Australia v England: Fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford, live scores, blog

The latest exhibition of Steve Smith's now routine brilliance saw him post an innings of 211 that all but settles the fourth Test and the series, in the process breaking England's spirit and elevating the batting genius to a level where only Sir Don Bradman sits higher.

Steve Smith broke more Ashes records and broke England too with a stunning double-century at Old Trafford which put the fourth Test at Australia’s mercy and elevated the superstar batsmen to realms only legends can inhabit.

His score of 211 was an innings beyond significance for the match alone, it was one which took the batting genius beyond comparisons with anyone other than Sir Donald Bradman.   

The numbers have it. They are the only Australians to score two Ashes double-hundreds in England, are the quickest men ever to 26 Test centuries, and no Australians have more Ashes hundreds than them.

But while Smith continued to re-write the record books he also gave his teammates the confidence to push the game beyond the home side and, needing only one more win to retain the Ashes, put the ultimate goal within Australian reach.  

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Every plan England tried to Smith failed, their bowlers looked listless and lost and captain Joe Root completely out of answers as the twitchy, eccentric master took them apart in an innings for the ages.

Steve Smith celebrates another monster Ashes score, at Old Trafford

“I said before the game that if they bowl a lot at my head then they’re not bowling at my stumps and trying to get me out lbw and caught behind the wicket,” Smith explained of his serene comfort against England's seam bowlers.

“For them to go as short as they did and as early as they did with the new-ball, softened that ball up and played into our hands.”

Smith also set the stage for Tim Paine (58) to get his first half-century since October last year and  Mitchell Starc, in his first match for the series, to swat nine boundaries in scoring a 58-ball 54 which left England in total despair.

Australia dominated day two, declaring at 8-497 and an England team which boasted of coming to Manchester with momentum was instead staring down the barrel of losing the Ashes with one Test still to go.

Smith's command of the field was key to neutering England's plans, with no suggestion they had come close to working out a productive strategy against him.

“I think and visualise before I play where people are likely to bowl to me and where I am likely to score and try to picture fields that are set and play things over in my mind, where I am going to get runs and how they are looking to get me out,” Smith said.

“Then out in the middle you have to adapt to whatever is thrown at you.”

England closed the day 1-23, after a diving Matthew Wade catch sent new opener Joe Denly back to a dressing room full of long faces, defeated by one man.

That despondent feeling for England was greater given they had Smith out, caught at slip, when he was on 118, only for a third-umpire review to find spinner Jack Leach, of all bowlers, had overstepped.

The no-ball was the first in over 1400 deliveries from Leach in his eight-Test career, and a sure sign the cricketing Gods wanted to see more from Smith.

It earned a loud rebuke from Root to his team, but a rallying cry that fell on deaf ears.

Smith’s brilliance was summed up in the fact that, despite giving every other batsman in the world a 217-day head start, no-one has scored more Test runs than him in 2019.

England were broken by Smith's relentless excellence.

His 579 runs in this series, in just four innings, at an average of 144, with two hundreds and a double, is 66 more than any other batsman in the world has managed since January 1.

Smith’s year started on August 1, at Edgbaston.  

He’s the only man with three Test hundreds this year, and his lowest score is 92, the innings at Lord’s in the second Test only interrupted by a knock-out blow from Jofra Archer.

Smith even has more Ashes hundreds in England (6) than any Englishman has managed in 142 years of battles between the two countries.

Even when England thought they had got Smith out he survived.

It was also Smith's eighth consecutive score of 75 or more in Ashes Tests. No-one in history has ever completed more than four scores of that volume.

He was finally out, trying to reverse sweep England captain Joe Root as Australia pushed towards a declaration, having dispelled any notion of him being a different batsman after taking the blow to the neck from Archer.

That battle, for which there was much expectation, was non-existent, as Archer provided a limp follow-up to his six-wicket haul at Leeds, finishing with 0-97, just short of his own first Test hundred, on a day dominated by Australia.

 

Originally published as Australia v England: Fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford, live scores, blog

Updates

4:18 am September 6, 2019 Highlight

STUMPS: Australia day as England finish 1-23

Joe Barton

And that's stumps!

A magnificent day for Australia and Steve Smith, whose stunning double century was the backbone of their monster first innings 8(dec)-497.

Smith led Australia from the field to applause from those remaining at Old Trafford – primarily Australian fans, it must be said.

