In an exciting and fluctuating start to the crucial fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford, England made significant progress in breaking down Australia’s batting line-up.

With the series tied 2–1 in Australia’s favour, England needed a win to set up a series decider at The Oval. The home side were able to attack at regular intervals, resulting in Australia ending the day on 299–8.

Stuart Broad showcased his bowling prowess by taking two crucial wickets, including the dismissal of Travis Head who hooked it over long leg, a huge achievement for Broad. This wicket made him only the fifth bowler in Test history to reach the glorious milestone of 600 wickets.

Chris Woakes continued to emerge as the most dangerous bowler, taking an impressive four for 52, including a brilliant catch by the much-criticised wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow for the dismissal of Mitchell Marsh.

Having won the toss, England chose to field first, hoping to take advantage of the inclement weather anticipated during the weekend to give themselves enough time to get 20 Australian wickets. Despite the ideal batting conditions presented to Australia, the visiting batsmen struggled to convert their starts into significant contributions.

Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne’s scores of 51 each, Head’s 48 and Steve Smith’s 41 displayed the batsmen’s efforts but underlined their inability to make a decisive impact.

With Australia reduced to 255–7, England were in a strong position to bowl out the opposition in a single day, but Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc showed resilience and determination to resist the English attack. As the game drew to a close, Woakes was able to dismiss Carey with the second new ball, giving England a chance to wrap up the Australians the next day.

High stakes and tense cricket on display contributed to a nervous atmosphere at Old Trafford. The result of the match was of great importance for both the teams, with every wicket and run being fought hard. England’s decision to field first was driven by an urgency to maximize their chances of winning before adverse weather conditions could potentially interfere with the match.

England’s performance with the ball and in the field was commendable, Woakes was an excellent bowler and after his crucial role in the Headingley Test he cemented his place in the team. Additionally, Broad, Mark Wood, Moeen Ali and James Anderson contributed to the constant threat posed by the English bowlers.

Australia, knowing that a strong batting performance could effectively secure the Ashes, struggled to take full advantage of the favorable batting conditions. Despite the inclusion of all-rounder Cameron Green in their line-up, they lost wickets at crucial times, hampering their progress towards building a dominant total.

Most of their top-order batsmen failed to convert promising starts into big scores, allowing England to retain a strong position in the match.