Key events
65th over: Australia 256-7 (Carey 1, Starc 1) Woakes angles a good delivery past Starc’s outside edge. He’s taken nine wickets at an average of 20 in this series, all proper batsmen. And crucially, he has dismissed Keith Miller Mitchell Marsh three times. Nobody ese looks like getting him out.
Starc takes a single off the last ball, which means he’ll be facing Mark Wood at the start of the next over. Hmm.
“With the sound effects that accompanied Alex Carey to the wicket, I think you may need to give Yvette Campbell (58th over) an update …” says Tom Adam.
64th over: Australia 255-7 (Carey 1, Starc 0) Poor Chris Woakes. Even when he takes two wickets in an over, he’s overshadowed by somebody else. Near flawless human being that he is, he won’t mind one bit.
Wood continues – I suspect he would have taken a break had Marsh and Green still been at the crease – and Carey turns down a single to deep backward point. That’s seems an odd decision, with Mitchell Starc at the crease and Pat Cummins still to come, but I’d imagine he’s just trying to see Wood out of the attack. If so, chapeau; if not, what are you doing, man.
63rd over: Australia 255-7 (Carey 1, Starc 0) The celebrations of that wicket were delightful. Ben Stokes charged towards Bairstow and seemed to break into song at one point. After all he’s been through, that’s such a lovely, life-affirming moment. And it wasn’t any old wicket, either, because Mitch Marsh was batting marvellously.
Jonny Bairstow has taken a sensational catch to dismiss Mitch Marsh! Chris Woakes has taken two in an over and England are on top again.
Marsh was turned round by a beauty and edged it between wicketkeeper and first slip. Bairstow changed direction, plunged to his right and grabbed the ball just about the turf. He celebrated in style, spreading his arms and legs wide before he was swamped by his teammates. They could not be more delighted for him.
WICKET! Australia 255-7 (Marsh c Bairstow b Woakes 51)
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere’s Jonny!
WICKET! Australia 254-6 (Green LBW b Woakes 16)
If you want a job done, and you’re in England, ask Chris Woakes to do it. He has struck with the first ball of a new spell, trapping Cam Green LBW.
Green lunged around his front pad and was hit just above the kneeroll. Joel Wilson gave it out on the field, and that was crucial because it was umpire’s call on height. Green reviewed unsuccessfully, and he might feel a bit aggrieved because that was only just hitting the bails. Either way, it’s the end of an unconvincing, slightly tenative innings.
62nd over: Australia 254-5 (Marsh 51, Green 16) Wood implores Nitin Menon to raise the finger when Green is hit on the boot by a sizzling yorker. It was bat first – just – and the umpire rightly says not out.
Wood tries another yorker later in the over, but it’s too straight and Marsh puts it away for four. That brings up another dominant, hard-hitting fifty from just 57 balls. From nowhere he has become a key man in this series; no batter on either side looks in such good touch.
61st over: Australia 245-5 (Marsh 46, Green 12) Another full toss from Moeen is driven down the ground for four by Marsh. England have bowled too many fourballs today, and it might be time for a change at this end. Marsh looks in complete control against Moeen.
60th over: Australia 241-5 (Marsh 42, Green 12) Though Wood hasn’t found his Headingley rhythm today, he has still given everyone the hurry-up. Even Marsh, who eats extreme pace bowling without needing a knife and fork, is playing him respectfully.
Marsh turns a straight ball into the leg side for two, which brings up an important fifty partnership from just 60 balls. Australia’s running has been much more aggressive today.
59th over: Australia 237-5 (Marsh 39, Green 11) Marsh fails to punish another low full toss from Moeen, who is once again in little-girl-with-the-little-curl mode. He has bowled some fine deliveries too, and as I type he skids one past Marsh’s defensive push.
Probably fair to say Broad and Moeen weren’t the right combination for Mitch Marsh; his combined Test average against them is in excess of 300.
58th over: Australia 232-5 (Marsh 35, Green 11) Stokes misses a run-out chance! Green knocked the new bowler Wood into the covers and loudly rejected the offer of a single. Marsh was halfway down the track when Green gave him the bad news, but Stokes couldn’t pick the ball up cleanly on the run. He howled at the sky in frustration when he realised.
That allowed Wood a few more deliveries at Green, two of which flew past the outside edge. He’s riding his luck.
