Australia were rather cautious in the first hour of play, scoring only 21 runs for the loss of nightwatchman Scott Boland. Travis Head had got a start, moving to 16 off 24 balls before Moeen Ali, bowling with a bruised finger, nabbed the southpaw after the drinks break. The pitch has played slow and is not too conducive for big strokes, but there isn’t much threat from the ball either.
Australia ended the fourth day on 107/3, needing 174 runs to win the Ashes opener at Edgbaston after England managed 273 in their second innings, leaving the visitors with four sessions to chase down the total. Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins returned four wickets each.
The visitors lost David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne in quick succession in pursuit of 281 after a 61-run opening partnership between Usman Khawaja and Warner set the tone of the chase. England’s hopes of defending the total were then buoyed when Stuart Broad induced an edge from Steve Smith.