ENG vs AUS 4th Test Day 4 Highlights: Australia 214/5, trail by 61 runs

Day 4 preview: England will be setting their sights on achieving a series-leveling victory on Day 4 of the fourth Ashes 2023 Test against Australia at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester on Saturday.

The hosts dominated the third day, stretching their lead to nearly 300 runs by posting 592 on the board. Overnight batters Harry Brook (61) and skipper Ben Stokes (51) slammed fifties before wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow took centre-stage in the remainder of the English first innings with a quickfire 99 not out off just 81 deliveries.

Bairstow, who bounced back to form after five low scores on the trot, was left stranded on 99 when James Anderson, the last English batter in, was trapped leg-before wicket by all-rounder Cameron Green. The Yorkshireman collected 10 fours and four towering sixes during his knock and stitched a 66-run 10th-wicket stand with Anderson to guide the hosts within touching distance of the 600-mark.

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Australia, who had posted 317 on the board in their first innings, lost openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner with a little over 50 on the board. Marnus Labuschagne tried to mount a rescue, adding 43 for the third wicket with Steve Smith before the latter ended up getting caught-behind off Mark Wood’s bowling.

Express pacer Wood, who also got Khawaja caught-behind for 18 to draw first blood in Australia’s second outing, would then dismiss Travis Head for 1. He was the pick of the English bowlers at close of play with figures of 3/17 from seven overs, and will likely play a key role if the hosts are to run through the remainder of the Aussie batting unit on the penultimate day.

Labuschagne was batting on 44 at stumps and faces a Herculean task as far as steering Australia towards safety is concerned, given the Pat Cummins-led side trail the Englishmen by 162 runs with six wickets in hand, and could end up suffering an innings defeat with a day to spare.

The only dampener for the English dressing room will be the forecast for rain in Manchester on Saturday as well as in the coming week, something that the visiting team will view as a silver lining as they seek their first series win on English soil in more than two decades.