“1.30am in Oz,” writes Yvette Campbell. “Reading your updates under the covers in bed, sound off so as not to wake hubby next to me. As I cannot hear the coverage, I was wondering how the crowds have been acting towards the Australians. Have they been polite and fair, or booing Aussies at every opportunity? I’ve loved cricket since I can remember, but the crowd and members’ behaviour at Lords truly shocked me. The Ashes lost something that day.”
There were some pantomime boos for Warner and Smith, the usual nonsense, but I can’t recall anything else today. That incident at Lord’s feels a bit weirder every day.
57th over: Australia 232-5 (Marsh 34, Green 11) The increasingly dangerous Marsh drives Moeen through extra cover for successive boundaries. Both were fine shots, though the second came off a low full toss. It’s been a mixed bag from Moeen today: 9-0-46-1.
Marsh, meanwhile, has smacked 31 off his last 22 deliveries. He has already taken Broad and Moeen apart in this series, and he played Wood superbly at Headingley, so England are running out of options.
56th over: Australia 223-5 (Marsh 25, Green 11) Green is beaten all ends up by an extravagant leg-cutter from Broad, who is bowling by far his best spell of the day. A big inswinger is forced down the ground for a single, which brings Marsh back on strike.
Marsh has a great record against Broad, with a head-to-head average of around 175 in Tests. As if to prove the point, he chips Broad contemptuously over mid-off for a one-bounce four. What sort of way is that to treat a man who’s just taken his 600th Test wicket?
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55th over: Australia 217-5 (Marsh 20, Green 10) Marsh defends a peculiar little grubber from Moeen Ali. It was wide enough that he wouldn’t have been out LBW had he missed it, but it’s surprising to see a ball like that on day one. Moeen ends a good over with a quicker delivery that skids on to hit Marsh on the back pad. England go up for LBW but it was missing off.
54th over: Australia 216-5 (Marsh 20, Green 9) Green is struggling against Broad. He edges along the ground for four and then plays and misses outside off stump.
Marsh, who looks far more comfortable, thumps an uppish drive for two. Saying which, the next ball nips back to hit Marsh on the thigh. Well bowled.
“I recall reading that the Australians stated that they always liked to include a spinner,” writes Colum Fordham. “And yet they have omitted Todd Murphy, a decent replacement for Nathan Lyon. I’m hoping that Moeen Ali’s role as an off-spinner could prove a crucial difference in this vital test and that the Aussie selectors will rue their decision to include two all-rounders and just Head as a part-time twirler.”
Though I understand the logic, it’s very unusual for Australia. The last time it happened was in 2012, and on two of the lats three occasions they tried it against England (Oval 2009 and Melbourne 2010), they lost the Ashes.
England do it more often, though that is partly because of the quality of their spinners in comparison to Australia’s. I think they did it only once, at Headingley in 2012, when Graeme Swann was in his imperial phase.
53rd over: Australia 209-5 (Marsh 18, Green 4) Marsh was very cautious before tea, but now he’s back in Headingley mode. He launches Moeen over long on for six, then defends the remainder of the over on the back foot.
“I guess Moeen’s wickets should be officially described as ‘sweet’ from now on,” says John Starbuck, “given his patent honey treatment of the dangerous digit.”
I won’t ask what word we’d have to use had he decided to widdle on it.
52nd over: Australia 203-5 (Marsh 12, Green 4) Green softens his hands to edge Broad well short of second slip. I’m trying to recall when it was obvious England had found one with Broad. The first time I really noticed him was at Finals Day in 2006, when he gave the dangerous Ronnie Irani a spectacular working-over. I guess it was the Ashes decider of 2009 when we first realised he could lay waste to even a high-class Test batting line-up.
He’s actually bowled quite poorly today, with far too many short balls. Marsh lasers another thorugh extra cover to move into double figures, and Broad’s figures are kinda funny lookin’: 12-0-55-2.
“Good afternoon Rob,” says Kim Thonger. “We are driving through Northamptonshire, the Rose of The Shires, on the way back from Somerset after a marvellous day at Taunton watching national treasure Dame Sciver-Brunt despatch Australian bowlers to all parts of the ground.
“Mrs T is incensed by a white van in front of us who has just thrown a paper cup out his window. She is so indignant I feel obliged to ask you to ask if there are any police officers who will prosecute the impertinent fellow if I send them (via you) the dashcam footage of the offence? To give you some idea of how miffed she is, she’s crosser than she was about the sandpaper incident that of course we no longer refer to in polite company as it’s ancient history obvs.”
