England v Australia: Ashes 2019 first Test, day four – live!

57th over: Australia 221-4 (Smith 97, Wade 6) Another no-ball from Stokes, another brace for Smith. I’m watching a million replays of Stokes’ foot from the last over, bear with me.

“Thanks to Gaurish Chawla for that thought-provoking email in the 45th over,” writes Timothy Sanders. “I can only plead for understanding that so many English folk can’t get their heads around the way the world is, and are desperately seeking a reference point to make sense of things. It’s like they’ve been eating with a fork their whole lives and someone’s given them a bowl of soup; or they’re Ian Bell trying to pick Shane Warne’s slider.”

56th over: Australia 218-4 (Smith 95, Wade 6) Another single flicked by Smith from Denly. Matthew Wade gets off the mark with a cover-driven four! Australia growing in confidence. He nearly drags onto his stumps off his arm with a sweep shot, before nailing another sweep for two between the fielders in the deep behind square.

The third umpire is Chris Gaffaney. Was he going by the old back-foot Law, where the foot could cut the line? The current Laws and the ICC conditions are very clear that the back foot cannot touch the return crease. Stokes was halfway over it.

55th over: Australia 211-4 (Smith 94, Wade 0) Smith facing stokes, and that is an absolute beauty of a shot. Sees some width, leans onto his back foot, opens the blade and punches through cover for four! Imperious. Degree of difficulty, off the charts. Demeanour, casual. Then a single to move within one big hit of twin centuries in this match. The lead: 122.

Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but on that replay Stokes bowled a back-foot no-ball to get Head out. His back foot cut the return crease in half, around the wicket to the left-hander. The third umpire looked at the front foot, but hasn’t noticed the back foot. Am I barking up the wrong tree?

54th over: Australia 206-4 (Smith 89, Wade 0) Smith is happy to spare Wade facing a leg-spinner out of the left-hander’s rough to start his day. Blocks out five balls of the over before dancing to the sixth and driving a run through midwicket.

53rd over: Australia 205-4 (Smith 88) Just a Smith single from the over before Head is chopped off by the last ball. England missed several tricks. Head looked hopeless against the full straight ball, but they kept bowling short outside off to him and he profited before his eventual undoing. Matthew Wade is in next.

Finally, the weight of numbers tells! Head plays that cut shot one too many times and Stokes gets his man. Thick top edge through to the keeper. Head has gambled and fallen, but Head has made an absolutely vital half century to take Australia to 115 in front!

52nd over: Australia 204-3 (Smith 87, Head 51) Denly carries on, and oh dear. Loses that good length he’s been working on, not once but twice bowling full tosses. Not once but twice, Smith flicks them for four. Denly starts landing balls in the rough and turning them large into Smith’s pads. Smith is happy to block from the crease, before skipping down to flick a single to keep the strike.

Peter Salmon splashes into my emails. “Sounds an obvious thing, but a friend pointed out to me recently that the thing about Smith is he either defends, leaves, or hits the ball into a gap. He never hits to a fielder. Move a fielder, he changes where he hits it. I’ve become obsessed watching for it, and it’s 99% true. I think that might be what is unique about him when we are trying to find what sets him apart. Doesn’t help anyone get him out of course.”

51st over: Australia 195-3 (Smith 78, Head 51) Smith keeps Smithing, all day long. Walks across his stumps, nudges a single to leg. Rinse, repeat. Head keeps Heading, all day long. Close to off stump, trying to scythe with an angled bat. Straight to point once again. It looks so dicey. Then he finally nails one, further behind point for four! Why must he bat in such terrifying style?

Still, as Homer said, “It means he gets results, you stupid chief!”

No, the other Homer.

50th over: Australia 190-3 (Smith 77, Head 47) Oh, now a missed stumping! Denly is bowling well, folks. He gets a ball to land in the rough and skid straight on past Head’s bat, and Head’s foot is dragged out of the crease trying to cover the line! But the ball is so zippy it cannons back off Bairstow’s pads rather than nestling into his gloves. Oof. Head gets off strike with a sweep. Smith steps across and nudges past short leg. The Australian lead is 100!

