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

A brilliant Steve Smith double century and a disastrous day in the field for England. Here's the pick of the action from Old Trafford...

The Report

Steve Smith hit a brilliant double hundred as Australia seized control of the fourth Ashes Test with a dominant batting display on day two at Old Trafford, writes Sam Drury.

SCORECARD | AS IT HAPPENED

Having reached his 11th Ashes century just before lunch, Smith edged to slip on 118 but was gifted a second chance when replays showed that Jack Leach had overstepped.

It was the first no-ball of the left-arm spinner's international career and it proved a costly one as Smith went on to make his third Test match double ton - all three of them having come against England - before he eventually fell for 211 midway through the evening session.

Stats of the Day

Smith has scored the most Test runs this calendar year with 589 runs in four innings, surpassing Ben Stokes, who currently has 513 runs from 12 innings.

Moment of the Day

With runs leaking in the first five overs after lunch and with the new ball around the corner, Leach sent down a delicious delivery - tossed up and spinning away - tempting Smith into a drive that caught the edge and flew low into the hands of Stokes in the slips.

As the Australian batsman walked off, livid with having failed to push on after reaching his third century of the Ashes series, a dread washed over the England side and the spectators in Manchester as the third umpire checked on the front-foot no-ball.

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The delight for the hosts soon turned to groans, with replays showing no part of the spinner's foot was behind the line, earning Smith a reprieve, and the England side a volley from their captain - perhaps reminding his side how crucial it is to take the chances that fall to them. Smith went on to a score a further 93 runs before he was eventually dismissed for 211.

Talking point

How badly did the afternoon session hurt England's Ashes chances? Although Jofra Archer had been unable to pull off a challenging return catch during the morning when Smith was on 68 it was after lunch that the most significant damage was done.

Just four balls into the second session, a wide ball from Stuart Broad was driven by Tim Paine, on nine at the time, straight to the waiting hands of Jason Roy at second slip only for the England man to spill a simple take - the ball ricocheting off his right hand into his left wrist and then, agonisingly for the hosts, onto the turf.

A mere 27 balls later, Leach's no-ball saw a second life handed to Australia and the England captain responded by giving his team a full-volleyed pep talk following their sloppy start to the session.

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But, Root's words did not have the desired effect as Archer was denied a first wicket in the match when Paine, on 49 and desperate to bring up his first half-century in 11 Tests, pulled a short ball from outside off stump to substitute fielder Sam Curran at straight mid-wicket only for the all-rounder to put down another easy opportunity.

It was not only a potentially match-turning session, which saw Australia score 124 runs without losing a wicket as Smith continued to rack up the runs alongside his skipper Paine, but one that might have gone a long way to deciding the fate of the urn.

Tweets of the day

What they said...

Isa Guha: "He [Smith] missed the last Test with concussion and wanted to come back and show everyone exactly what he is capable of. This was a statement of intent.

"There was audacity about some of his shots through the covers; he doesn't miss out against the bad ball. There was a tricky period in the morning session against Jofra Archer when he wafted at a couple outside off-stump but that was it, really."

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Michael Atherton: "England had settled, really, for allowing Smith to get off strike by giving him that easy tuck into the legside - and then were happy to bowl at whoever was at the other end. That's fine but it's a pretty damning indictment when you get to that stage when you are bowling without feeling like you can get a man out. That's the brilliance of Steve Smith at the moment."

Shane Warne: "Smith's form is unbelievable. I don't think he's been quite at his best today but he's still played some fantastic shots. England have searched for different ways to get him out."

Watch day three of the fourth Ashes Test live on Sky Sports The Ashes and Sky Sports Main Event from 10am on Friday, September 6.

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