Jonny Bairstow century highlights ‘Pink’ Day 3 of 4th Ashes Test

A courageous century by Jonny Bairstow and a half-century for Ben Stokes helped England claw its manner again to 258-7 after a horrible begin to the third day of the fourth Ashes Test Friday on the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Bairstow scored the vacationers’ first century in its seventh innings this collection to headline a day the place England had slumped to 36-4 by lunch earlier than its center order counterattacked to assist England get again into the match on one other rain-affected day on the SCG.
In clear ache after being struck on the thumb by a Pat Cummins supply and with companions operating out, Bairstow started attacking at almost each ball and introduced up a deserved century from 138 balls with 12 boundaries and three sixes moments earlier than stumps by slashing a Cummins supply for 4.

Bairstow celebrated his seventh Test century by operating midway in direction of the England group dressing room with arms aloft, the place his teammates had gathered to acknowledge an important innings within the context of the match which had earlier appeared to be slipping away.
At stumps, Bairstow was 103 not out and Jack Leach was on 4, with England trailing Australia by 158 runs.
Earlier, Ben Stokes made a usually swashbuckling 66 of 91 balls, together with 9 fours and a towering six over cowl, as a part of a 128-run partnership with Bairstow which steadied England’s innings after its early collapse.
Nathan Lyon ultimately ended the 128-run partnership by trapping Stokes lbw with a ball that stored decrease than the allrounder anticipated.

With solely two balls remaining within the day, Jonny Bairstow brings up a memorable century! #Ashes | @VodafoneAU pic.twitter.com/o1tHcTIDQ1
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 7, 2022
He was maybe lucky to get that far having earlier than tea survived a pointy missed caught-and-bowled likelihood off Pat Cummins after which efficiently reviewing an on-field lbw out’ resolution the place the ball had in actual fact missed the pad and flicked the off stump however not dislodged the bail.
Shortly after elevating his half-century off 80 balls, Bairstow was struck by a ball from Cummins that reared up off the pitch and struck the batsman on the thumb. Bairstow acquired remedy on the bottom for a number of minutes earlier than resuming his innings, however was visibly in discomfort holding the bat.
Jos Buttler turned the second duck off the innings chipping to Khawaja at cowl off Cummins (2-68) to scale back England to 173-6 and in peril of not avoiding the follow-on goal of 218.

But Bairstow and Mark Wood mixed for an unbroken 72-run partnership to scale back the guests nerves earlier than Cummins ultimately had Wood caught by Lyon for 39 off 41 balls going for one massive shot too many.
Before lunch, England’s batting frailties once more have been uncovered by Australia’s tempo assault after it resumed at 13 with out loss in a rain delayed session.
Haseeb Hameed was dropped on two by wicketkeeper Alex Carey in Mitchell Starc’s second over, however the reprieve solely price 4 runs as Starc (1-49) bowled the opener for six in his subsequent over.
Zak Crawley, who survived being caught off a no-ball from Starc late on day two, took a blow on the hand by the left-arm fast earlier than Boland discovered a manner by means of his defences and hit the highest of off-stump when on 18.Scott Boland (2-25) then had Root caught at slip for a duck in his subsequent over with the England skipper once more taking part in away from his physique and edging behind to Steve Smith at second slip.
England’s Jonny Bairstow has an damage to his thumb attended to throughout the third day of their Ashes cricket take a look at match towards Australia in Sydney, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Dawid Malan (3) was dismissed within the over earlier than lunch, caught by Usman Khawaja at slip off Green’s bowling, leaving England in tatters on the break.
Boland was taken for a precautionary scan tumbling in his comply with by means of with the ultimate ball earlier than tea. Australia group administration later mentioned the 32-year-old, who made a sensational debut in Melbourne to assist Australia retain the Ashes, had been cleared of any injury” and later returned to the match.
The inclement climate early Friday didn’t dampen the ‘Pink Test’ fundraising efforts of the McGrath Foundation, chaired by former Test paceman Glenn McGrath, which for the previous 14 years has been a function on day three of the Sydney Test.
Most of the 28,415 crowd wore pink clothes and one of many stands on the Sydney Cricket Ground was lined in pink bunting to rejoice the charity’s work.