49th over: Australia 187-3 (Smith 75, Head 46) Another run for Australia as Stokes oversteps. Wides, beamers, England’s bowlers have been ragged this morning. And ragged with a short wide ball that Smith doesn’t even have to cut, he just holds his bat almost in its backlift and opens the face to guide the shot through gully for four. Just the one slip for Smith now, with a backward point, cover point, mid-off, mid-on, midwicket, deep square leg, backward square leg, and long leg. Smith gets width again and punches another boundary between the two points. Stokes loses his rag completely and bowls short a mile down leg. Gets away with it. That’s one way to avoid being smacked through the posh side. He bowls there again, not so short though, and it nearly works! Smith is nearly caught! He flicks it off his hip, and I think it was Jason Roy at backward square, diving away to his right, but the ball flies fine of him and down to the deep for one run.

Phew. Ten from the over, nearly the wicket.

48th over: Australia 177-3 (Smith 67, Head 46) Denly draws a false shot now! Smith moves back to the ball, trying to work it to the leg side, ends up squeezing it through his own legs and away behind square. The crowd gets very excited as Denly bowls to Head, who clobbers a sweep shot straight into the short leg catcher.

Speaking of Test Match Special, notwithstanding Gaurish’s email, I suppose this is the time of day when I ask someone to give me the overseas listening link so that I can give you the overseas listening link. It’s the circle of links.

“Morning Geoff,” chirps Grif. “When can we play our ‘open the box of banana balls’ card? Is it now? I hope it’s now.”

Banana balls? Sounds like an especially unpleasant ailment in the tropical theatres of World War II.

47th over: Australia 176-3 (Smith 66, Head 46) Stokes loses control completely, that was the reverse Harmison. Miles outside leg stump, and he’s lucky that Bairstow is nimble enough to collect the ball. It’s called wide, which is quite a feat in a Test match. Another ball too close to leg stump is glanced by Head for a couple, and that raises the century stand! Huge for Australia, the lead is now 86. And the pitch still looks decent to bat on now that they’ve settled in. That’s drinks.

46th over: Australia 173-3 (Smith 66, Head 44) Joe Denly on for some leggies. And they’re decent! Lands them nicely aside from a short one that he gets away with. Three singles and a bye.

45th over: Australia 169-3 (Smith 64, Head 43) A change for Broad at last, with Ben Stokes coming on. Mostly full and at the stumps, though there’s one wide trash ball that Head pelts straight to the field.

Interesting email from Gaurish Chawla. “Thank you for your lovely live blog, that I read with great interest and that unfolds like a great piece of non fiction memoir with cricket itself playing the protagonist. Often this is more enjoyable than the TV coverage of gambling companies interspersed with some cricket.

“I do time to time listen to the BBC radio commentary as well and am very much annoyed at the colonial references that keep being thrown around. Yesterday an email was read out that spoke about “sending someone back to the colonies”. As a man hailing from an ex-colony (now freed, even if still within the clutches of neocolonial structures), I am disturbed at the way my country of birth is spoken about.

“During the World Cup, there was a lot of asking why people of subcontinental origin raised in Britain still support subcontinental sides. For me, it’s the unexamined structural colonialism of cricket discourse. In my local pub the punters kept shouting ‘Come on Geoffrey! Do it for the Mother Country,’ whenever Jofra Archer was on screen, and I have rarely felt so upset and angry while watching cricket. Would they say the same for Jo Konta or Ben Stokes?”

44th over: Australia 169-3 (Smith 64, Head 43) That’s better from Head! He picks up that Moeen has overpitched, gets down the track in a flash to make it a proper full toss, and drives it straight down the ground for four! Not overhitting, along the carpet and controlled. Then as Moeen dials back the length, Head does get a ball to cut for a single.

43rd over: Australia 163-3 (Smith 63, Head 38) Still playing those cut shots at balls too close to his body, Travis Head. Another dicey miss against Broad as it beats the top edge. A brace through cover is the only scoring shot from the over.

“The bowling so far has shown we miss Jimmy not just for his wickets, but his ability to build pressure” writes Chris Davis. “We’ve not bowled badly this morning but there are too many balls that release the pressure.”

42nd over: Australia 161-3 (Smith 63, Head 36) The milking continues, and Smith goes up past his Test match average with 63. First he forces Moeen away through the off side, then drags him down to fine leg, then pushes a run to point.

41st over: Australia 155-3 (Smith 58, Head 35) Broad suddenly loses his line. Down leg side to Head, who plays a simple glance away for four. Then fuller on the same line, and Head goes through midwicket for another! See what I mean? He’s suddenly up to 35.

