse scoop, attempting one off the first ball against Cummins before nailing two in a row against Boland. Cummins dented the hosts early with a searing yorker to dismiss Ollie Pope for 14, but Root kept up his attack, scoring at nearly a run a ball to take England’s lead into triple figures.

Root shared a brisk 52-run partnership with Harry Brook off just 49 deliveries to inch England ahead, but Nathan Lyon struck twice before Lunch to dismiss both set batters. Root was stumped after missing a wild slog, while Brook found Labuschagne at mid-wicket on 46, giving Australia a lifeline.

Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes carefully rebuilt the English innings after Lunch, reining in their attacking instincts, but Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins combined to put the visitors on top. Bairstow was pinned on his pads after missing a reverse sweep against the offie, while Cummins trapped Stokes lbw on 43, reducing the hosts to 210 for 7.

The last three English wickets, though, accounted for 63 vital runs as Moeen Ali, Ollie Robinson, and James Anderson chipped in with some crucial boundaries to grow England’s advantage to 281.

Australia got off to an assured start in their fourth-innings chase. Barring an edge from Khawaja that flew in the gap between the keeper and first slip, the openers looked in control as they crunched a flurry of boundaries, putting on a fifty stand.

Ollie Robinson eventually broke the partnership by getting Warner to feather one to Bairstow before Broad delivered the priceless scalps of Labuschagne and Smith, getting both batters to edge behind before stumps to set up a potential classic on day five on Tuesday with 174 runs needed and seven wickets in hand.