Labuschagne century gives Australia hope of survival

A fighting century by Marnus Labuschagne in a 103-run union with Mitchell Marsh shone brightly through the mire of a wretchedly rain-affected day but the Queenslander's dismissal shortly before play was abandoned has left Australia fighting to salvage the fourth Test.

Amid forecasts that varied between full-day wash-out and an uninterrupted afternoon, only 30 overs were possible in two-and-a-quarter hours between unrelenting drizzle during which Australia lifted their second innings total from 4-113 to 5-214, still 61 adrift of England's daunting first innings.

Labuschagne's knock represented a personal triumph as well as a vital hand for his team in a time of deep need, having endured a tough start to the campaign and then squandered a couple of starts before completing his first Ashes hundred on English turf.

Given the calamity of Friday evening when speedster Mark Wood wrought havoc to snare three top-order wickets, it also delivered a hefty shift in the Test's momentum that was in stark contrast to Manchester's stubbornly miserable weather, and may yet prove decisive for the Ashes.

With Australia needing only a draw to retain the urn, they resume tomorrow with Marsh unbeaten on 31 after more than two-and-a-half hours at the crease, alongside fellow Western Australian allrounder Cameron Green who survived a searching 15 balls before tea to remain three not out.

Marsh was again a study of solidity, albeit in an entirely different role to his belligerent run-a-ball hundred when Australia were in deep strife at Headingley a fortnight earlier and he is rapidly emerging as an indispensable part of Australia's Test set-up.

He and Labuschagne had found few problems against England's seamers in conditions that were expected to offer them every assistance, although the damp outfield meant they were unable to generate any discernible swing, conventional or reverse.

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But when the ball was replaced and thrown to Wood in the gathering gloom, it was deemed too dark for quicks to operate and England were forced to bowl spinners Moeen Ali and Joe Root with the latter looking the most threatening bowler of the day.

Labuschagne had looked to negate the former England skipper by launching a spirited counter-attack on his way to a near-flawless ton, but ultimately fell in pursuit of runs when a top-edged cut was parried by keeper Jonny Bairstow who completed the catch at second grab.

Despite being given not out on field, England were certain of Labuschagne's edge that was confirmed by third umpire Kumar Dharmasena and Australia's number three departed with some choice words from Bairstow ringing in his ears.

Labuschagne's disappointment was compounded by the proximity of tea barely 10 minutes away, which also proved to be stumps with Australia's hopes of a wicketless session thwarted in the dying stages.

The forecast for day five at Old Trafford is as grim as it had been for Saturday when the rain cleared for five hours before returning during the delayed tea break and putting paid to play at 6.30pm.

However, as the penultimate day proved, weather forecasts in the UK should only be employed as the most abstract of guides.

The steady rain that had soaked Manchester from around 10pm the previous evening eventually began to abate around noon and, at 12.41pm local time, the Old Trafford ground staff ventured out to assess the damage.

Covers were gently peeled back 15 minutes later, then refitted as flurries of drizzle dusted the venue before umpires Joel Wilson and Nitin Menon made an inspection at 2pm and gave the okay for play to begin at 2.45pm under thick cloud, a stiff southerly and floodlights.

Under the day's revised playing times, 59 overs were to be ideally be bowled with play continuing through until 7.30pm if Manchester's miserable summer allowed.

England somewhat surprisingly started with James Anderson, bowling with the breeze at his back from the end of the ground that doesn't carry his name, with their fastest bowler Wood pushing upwind from the Anderson End.

But after a solitary over, Anderson was taken from the attack and replaced by Chris Woakes who was unable to bowl at the outset having spent 11 minutes off the field the previous evening.

Australia's overnight pairing saw off four overs from yesterday's wrecker as well as three from first-innings destroyer Woakes and advanced the total past 150 in the process.

By that stage, Labuschagne had completed his second half-century of the Test but, unlike his first which he gave up immediately upon reaching the milestone, he pushed on as more clouds closed on.

When Stuart Broad took over from Wood at the Anderson End, he was given regular reminders by Bairstow to aim at the point on the pitch around 6.6m in front of the right-handers that was known to produce variable bounce.

It was the same spot that did for Root in England's innings when Josh Hazlewood got a delivery to shoot through barely shin height before it crashed into Root's stumps.

However, despite the brooding conditions and the nagging England attack, the pitch played few tricks and the outfield's lingering damp meant the ball steadfastly refused to swing.

That fact was clearly not lost on Broad who, after just one delivery of the 58th over, presented a successful case to umpire Nitin Menon the original model had become engorged with surface water and therefore out of shape and England were granted a replacement.

If the appearance of a bone dry ball of unknown properties caused angst for Australia's batters, it also raised the hackles of England skipper Ben Stokes when Labuschagne demanded to inspect it prior to Anderson resuming his over, a courtesy Stokes was not given to granting.

The moment also heralded a brief return of the drizzle, but greater controversy ensued next over when the arrival of the substitute ball brought a proposed change in bowling, with Stokes tossing it to Wood who bounded to the top of his lengthy run-up.

But the sight of England's fastest bowler disappearing into the gloom at the Anderson End prompted a meeting between the umpires who then advised Stokes ambient conditions were too dark for fast bowlers and it was either deploy the spinners or depart the field.

Presented with that unpalatable choice, Stokes opted for the only viable option and the game continued with Moeen and Root operating in tandem.

The unplanned alteration in tactics brought a shift in approach from Labuschagne who skipped down to deposit the first ball of Root's opening over into the crowd at wide long-on, then did the same to the first of his next.

But the first indication Root may indeed prove more problematic than his pace-bowling counterparts came next ball when he slid a faster out-swinger that took Labuschagne by surprise but the resultant edge whizzed at head height through the hands of Zak Crawley at slip.

That boundary carried Labuschagne to 97, and he posted his 11th Test century – and second outside Australia – in the next over from Moeen as the deficit dropped to 77.

Soon after, he and Marsh celebrated their 100-run stand for the fifth-wicket with a brief bump of the gloves and a resolve to push on until their team was in surplus.

But that dream was dashed two runs later when Labuschagne's attempt to use Root's part-time spin as the vehicle to whittle away the margin at speed, thereby leaving Australia delicately poised and the match once again at the mercy of Manchester's murk.

2023 Qantas Ashes Tour of the UK

First Test: Australia won by two wickets

Second Test: Australia won by 43 runs

Third Test: England won by three wickets

Fourth Test: Wednesday July 19-Sunday July 23, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: Thursday July 27-Monday 31, The Oval

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood