Ashes fourth test: Jonny bravo: Bairstow pounds Aussies, Woods turns screws

MANCHESTER, July 21

A hostile spell of bowling from Mark Wood helped restrict Australia to 113/4 in their second innings on Day 3 of a thrilling fourth Ashes Test, still trailing England by 162 runs as the hosts close in on a win that would level the series.

England had looked dead and buried in the series after the Lord’s Test, trailing 2-0, with no team since 1936-37 coming back to win the Ashes having lost the first two matches.

But after their exhilarating success at Headingley, England have taken the attack to Australia in Manchester, with the tourists having no answer to this new-found, aggressive approach from the hosts.

Looking to extend their first innings lead today, Jonny Bairstow produced a blistering display with the bat to finish unbeaten on 99 as he helped England post a colossal 592 all out — their highest Ashes innings total on home soil since 1985.

With rain forecast for the weekend and England holding a 275-run lead, it was clear Australia were playing for a draw that would help them to retain the Ashes.

Brief scores: Australia: 317 and 113/4 in 41 overs (Labuschagne 44*; Wood 3/17); England: 592 in 107.4 overs (Crawley 189, Bairstow 99*; Hazelwood 5/126). — Reuters

592England posted their highest Ashes innings total on home soil since 1985

5.49England’s run-rate in their total of 592, the third highest for any team in a 500-plus total in Test cricket