Medihoney if you have a sore gash!!
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And England haven’t beaten them there since Botham’s effort in 1981.
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4th Test today, at Old Trafford…
England win the toss and bowl first
Big moment!
Apparently, the pitch is good but the overhead conditions are lending themselves to bowling first.
Over to you, Mr Anderson and co.
–
After the toss England captain Ben Stokes is told by Mike Atherton on Sky Sports that no captain has won the toss, bowled first and won a Test at Old Trafford.
Stokes said: “It would be a nice time to be the first to do that!”
On the weather: “We have spoken about the weather but I think today is not too bad and if the Test goes deeper and we’ll come up with some plans then. The way we go about it naturally does that. If the game gets to the point where we push things on we can do that.”
On the return of James Anderson: “The break has done him the world of good. He’s been a unbelievable performer over many a year. Even if he’s not operating at what he thinks is his best level he is still putting batters under pressure. I am looking forward to him running in from his own end.”
On the decision to bat Moeen Ali at number three: “It’s more about Moeen’s ability to impact the game than anything else, especially with Chris Woakes at eight. It’s nothing to do with protecting Harry Brook at five whatsoever.”
–
The teams
England: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.
Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Josh Hazlewood.
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**Australia captain Pat Cummins on Sky Sports: "**We would have bowled first too but it looks like a good wicket, so it’s not a bad toss to lose.
"We’ve made the call to play without a spinner on the conditions and we feel like we’ve got plenty of bowling, two all-rounders plus Travis Head so lots of options.
"Losing Nathan Lyon made things different for us, so we had to change things a bit from normal and I guess there is always an element of risk in that.
"It can be dangerous [looking to draw]. I know there’s weather around but we are absolutely playing to win and to win the series.
–
The pitches at Old Trafford this year have had been decent with pace and a carry. I am expecting pace and bounce. James Anderson has never had a five-for at Old Trafford for England, so could this be the time? It could be the last time he plays a Test here but this isn’t a sentimental pick. England are not about that. They will pick their best team to win the match.
Just turned on,
Aus 145-3 after 2 early(ish) wickets.
Smith out for 41 recently.
Surprise, surprise Bairstow caught one off of a Woakes ball to get Warner out for 32.
Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Usman Khawaja, 4.6 ov), 2-61 (David Warner, 14.1 ov), 3-120 (Steven Smith, 29.2 ov)
179-3, Labia-shag-knee 51*
And then, a few balls later, Labia-shag-knee gets out LBW to Moeen. Originally given not out by the umpire, good review that by England
183-4
Tea 187-4
Broad likes a bit of Head.
Gets his 600th wicket
209-5
Late wickets - love it. 299-8 at close
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Tail wag starts this morning. 
Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Usman Khawaja, 4.6 ov), 2-61 (David Warner, 14.1 ov), 3-120 (Steven Smith, 29.2 ov), 4-183 (Marnus Labuschagne, 46.1 ov), 5-189 (Travis Head, 49.5 ov), 6-254 (Cameron Green, 62.1 ov), 7-255 (Mitchell Marsh, 62.5 ov), 8-294 (Alex Carey, 80.4 ov)
DRS Reviews
| INNS | Over | Decision | Review by | Batter | Bowler | Umpire | Original → DRS | Review result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS 1st | 4.6 | Wicket | Australia (Batting) | UT Khawaja | SCJ Broad | JS Wilson | Out → Out | Unsuccessful |
| AUS 1st | 29.2 | Wicket | England (Bowling) | SPD Smith | MA Wood | Nitin Menon | Not Out → Out | Successful |
| AUS 1st | 46.1 | Wicket | England (Bowling) | M Labuschagne | MM Ali | JS Wilson | Not Out → Out | Successful |
| AUS 1st | 62.1 | Wicket | Australia (Batting) | C Green | CR Woakes | JS Wilson | Out → Out | Unsuccessful (Umpire’s call) |
10.20am: Here’s Andrew “Gnasher” McGlashan, from our Joy Division, with news from the ground: “Morning from Costa del Manchester. It’s another Factor 50 day here, shouldn’t be any concerns about the weather (don’t look at Saturday’s forecast). We’ll get a good idea of England’s mood today once they get bat in hand. Ben Stokes said they would take the forecast into account. Australia will want to try and drag another 50 runs from the last two wickets. They still have a handy total but may yet be left to regret their wastefulness yesterday.” And on the topic of wastefulness, here’s Gnasher’s piece from last night
Anderson to Cummins, OUT
Gone first ball! Cummins drives straight to cover point! Anderson finally has a wicket, in what could well be his last Test on his home ground, and Australia’s captain is immediately heading back to the sheds. Not a lab-developed wicket-taking delivery, just a gentle half-volley that Cummins drove without timing, Stokes stooping for a low catch
Woakes gets a Michelle, or does he, thick edge straight to Creepy, unfortunately he overstepped, just.
Woakes to Hazlewood, no run
Steered to slip, there’s his five!Scratch that! The players huddle around Woakes in celebration… only for the call to then come from the third umpire that he’s overstepped! Oh dear, what an anticlimax. You can’t do that do the Nicest Man in Cricket!
Wag wag gone! Woakes gets his five.
And finally, Woakes gets his Michelle, 5-32
Australia 317ao
…see what I did there. 
Duckett ducks out, thin edge straight to Carey
Eng 9-1
England 61-1 at lunch, trail by 256
Creepy 50 up
Head to Crawley, FOUR runs
Lobbed up from round the wicket, Crawley reverse-sweeps straight away - that’s his fifty! Cheers around the ground as he raises his bat, second time he’s got there in the series
101-1
Then next ball he slaps a huge 6