Here’s Brian Withington. “Much discussion on Sky this morning about how on earth you get Steve Smith out, and some brief allusion to the Bradman dilemma that faced DR Jardine and co back in the day. Looking at the CricViz analysis of Smith’s average by zone (sadly not available for The Don in 1932/3) it seems quite clear that the rule about fielders behind square on the leg side needs to revert to its 1932 laissez faire condition. And Jofra Archer cast as the Harold Larwood for our times? Can’t wait for the telegrams/tweets from Canberra to Downing Street…”

On my understanding of our twinned politics, PM Morrison will telegram “How good is Straya!” and PM Johnson will be taking to hospital after rolling up the paper slip and jamming it into his ear.

40th over: Australia 147-3 (Smith 58, Head 27) Moeen Ali to Travis Head, who is trying to be proactive and shift his weight in the crease, even when blocking or leaving. He still can’t help playing one Travis Head shot though, leaning back and trying to carve a ball that was too close and too fast, missing it entirely. Head always looks like he’s about to get out, but more often than not he has a stack of runs to his name by the time that happens. Don’t blink. Gets a single from the last ball.

39th over: Australia 146-3 (Smith 58, Head 26) Smith just keeps doing what Smith does: stepping across, nullifying the line of the ball, blocking it back, finding a single. But Broad is good enough, once in this over, to land it a fraction wider, get a fraction of movement, and beat the edge! Smith may not get out very often, but when he does get out he nicks off to slip like everyone else.

38th over: Australia 144-3 (Smith 57, Head 25) Travis Head is starting to settle, and they play Moeen in one-day middle-overs mould. Single, singles, four of them in total. Milk and bilk.

Robert Grey emails in, bravely. “I was in the Hollies yesterday and have now just landed in Stockholm (bringing the hangover with me). I fear the missing strike bowler in our attack is a fatal flaw in this Test. Let’s just please build some genuine pressure against Smith. How about posting the hives, tic-tic-boom to wrap this email up nicely?”

Rob, the hives are what I have after watching Rory Burns bat.

37th over: Australia 140-3 (Smith 55, Head 23) Broad is bowling really well to Smith, full around off stump, forcing defensive shots but with just a length just short enough to move the ball after pitching. Smith waits on a couple, and then, wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles, plays a false shot! What was trying to do there? He whipped his wrists through a relatively full ball, and I think he may have been trying to get that to the leg side? Instead it took a leading edge and went airborne through cover, into the gap between cover and mid-off! We can’t examine the shot more closely because the TV is content to show 83 replays of England players with their hands on their heads. Great content. The lead is 50.

Whoah, Jimmy Jimmy has instead become Woe Jimmy Jimmy. No surprises here, but he officially won’t bowl again in this match.

36th over: Australia 136-3 (Smith 51, Head 23) Right, Smith might have solved the Broad strike problem for now. Gets a single from Moeen fourth ball. The off-spinner then shreds one out of the left-hander’s rough to beat Head’s outside edge, then keep low through Bairstow’s legs for four byes. Nothing to see here, spinners. Nothing to see. Australia lead by 46 and Lyon might defend that, at this rate.

Kim Thonger emails in “In all the talk about finding a way to get Smith out, we’re forgetting the thorn in our side that is Peter Siddle. I’ve got a shiny 50p piece on him getting the Aussies up to a 200+ lead even if we bag Smith for not much early on.”

35th over: Australia 131-3 (Smith 50, Head 23) Broad to Smith, and he just wheels the bat around like hands on a clock face and effortless eases the ball behind point for his 50th run. His hundred in the first innings drew him level: 24 tons and 24 fifties. Now he’s on to 25 fifties, but could invert that if he converts it. Stats, hey?

The problem with that single is that it brings Head back on strike to Broad, which is a Bad Idea officially for Australia. Head responds to the doubters by playing a horrendous diagonal heave at a ball outside off, all bottom hand. That’s exactly how to play good seam bowling on an English deck, lad.

34th over: Australia 130-3 (Smith 49, Head 23) Moeen recovers from his carnival sideshow of a first over and lands quite nicely on the spot for his second. Spins one off a thick inside edge from Smith away into the leg side. England need Mo to do a job today.

