The Ashes 2023: England battling Australia and weather to win Old Trafford Test

Mark Wood struck important precocious blows successful England's conflict against Australia and the Manchester upwind successful the 4th Ashes Test astatine Old Trafford.

In immoderate different circumstances, England would beryllium immense favourites, yet dense rainfall is forecast for the play - peculiarly Saturday's 4th day.

The location side's beardown presumption was forged by piling up 592, their highest full successful a location Ashes Test since 1985, to instrumentality a first-innings pb of 275.

Harry Brook made 61 and Ben Stokes 51, but the existent pyrotechnics came from Jonny Bairstow, who clobbered a thrilling 99 not out.

Bairstow added 66 successful a riotous last-wicket concern with James Anderson and was lone denied a deserved 100 erstwhile Anderson was lbw to Cameron Green.

At 2-1 up successful the bid and knowing a gully is capable to clasp the Ashes, Australia are batting for clip and the rain. They mislaid openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner to Wood and Chris Woakes respectively.

Stubborn brace Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith quietened the assemblage earlier Wood had Smith caught hooking and bounced retired Travis Head.

Labuschagne remains unbeaten connected 44, an obstacle arsenic ample arsenic the upwind successful the location side's bid to proceed an unprecedented English comeback from 2-0 down successful an Ashes series.

• Reaction to time 3 astatine Old Trafford

England measurement up upwind conundrum

Ordinarily, England would beryllium good connected people for a series-levelling victory, but could look a contention against clip triumph their archetypal Ashes Test connected this crushed since 1981. If the upwind forecast is to beryllium believed, Saturday is simply a washout and Sunday curtailed.

All of this would person been factored into their attack with the bat connected Friday. Their stated purpose was to get arsenic galore runs arsenic imaginable successful the archetypal innings, the mentation being that would beryllium the quickest mode to triumph and it is easier to people runs successful the archetypal innings than successful a tricky second-innings chase.

Whether oregon not England batted excessively agelong volition lone beryllium revealed implicit the adjacent 2 days. Their innings did not extremity until astir 15:00 BST - aboriginal than astir would person expected astatine the opening of the day.

In that time, determination was further grounds that Australia person had their minds frazzled by England's aggression. Ambitions of winning the lucifer were abandoned by the archetypal shot of the day, determination was noticeable vexation astatine Pat Cummins' tactics and the chaos caused by Bairstow and Anderson was comical.

England find themselves 2-1 down due to the fact that of the mistakes they made successful the archetypal 2 Tests, but person been superb astatine Old Trafford to technologist the accidental of victory.

They present look the superior squad and, careless of the result of this match, volition spell to The Oval arsenic favourites to triumph the last Test.

Wood and Woakes onslaught captious blows

Even if England are acceptable to beryllium hampered by the weather, they volition instrumentality encouragement from a transportation that is showing expanding grounds of uneven bounce.

They were times erstwhile Australia were settled - the mini partnerships betwixt Khawaja and Warner, past Labuschangne and Smith - but Wood and Woakes person been difference-makers since coming into the England broadside for the 3rd Test.

Wood needed lone 2 deliveries to person Khawaja poking an borderline behind, portion Woakes caused capable uncertainty for Warner to play connected to his ain stumps.

Woakes astir had Smith without scoring, lone for the 3rd umpire to adjudge an borderline had not carried to Joe Root astatine archetypal slip.

Just arsenic Smith was starting to look ominous, Wood switched ends and cranked up the velocity. Smith's apical borderline to Bairstow was Wood's 100th Test wicket earlier Head, ne'er comfy against the abbreviated ball, gloved a drawback to gully from a 91mph delivery.

Labuschagne was joined by Mitchell Marsh, who defended 27 balls for his 1 not out.

More to follow.