51st over: Australia 197-5 (Marsh 7, Green 3) Moeen Ali is right in the game. Cam Green gets off the mark with an outside edge for three; Marsh survives an LBW appeal after pushing around a big offbreak that would have missed leg stump; and finally Marsh slaps a long hop square on the off side for four.
50th over: Australia 189-5 (Marsh 2, Green 0) Broad probably imagined his 600th Test wicket would be David Warner, caught at first slip. But he might enjoy this even more because of its significance and timing. Head, as we have seen so often in the past two years, can savage tiring attacks in the final session.
“I’m a big fan of Bazball, but I wonder if we’re seeing an unintended consequence,” says Dan Tarpey. “Australia know England won’t bat for long, so they can pick only three specialist bowlers and not worry about them being overworked. Interesting to see if it happens more often.”
I’m not sure it will. I agree with your point, but I don’t think Australia would have risked it had the forecast been for… well, the weather we’re getting right now. Context is everything I guess.
WICKET! Australia 189-5 (Head c Root b Broad 48)
Travis Head has been suckered straight after tea! Of all the ways for Stuart Broad to take his 600th Test wicket. The field was set for a barrage of short stuff, and Head obligingly hooked towards long leg. Joe Root ran in and took an excellent low catch.
It’s a wonderful moment for Broad, a giant of a cricketer, and a vital one in the context of the series. He becomes only the fifth bowler, and the second seamer to reach 600: Muttiah Muraliharan, Shane Warne, James Anderson, Anil Kumble and now big Broady. It’s also his 149th Test wicket against Australia, which puts him one clear of Sir Ian Botham. They belong together, because in my lifetime no England cricketers have been stimulated by Ashes cricket as much as those two.
Jason Rodrigues
Teatime reading
England are long overdue an Ashes win at Old Trafford; the last one was 42 years ago.
Back in 1981, a Mike Brearley team featuring Ian Botham beat Kim Hughes’ side in the fifth Test, taking a 3–1 lead into the final game at the Oval.
England’s series win was reported on the front of the Guardian, Paul Fitzpatrick at Old Trafford mentioning man of the match Ian Botham and Australia’s Allan Border, who batted with a broken finger to reach 123 not out.
Botham would have been especially pleased by his performance, as the England all-rounder had controversially resigned as England captain after the second Test at Lord’s.
Tea
An intriguing session ends with Australia maybe slightly ahead in the game. They made 80 runs in 24 overs for the loss of their two limpets, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. See you in 20 minutes for an extended and very important evening session.
49th over: Australia 187-4 (Head 47, Marsh 1) A loose delivery from Moeen is flicked fine for three runs by Head. That gives Moeen two balls at Marsh, whose hard hands can make him vulnerable to spin early in his innings. But not today, not yet. That’s tea.
48th over: Australia 184-4 (Head 44, Marsh 1) This feels like one of England’s innings this series, particularly at Edgbaston and in the runchase at Headingley. Every time Australia have threatened to get away, England have taken (or been given) a wicket.
There was no pressure on Mitch Marsh ahead of that extraordinary century at Headingley. Today is different, so it’ll be interesting to see whether he plays with the same freedom. He has started tentatively – fair enough, with tea imminent – and is beaten by a lovely outswinger from Woakes. A nipbacker leads to a big LBW appeal, but it was slightly high and Nitin Menon wasn’t interested. Excellent stuff from Woakes.
47th over: Australia 184-4 (Head 44, Marsh 1) This is very encouraging for England – not just the wicket, but the amount of turn Moeen is getting on day one.
Labuschagne has had a strange series, with scores of 0, 13, 47, 30, 21, 33 and 51. Magnus Magnusson would not have approved.
“I say this as someone who believes James Anderson is Britain’s greatest current sportsman: he’s barely been threatening all series,” says Neill Brown. “Yes, the pitches have had nothing for him, and yes he’s had the odd unlucky over, but he’s almost performing the traditional spinner’s role of slowing the run rate and keeping the batsmen in check. Perhaps that’ll be enough?
“I definitely know that it won’t cloud over after tea, and Jimmy won’t get the old ball to swing all over the place and take a valedictory five-fer on his home ground. [Starts crying.]”
