Marnus Labuschagne picked off 111 runs on day four of the Old Trafford Test, but two numbers of greater significance are 173 and 270 — respectively, how many balls and minutes the insatiable first drop soaked up as Australia combatted England’s pursuit of victory.
Only 30 overs were completed on day four of the fourth Ashes Test, although it appeared far fewer would go ahead as rain bucketed down in Manchester throughout the morning.
When unbeaten duo Mitchell Marsh (31 runs) and Cameron Green (three) learned during the tea break that they wouldn’t have to front up in the middle again on day four, the Australians were 5-214 and trailing by 61.
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If Ben Stokes and his men are to salvage victory to square the series at 2-2, they will have to return to Old Trafford and clean up the remaining five Australian wickets, and possibly also erase a small deficit.
If Pat Cummins’ men hold on for a draw despite being comprehensively outplayed in Manchester, they will retain the Ashes urn.
Stubborn Australian batsmanship was critical after England, propelled by Zak Crawley’s 189 from 182 and Jonny Bairstow’s 99 from 81, piled up 592 all out and a lead of 275 to elevate the hosts to an unbeatable position.
Since the departures of Usman Khawaja (18 runs), David Warner (28), Steve Smith (17) and Travis Head (one), defiance in the middle has been even more crucial.
Until Australia’s second dig of the Old Trafford Test, Labuschagne had had an underwhelming series, having only mustered scores of zero, 13, 47, 30, 21, 33 and 51.
What followed on day four was his 11th Test century, his first since last December, his first overseas since last July and his first ever on English soil.
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His task became easier 58 overs into the innings, when the umpires told Stokes that he could no longer bowl his quicks because of poor light, visibly agitating the skipper.
Stuart Broad and James Anderson were replaced by Moeen Ali and Joe Root, and while Labuschagne and Marsh must have been delighted to be avoiding England’s champion seamers in cloudy and sticky conditions, the spinners troubled them.
Fourth Ashes Test, day four highlights
Root enticed Labuschagne’s outside edge on 93, but the ball rocketed over Crawley at first slip. The opener flung his left arm above his head but, realistically, had no chance of taking the catch.
The 29-year-old brought up his century when he danced onto his back foot, prodded a Moeen delivery into a vacant cover region and scurried through for a single.
Labuschagne eventually fell for 111 after trying to swat a Root delivery through the off side, only for the ball to smack into Bairstow’s gloves. Umpire Nitin Menon turned down a raucous England shout, but the hosts reviewed and UltraEdge showed a spike on the top edge of Labuschagne’s bat.
Fortune fell the way of Green on what turned out to be the final ball of the day, the young all-rounder making a mess of a regulation Moeen delivery as the ball squirted to a diving Root at first slip. Umpire Joel Wilson rejected another wholehearted England shout, before technology revealed no bat was involved and ruled out lbw.
A huge amount of rain will again pelt down on Old Trafford on day five.
What unfolds in the event of any cricket being played looms as a fascinating prospect.
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Great Ashes moments since 1990: The centuries, wicket hauls, deliveries, catches and rescue missions that highlight cricket’s longest rivalry
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