AUS Vs ENG, Ashes, Live Cricket Scores, 4th Test: Jonny Bairstow (84) Leads England (201/6) After Batting Collapse

England batters face a massive challenge on Day 3 of the fourth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground Friday. Buried under a huge pile of runs (AUS declared their first innings at 416 for eight), England, 13 for no loss at close on Day 2, have to bat with character to prevent Australia running away with this match again. Both England and Australia will pray that the rain stays away. Rain interruptions often impact the concentration of batters and Australia also don't want their chances of a series sweep being washed away. Follow here live cricket scores and updates of the fourth Test between AUS vs ENG.

(LIVE SCORECARD)

12:00 PM IST: England cross 200

A flurry of boundaries from Jonny Bairstow and Mark Woods helps England cross the 200-run mark. Bairstow, batting on 84, is inching towards his Test ton. England 201/6   

Finally the partnership has been broken. Nathan Lyon traps Ben Stokes to bring an end to the 128-run fifth-wicket stand between Stokes and Jonny Bairstow. England 164/5

10:50 AM IST: Stokes, Bairstow lift ENG

Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow have put on 99 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket to pull out England from a major top-order batting collapse. Stokes is batting on 52 while, Bairstow is unbeaten on 45. England 135/4    

9:31 AM IST: Ben-Jonny rebuilds ENG

Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow rebuild the sinking ship. The duo has so far put on 33 runs for the fifth wicket. England 69/4, trail by 347 runs.  

8:04 AM IST: England 4 down

Oh dear! England are four down in no time. Cameron Green joins the party as he has Dawid Malan, caught by Usman Khawaja at the leg slip.  Malan goes for 3 and England are 36/4. Lunch break has been called. 

7:54 AM IST: Root departs

More misery for England. The visitors have lost their captain Joe Root for a seven-ball duck, caught by Steve Smith at second slip, off Scott Boland. The whole SCG erupts in joy. England 36/3

7:40 AM IST: Boland strikes

England lose Zak Crawley for 18, clean bowled by Scott Boland. England 36/2, still 380 runs behind 

7:14 AM IST: Hammed out

Australia have their first wicket of the day. Haseeb Hameed is clean bowled by Mitchell Starc for six. Dawid Malan joins Zak Crawley in the middle.  England 22/1

7:10 AM IST: Delayed start

Like both the days, play on Day 3 was delayed by more than an hour due to heavy rains. The conditions are going to stay overcast for some time today.  

Family ðŸÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ’–#Ashes pic.twitter.com/kNQMZHkXl6

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 6, 2022

Usman Khawaja's ninth Test century put Australia in a commanding position. Playing his first Test since 2019 and only in the team because of Travis Head’s positive test for COVID-19, Khawaja made the most of the opportunity on Thursday. He first shared a century partnership with Steve Smith, who made 67, and anchored Australia’s innings with his 137 from 260 balls as England’s bowlers fought back with the second new ball.

Stuart Broad took 5 for 101, including the wickets of Steve Smith and Khawaja. It was the 19th five-wicket haul of Broad's career and went a long way to vindicating his return to the team after being omitted from the third Test at Melbourne that saw Australia humiliate England and retain the Ashes.