WICKET! Australia 183-4 (Labuschagne LBW b Moeen 51)
He’s gone! It was hitting the top of middle stump, and Labuschagne looks disconsolate as he walks off. It was a really nice delivery from Moeen but, as Mike Atherton says on Sky, somebody playing as well as Labuschagne should not have missed it. It was a slightly absent-minded defensive stroke.
Labuschagne pushed defensively outside the line of a lovely off-break that hit him on the kneeroll. This is really close you know…
England review for LBW against Labuschagne! I suspect it will be umpire’s call and therefore not out, but things are happen for Moeen Ali here.
46th over: Australia 183-3 (Labuschagne 51, Head 44) Woakes replaces Anderson, whose figures of 13-4-29-0 are starting to do my head in because I can’t decide whether he has bowled well or not.
His second ball is too short and cut wristily for four by Labuschagne, who is batting with such assurance and control. There were nine days between Test matches; some Australian players went to Europe, others to Scotland. Pat Cummins went to is in-laws. This deviant spent all nine days in the nets didn’t he?
A pull for three brings up Labuschagne’s first fifty of the series, a 114-ball masterclass in risk management, and then Head scorches another boundary through extra cover. England are struggling to control him, again.
“Matt and Geoff here, two Aussies keeping up from down in Casablanca (where the Cointreau flows like water),” writes Matt. “We’re wondering if this is the first time in the series where (barring some collapse in the next few overs) a side has been on top, and remained in control for two full sessions? I’d think that the last few sessions of the last Test almost count, but Bairstow’s dismissal really levelled things.”
How about the first day at Lord’s? Australia lost a couple right at the death but before that they moved with increasing comfort to 300-odd for three.
45th over: Australia 171-3 (Labuschagne 44, Head 39) Moeen Ali replaces Broad, who has been expensive today (10-0-47-1), and beats Head with his first ball. That turned a little and bounced a lot. As my colleague Tim de Lisle points out, Moeen has an excellent record at Old Trafford: 16 wickets at 19.56. That said, his last game here was against South Africa six years ago, when he was in the form of his life.
Things are already happening for Moeen. Labuschagne walks down the track to a good delivery that hits him on the body and ends up in the hands of Bairstow. England appeal for caught behind, hoping there might have been a touch off the glove. Joel Wilson disagrees and Ben Stokes, always so considered in his use of DRS, decides not to review.
“Call me an under-stimulated boomer with a fickle attention span,” offers Brian Withington, “but as well as the Test match I’m also currently live streaming Essex vs Kent, the Tour de France and Open Golf ‘Live from the Range’, whilst following CCLive! and the OBO. Have I missed anything (apart from the Aussies Inexorably strengthening their vice-like grip on the Ashes)?”
You’ve heard about [redacted], [redacted] and [redacted], right?
44th over: Australia 170-3 (Labuschagne 44, Head 38) Head again tries to launch Anderson towards Stockport High Street and again connects with nothing but fresh air. A flick off the pads brings him a couple of runs, and a single brings up a Head-dominated fifty partnership.
After a modest first Ashes series in 2019 (avge 27, s/r 49), he has become an almighty irritant to England. It might be time to risk Moeen Ali against him.
43rd over: Australia 167-3 (Labuschagne 44, Head 35) A punisher like Head is the perfect partner for Labuschagne, who can potter along his bubble at the other end. The stats back that up, which is always handy when you throw out a half-arsed observation in the hope it sticks.
Labuschagne is in total control at the moment. He waits for Broad to err in length and leathers an extra cover-drive for four.
42nd over: Australia 163-3 (Labuschagne 40, Head 35) Head considers an essentially immaculate outswinger from Anderson… and belts it wristily whence it came for four. That was a remarkable shot, and it’s fair to say England no longer have control of the scoreboard.
Head then fresh-airs a windy woof outside off stump, which elicits the reaction you’d expect from Anderson. We’ve said this a few times already today, but England could do with a wicket.
“It is hard to judge Jimmy in this series isn’t it?” says Gary Naylor. “The Australians give him plenty of respect, but he consistently bowls lines and lengths that invite respect. The result is a kind of stalemate that is reflected in his figures.
“Maybe it’s up to the other bowlers to use that pressure, but if blunting England’s finest is the plan, is it really pressure?”
You’re asking a man who thought Bazball Towers was up in flames after two Tests, so I’m keeping my mouth shut.
