MANCHESTER: Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith held firm after England’s Stuart Broad closed in on 600 Test wickets in the fourth Ashes Test on Wednesday.
Australia were 107-2 at lunch on the opening day at Old Trafford after being sent into bat by England captain Ben Stokes, with Labuschagne 29 not out and Smith 33 not out.
Earlier, Broad removed Usman Khawaja to take his career tally to 599 Test wickets on an initially overcast morning that promised to assist England’s quick bowlers.
But in a match England must win, at 2-1 down with two Tests to play, to maintain their hopes of regaining the Ashes, they would have wanted more than two wickets in the session.
Anderson recalled by England for fourth Ashes Test
History is against England. No side has won an Old Trafford Test after winning the toss and bowling.
Broad was aiming to heap further misery on David Warner, having already dismissed the Australia opener 17 times in Tests – including twice for a total of just five runs in England’s three-wicket win in the third Test at Headingley.
But, off the first ball of this match, Warner thrashed a wide delivery from Broad for four.
Broad, however, moved to 599 Test wickets when he had Khawaja, Australia’s other opener, lbw for three to leave the tourists 15-1.
James Anderson, England’s most successful Test bowler of all time, probed away from the end named after him on his Lancashire home ground after being recalled in place of Ollie Robinson in the only change to the hosts’ line-up.
Chris Woakes struck next to end a second-wicket stand of 46 following a long delay after the batsmen complained about the glare coming off the seats behind the bowler’s arm at the Anderson End.
Warner had made an assured 32 when he drove at Woakes outside off stump and edged to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.
The next delivery saw Smith top-edge a pull off Woakes that just cleared Mark Wood at fine leg before going for four.
Smith was increasingly assured and shortly before lunch he lofted off-spinner Moeen Ali for a straight six.
England have won 13 of their last 16 Tests at Old Trafford, losing just once.
But that defeat was against Australia four years ago when Smith made a double century and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, recalled for this match, took six wickets in a 185-run win for the tourists.
Not since Ian Botham hit a celebrated hundred in 1981 have England enjoyed an Ashes win at the Manchester ground.
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