The Ashes | Bairstow, Stokes fume after Sydney crowd abuse English players

The Ashes | 4th Test, Day 3: Big challenge remains but Jonny Bairstow's heroics keep England in game

After a session of incisive fast bowling from Australia left them on the brink of another humiliation in the ongoing Ashes series, England made a fighting comeback into the fourth Test match on the back of a swashbuckling century by Jonny Bairstow and gutsy knocks from Mark Wood and Ben Stokes. A lot of work is still left to be done, but the trio ensured England were not handed a real thrashing and that one session was not enough for them to be obliterated entirely out of the game. The day began on an entirely predictable note with Mitchell Starc getting through the defence of Haseeb Hameed. The only difference was that the Australian pacer attack had to wait for some time to get their first wicket but as they broke through for the first time, the wonder boy from Melbourne, Scott Boland, ripped the heart out of England batting by the big wickets of Joe Root and Zak Crawley. England were staring at another “embarrassing” batting performance after Dawid Malan was outsmarted by Cameron Green, but an injured Ben Stokes and a resilient Jonny Bairstow had made up their mind to not go down without fighting. Stokes had hurt his side and could not bat freely with a side strain and hence he tried to up the ante whenever Australian pacers offered him deliveries at fuller or shorter lengths. He was severe against the off-spin of Nathan Lyon as well and it appeared he wanted to maximise his presence at the crease. However, a misjudgement in length cut short his ambitions of making match-turning contributions. Jos Buttler could not help himself and carried on with his batting woes that could spell the end of his association with the England Test side for a significant point of time either after this Test or the series. Meanwhile, Bairstow was smashed on his thumb by a rising delivery from Pat Cummins and it changed the dynamics and intent of the right-hander and he copied Stokes’ model of batting from that point. He switched on his One Day mode and dismissed Australia’s pacers from his presence with disdainful pull shots off the front foot. Both he and Mark Wood matched fire with fire against Australia’s barrage of short balls and carried England beyond the point of follow on. England are still 158 runs behind and they might still go on to lose the Test but the fighting spirit and bullishness with which Bairstow and Stokes batted exemplified what could have been England’s fate in the series if they wouldn’t have committed the cardinal sin of not playing at the field and staying in the moment while deciding their playing XI.

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The Ashes | Josh Hazlewood set to be ruled out of fifth and final Test

Australia's Josh Hazlewood has all but ruled out of the fifth and final Test of the ongoing Ashes series, the head coach Justin Langer. Hazlewood suffered side strain during the first Test of the series in Brisbane was deemed unfit first for the second Test and continued to sit out due to delayed recovery from injury. “Hopefully he’ll be up for the white-ball games. It’s been really tough on him,” Langer said end of the third day’s play of the fourth Test at the SCG. Australia had to bring Jhye Richardson for him in the second Test while Scott Boland has come on to establish himself as third seamer in the side behind Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. Langer expressed hoped that the pacer will be able to recover from injury and will make his way back to the side for the upcoming series against New Zealand towards the end of this month.

The Ashes | Scott Boland cleared of any damage after being sent for scans

Cricket Australia confirmed that it’s fast bowler Scott Boland who was sent for scans after a dramatic and devastating fall near the bowling crease after delivering a ball in the England first innings of the fourth Ashes Test going on at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Releasing an update on Boland, CA on its official Twitter handle said, “He has been cleared of any damage to his right side and is expected to return to the field shortly. He has bowled in the nets and is expected to be available to bowl this evening. Phew!” While he did return to the ground but did not take the field and couldn’t bowl any over. His last over was the final over before the tea. Earlier CA had informed that the 32-year-old was taken for scans at around 11:30 am Indian Standard Time. As for as the game is concerned, Boland was instrumental in making England uncomfortable and reeling at 36-4 after he picked the wickets of Zak Crawley and English skipper Joe Root in his first three overs of the spell only. From 36-1, England were reduced to 36-4 before Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes did the rescue work.