41st over: Australia 159-3 (Labuschagne 40, Head 31) Head releases the pressure by clattering Broad’s first two balls for four – a back-foot belt through the covers and a hearty thump between mid-off and extra cover. He is savage whenever a bowler errs in length.
It’s worth dusting off the Travis Head 2.0 stats. Since his recall in December 2021, which he celebrated with a riotous 152 against England at Brisbane, he has a Test average of 54 and a strike-rate of 81. Of those who have played 10 innings in that time, only Ben Duckett and Harry Brook are scoring faster.
Whenever Head gets going I hear Richie Benaud, talking about Inzamam-ul-Haq during the 1992 World Cup semi-final, in my mind’s ear: “This guy… is a dangerous customer.”
40th over: Australia 148-3 (Labuschagne 40, Head 20) Head tries to drive a wide, swinging yorker from Anderson and almost knocks himself off his feet. Then he gets a single with a leading edge that flies to safety on the off side.
We’ve spoken all series about England needing to occasionally sit with the bat. They’re doing it with the ball at the moment. In the morning session Australia scored at 4.3 an over; since lunch it’s down to 2.7. It’s an intriguing arm-wrestle.
“Visual feed is a bit jaggy in Nusa Dua Rob – usually the reading is a lyrical supplement and I skim the active description but I’ll take it all for now, unlike the cover tunes in the bar of which I’ll take one in every four,” says Eamonn Maloney. “Like the balance of the Aus side on a brown top if you still rate Green as one of the best seven bats available; if someone was averaging 40 in the Shield and outdoing Head for turn you’d have an argument, but ye doesnae.”
39th over: Australia 147-3 (Labuschagne 40, Head 19) Labuschagne has left superbly today. That wouldn’t usually be worthy of note – it’s one of his great strengths – but he had an uncomfortable relationship with his off stump in the first three Tests.
After moving Labuschagne across his crease, Broad tries a hooping yorker. Labuschagne has seen it all before and defends with authority. He has scored only three from the last 25 balls, and he won’t care one jot about that.
38th over: Australia 146-3 (Labuschagne 40, Head 18) Thanks Geoff, afternoon everyone. James Anderson bowls another maiden straight after drinks, including a jaffa that squares Labuschagne up and goes past the outside edge. Anderson’s performance looks fine on paper (10-4-21-0); I can’t decide whether he’s been unlucky or unthreatening.
Geoff Lemon
37th over: Australia 146-3 (Labuschagne 40, Head 18) Broad comes back, lining up Labuschagne for most of the over. Everyone gets celebrated when Bairstow gloves a ball cleanly down the leg side, but it’s off the pad. Drinks!
And that’s it for me today. Thanks for your emails, from here kindly direct them Rob Smyth, Esq., care of The Guardian OBO.
36th over: Australia 145-3 (Labuschagne 39, Head 18) Anderson is back, and he’s still getting swing with this older ball, the ball shaping away from Labuschagne. Can’t dot them up though, Labuschagne a run to cover, Head clipping square and again really good running to get back for two. Throw in a no ball as well.
35th over: Australia 141-3 (Labuschagne 38, Head 16) Smoked through the covers! Travis Head gets a rare chance to come forward to Woakes, and takes full advantage. Pulls a single to follow, Labuschagne finds another.
34th over: Australia 135-3 (Labuschagne 37, Head 11) Wood carries on short, Head dinks a shot off his hip through fine leg for four, then rides the better bouncer well enough. Helmet and box come out for Stokes, who is going to put himself in at silly point. Down leg again, then when he fancies the line, Head nails a pull shot for four! Behind square, just. That’s good contact.
33rd over: Australia 126-3 (Labuschagne 37, Head 2) Woakes ticking away, bowling to Labuschagne, so he’s on his normal length with a normal field. Labuschagne takes a long break to change his shoes, ideal just after lunch, and he’s very annoyed when he clips a straight ball straight at the midwicket fielder.
32nd over: Australia 126-3 (Labuschagne 37, Head 2) Hit in the grille! Unsociable bowling from Wood, gets the aim right on his bouncer. Travis Head is shaping to pull and then just wants to get out of the way. Too late. Turns away from the ball and wears the contact from shoulder onto grille. Takes a leg bye, then passes his concussion check. Labuschagne keeps out a scorching yorker, then runs really well to again get back for two when he works a ball to square leg. Another run through cover.