The first Ashes Test is heading towards its conclusion after an exhilarating day four at Edgbaston.
From the very first ball, you dared not take your eyes off it as the game swung one way and then the other. Every time England looked set to take control, Australia hit back – and vice versa.
Set 281 to win, Australia closed on 107-3, needing another 174 runs to go 1-0 up in the five-match series. England need seven wickets.
Throughout this year’s Ashes, we will be giving you daily updates of the day’s play.
Here is your digest from day four of the first Test.
Image of the day – Root sets the tone
England started the day 28-2, leading by just 35. All cricketing logic would tell you that in that situation, it is about playing sensibly and trying to get through the first half hour.
Bazball doesn’t care for much traditional cricketing logic but even so, no-one could have expected to see Joe Root attempt to reverse ramp the very first ball of the day from Pat Cummins.
He missed and the ball whistled over the top of off stump as fans – and commentators – watched in shock at what they had just seen.
The intent was clear and Root was undeterred. He repeated the shot twice more in the next over to hit Scott Boland for a six and a four as England went after the shell-shocked Australia bowlers in the first hour.
Essential day four reading
Play of the day – Cummins class does for Pope
While Australia might have been dazed by England’s initial onslaught, there is no doubting the quality of their bowling attack and captain Cummins provided the perfect counter-punch.
Cummins hammered away on a good length to Ollie Pope for the first five balls of the over, holding his line around fourth stump, before the England number three was castled with an inch-perfect yorker.
The ball swung in to sneak under Pope’s bat and uproot the off stump. Fast bowling at its finest.
Stat of the day – Root stumped at last
Root’s highly entertaining innings came to an end when he skipped down the track to Nathan Lyon, the ball spun past his inside edge and Alex Carey whipped off the bails.
It was the former England captain’s 240th Test innings, his 220th dismissal but the first time he’s ever been stumped.
Not only that, prior to today, Root had never been stumped in any first-class match. That’s 348 innings and 1,150 overs of Test spin, plus presumably some overs of medium pace with the keeper standing up, without being stumped.
And finally…
We’re back on Root and his reverse ramp. Sorry, but it really was quite the moment.
Don’t believe me? Just look at the reaction in the Test Match Special commentary box!
Bazball is just too much sometimes…