32nd over: Australia 129-3 (Smith 48, Head 23) My oh my oh my… Moeen Ali begins proceedings and his first ball is a rancid grubber that pitches and scuttles no more than ankle high towards Smith who is alert enough to nurdle a single. After Head calmly rotates strike Ali then sends down a wild lobbed grenade that beats Smith at head height for an awful no-ball. Smith tried to swat it away but failed to connect. An eventful start to the day.

Australian TV is broadcasting a pre-recorded interview with Travis Head and the man who will start play in partnership with Steve Smith has said Australia are targeting a lead of 250-plus. The strategy is to see off the opening hour or so and then cash-in once the ball has softened.

How do you solve a problem like Steve Smith? Mark Taylor, on Australian TV, says bowl a fourth to fifth stump line and remain patient. Easier said than done of course.

Abhijato Sensarma has emailed in to ask if I would pick Bancroft for the next Test. Short answer: yes. If the Australian brains trust think he’s the right man for the opening Test then it would be harsh to hook him after just two knocks.

Clearly he can’t continue to score poorly but the solidity of his place also depends on the form of Marcus Harris, the only other opener among the tour party.

Morning Stuie. Hard not to think Smith is key to all of this. If he fails to last an hour you can see England racing away with things. If he’s entrenched after lunch the balance of power swings.

Should Australia set a chase of 200 I’d put them favourites. Anything under 150 it’s England’s to lose. Small margins.

Leanne Indaimo wins the prize for the first email of the day. “I noted with interest that yesterday one of the bloggers commented that he liked to think if he grew up in a non cricketing country that he would be a cricket fan,” she emails. “I am writing to say that this is possible. My son was born in England and since he was five grew up in Italy, a cricket desert. I can say that thanks to the brainwashing of his Aussie parents he is a huge fan of the game. Obsessive even. Despite his English birthplace he is of course a dinky die true blue Aussie supporter. He is now living back in England about to experience his first Ashes series on enemy soil. He has no idea what he is in for!!”.

Lovely stuff. Perhaps your son could now throw his allegiance behind Janjua Cricket Club Brescia in the new European Cricket League?

The Australian spin on things is provided by Geoff Lemon and yesterday he was as interested in the behaviour of Steve Smith in the field as he was at the crease.

The interesting thing about this is that Smith has not finished his punishment. His year-long ban from playing has ended, but not the second year’s ban from holding leadership positions in any Australia team. So it was equally interesting to see him in the slip cordon as Australia tried to take the last few English first-innings wickets, directing traffic in the field as smoothly as he ever did while captain.

Today’s global TMS link. For overseas listeners only. If you’re in the UK, grab their coverage in the usual BBC places. Here it is, with thanks to Peter Haining for sending it through.

In Anderson’s absence Stuart Broad has led the attack manfully. Barney Ronay has reminds us how the often maligned paceman raises his game to match the stakes.

Broad has loved these contests. Unlike Anderson, whose numbers take a dive against the Aussies, Broad’s game rises to meet England’s most consistently cussed opponents, particularly in the English summer.

Jimmy Anderson update:

The sight of a limping Anderson hobbling the winning run late on Monday evening would be something to behold.

Nobody seems to have any idea how to dislodge the most fidgety and idiosyncratic of batsmen but Chris Woakes is a man with a plan, possibly, as Ali Martin reports.

Much has been made of the hostility from English crowds towards Australia’s players in this series but Tim Adams has sketched a much more promising scene from the Edgbaston outer where pantomime villain Smith is winning over the home support.

The stages of Smith’s 144 runs were like a fast-forward primer in theories of the tribal language of crowds. Smith’s first 50 runs were greeted with solid animosity from the home crowd; his vivid century was first booed and then almost immediately applauded, often by the same people. Detractors had wavered and then become converts. By the time the Australian’s innings closed, as the evening sun was on the ground, most of the English crowd were quite happy to give him the rich ovation his brilliance and fortitude deserved.

If you want to remind yourself of the state of play then tuck into Vic Marks’ report from stumps on day three.

Yet again Steve Smith is the obstacle driving the English to distraction. While he is still at the crease nothing can be guaranteed. In front of another packed house here England made some solid progress: a first-innings lead of 90 and three early scalps when Australia batted again. But Smith, who reminded us on the first day how he can transform an innings, remained.

Weather: There’s already more than enough tension in this contest but if you wanted some more, how about the prospect of some inclement weather this afternoon? It’s currently fine and cool in the West Midlands but there is the strong risk of a rain-related interruption or two after lunch.