England had a nightmare in the field and that followed them with the bat as Joe Denly fell for 4 late in the day with Matt Wade taking an excellent catch off Pat Cummins.

They'll resume (weather permitting) at 1-23 tomorrow with Rory Burns is on 15, with nightwatchman Craig Overton on 3.

There is rain on the horizon according to the locals but that might be the only thing which can save England with three days to play.

4:04 am September 6, 2019

Joe Barton

It's nightwatchman time – but Jack Leach has been punted from the role despite his 92 against Ireland a handful of Tests ago.

Instead it is Craig Overton who comes to the crease.

He has a Test average of 24. A decent nightwatchman, really!

4:03 am September 6, 2019 Highlight

WICKET! Denly falls to Wade screamer!

Joe Barton

Australia has the vital first wicket before stumps tonight.

Pat Cummins has been all over Joe Denly, and cut him in half with a ball that jagged bag a foot but managed to miss an edge and the stumps.

But the following ball Cummins does the same, and Denly clipped an offering to Matt Wade at bat pad.

The ball ricocheted off Wade's hands but the former keeper produced remarkable reflexes to recover and dive to his right where he claimed a sharp one-handed grab.

Denly posted just 4, and England are 1-10.

3:40 am September 6, 2019

Joe Barton

Very testing little period here for England openers Joe Denly and Rory Burns.

The England crowd are cheering every dot ball and stood and applauded Denly's first single.

But Josh Hazlewood looks very dangerous, and struck Burns on the shoulder with a fierce bouncer.

The following over, Starc has Denly pinned and struck on the glove and shoulder as he ducks into a 140km bouncer.

It's not a fun place to be out in the middle right now.

3:20 am September 6, 2019 Highlight

DECLARATION! Australia 8-497

Joe Barton

It's all over. Tim Paine calls them off at 8-497, with Mitchell Starc on 54 and Nathan Lyon unbeaten on 26.

Steve Smith's remarkable 211 is the headline act, but he added 145 with Tim Paine (58) while Marnus Labuschagne's day one 67 was also impressive.

Stuart Broad had 3 wickets yesterday and was England's best bowler, while Leach and Overton had two each.

It's been a monster day from Australia, and they'll get about 40 minutes to attack England's shaky top order.

3:06 am September 6, 2019

Fifty for Starc in brilliant cameo

Joe Barton

Well what about that. Pretty incredible little knock this from Starc.

He's pounded seven fours and two sixes to spank England all over Old Trafford as Australia's score soars towards 500.

Australia are 8-478. Starc is 51 from 50 balls.

2:54 am September 6, 2019

Joe Barton

Drinks… and Australia are 8-463 after 120 overs.

We've potentially got another hour and a half of play tonight – so lots still to come.

Remarkably sunny skies here tonight (considering how gloomy it has been for the past two days!).

Mitchell Starc has surged to a run-a-ball 40, taking over from Steve Smith's magnificent double century.

2:50 am September 6, 2019

England burn review on Starc LBW

Joe Barton

A review for LBW!

Root thinks he has trapped Mitchell Starc… and they have gone for it.

I guess when you've got a chance to remove Starc, you've got to take it…

But it's a wasted one because that has just tickled the glove before thudding into Starc's thigh.

That's England's final review for this innings. Starc survives and moves to 32.

2:44 am September 6, 2019 Highlight

WICKET! Smith falls for 211

Joe Barton

He's gone!

Smith falls for 211, and just as everyone predicted, it's from a reverse sweep off Joe Root … with Joe Denly taking the catch at leg gully.

There's smattering off boos to start (or could we credit them for being support for Joe Roooooooooot), and then a healthy round of applause from the crowd as they show their appreciation for this extraordinary batsman and stunning innings.

Smith has missed 3 innings in this series and he has 589 runs midway through the fourth Test. He is…. quite simply… a freak.

He is given a handshake from Denly as he walks from the field and then a hug from the incoming batsman Nathan Lyon.

Australia are 8-438.

2:40 am September 6, 2019

Joe Barton

I thought batting was hard for left-handers in this series?

Mitchell Starc is making a mockery of that (admittedly against a bowling attack that is pretty broken after two days in the field).

Called in for the team for the first time this series, he has already made his impact with a cheeky cameo with the bat.

Starc crushed two on drives and then a cover drive off Stuart Broad for three consecutive boundaries to race into the 20s.