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

England are staring down the barrel of an Ashes series loss after another chastening day at Old Trafford that leaves them on the brink of defeat heading into the fifth and final day...

The Report

Pat Cummins took two wickets in two balls to leave Australia needing eight wickets to win the fourth Test and retain the Ashes following another remarkable knock from Steve Smith at Old Trafford, writes Sam Drury.

SCORECARD | AS IT HAPPENED

The world No 1 Test batsman made 82 before holing out off Jack Leach as the visitors declared on 186-6 to set Joe Root's side a victory target of 383.

Cummins then removed Rory Burns and Root in the first over as England's chances of saving the game plummeted in the closing stages of an eventful day in Manchester, with the hosts closing on 18-2.

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Stats of the Day

Moment of the Day

Joe Root bowled first ball by Pat Cummins, to the absolute perfect delivery, angling in, pitching in line and nipping away to just clip the top of off-stump.

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England's hopes of holding out for a draw to save the Test and take the series into a decider at The Oval next week surely rested with their skipper but, put in to face a tricky half-hour session before stumps, the hosts lost their two top-scorers from the first innings to consecutive deliveries.

Cummins first removed Rory Burns third ball to a leading edge, before cleaning up Root with the next. He's the world's No 1 Test bowler for a reason.

Talking Point

The same one that has dominated the series so far: how do you get Steve Smith out? After five innings, 671 runs, a 134.20 average, five scores of at least fifty, three of which hundreds, England are still very much none the wiser.

Even after a terrific hour and a half with the ball at the back end of the afternoon session, one which saw the hosts briefly fight their way back into the Test - reducing Australia to 44-4 in their second innings - Smith still could not be shifted.

Stuart Broad bowled another brilliant opening spell, while Jofra Archer was back to bowling at blistering pace but, bar the odd play and miss, Smith survived through to tea and then rocketed through the gears in the evening before perishing for 82, holing out in the deep off Jack Leach, in helping set up Australia's declaration.

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Tweets of the Day

What they said

David Gower on Root's dismissal: "Oh, my word, what a delivery that is! Pat Cummins and Australia absolutely at their best. We talk about it so often, players talk about it, coaches talk about it. It's the perfect delivery; aim for the top of off, hit the top of off, with just enough movement to beat the bat - the absolute ideal for any bowler, and a body blow to the whole England team."

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Nasser Hussain on England's afternoon fightback: "You see the character of a side when they're down, and that hour and a half [before tea], England showed that. They were done and dusted, out of the game, with only one result possible and they fought their way back in. Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad, in particular, were excellent."

Michael Holding on a legside plan to Smith: "Six men on the on-side bowling to Smith? You're only allowed nine fielders and if the line you'd be bowling is the top of off-stump, you'd have to have a slip and a third man, leaving you just one man to patrol the entire area from point to mid-off. He'd better be Usain Bolt to be able to cover that area, but also a marathon runner to have enough energy to do so. That's why I say ridiculous."

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