England vs Australia: Day one of fourth Ashes Test in a nutshell

Crisps stop drama, batting without bails and Steve Smith seeing it like a beach ball. Here’s the selection of the action in Old Trafford…
An Australia recovery was led by steve Smith to the side following concussion on a rain-hit and windy day among the fourth Ashes Test against England at Old Trafford.
SCORECARD | AS IT HAPPENED
Stuart Broad dismissed David Warner (0) for the fifth time in seven innings and removed his opening partner Marcus Harris (13) since Australia tumbled to 28-2 after opting to bat in cold Manchester.
But Smith (60no) – rear after missing England’s Ben Stokes-inspired, series-levelling triumph in the next Test at Headingley – obtained his runs tally for the show to 438 in an average of 146 as the tourists closed a day by which only 44 overs were bowled on 170-3.
No further evidence that it was being seen by Smith like a beach ball was required following the batsman lightly swatted an inflatable for four through the leg-side. It was an odd sight but the shot with which he attained a record eighth consecutive Ashes fifty at a row has been all the more astonishing.
Smith, in the words of Ian Botham, had to dive to achieve a complete, wide delivery that was meters off stump but held his upper body shape well enough to drill it for four on the driveway – falling on his rear knee in the process.
“He seemed like a drunk,” observed David Gower,”however he middled it.” Proving, in the procedure, that so long as you keep your eye that your stance is of secondary significance.
The shot came in a crazy afternoon session where Australia batted with no bails on the stumps – once they were repeatedly blown off by the end, the umpires removing the bails. It took some 25 minutes to fourth umpire Rob Bailey to obtain some bails – or rather the initial bails with a few screws drilled to the end of them.
Further interruptions were brought by the wind as crap – mostly crisp packets – brought drama to a stop . Judging by the face of Stuart Broad, his nerves were got on by the waits.
Did England miss a trick? The build-up into the Evaluation has been dominated by the possible competition between Jofra Archer and Smith but, to the surprise of lots of our pundits, the paceman didn’t appear to flex his back and go all out when the returning batsman came at 28-2 – the speed gun consistently registering in the minimal 80mph bracket. What is more, Archer bowled only seven balls at the guy he knocked over at Lord’s, forcing him to miss the next Test at Headingley.
“It is maybe the first time that Joe Root needs to be a little bit hard with Archer,” said Nasser Hussain, requiring a few difficult love, before acknowledging that conditions were tricky. “I know you are cold, I understand you are stiff, it has been a long summer, but turn it up!’ Make out to him that this is definitely the most important spell.”
Nas continued:”Smith would have spent the previous two weeks thinking about this comeback against Archer, that has peppered him. I fully understand he was drained at that time Smith came and so you just take him out of the assault to give him a second burst before supper, but that burst never came.”
Ricky Ponting:”For me, England have appeared flat. But I don’t want to discount how difficult those states have been for filming. Is exactly how windy it has been – and also a stop, start sort of affair. But there was not that fire which we would usually expect to see, even coming quite a long break from Leeds to here.”
Michael Holding:”Smith was allowed to venture out there now and pretty much settle in and by the time Archer got straight back into the attack, Smith was pretty much depended. Hit you can work out what is going on in their thoughts If folks get. It was strange because Archer hadn’t bowled his five overs at intense pace.”
David Lloyd:”Where is Warne sat?” Since the umpteenth empty packet interrupts the day session.
See day two of the fourth Ashes Test reside on Sky Sports The Ashes and Sky Sports Main Event September 5, from 10am on Thursday.
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