The contest seemed to be evenly balanced at Lunch on Day 4 at Edgbaston with only five sessions remaining in the match and the dangerous pair of Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow at the crease, but Australia have tilted the scales in their favour after the break by removing both set batters in quick succession while also managing to send Moeen Ali back.
A length ball from Pat Cummins that came in sharply off the seam trapped the England captain plumb while a flighted off-break from Nathan Lyon pitched in the line of middle stump and turned in from round the wicket to hit Bairstow on the pad as he missed the reverse-sweep. These are significant blows for the home team and Australia must be smelling blood. They would fancy chasing 250 odd on what is a largely docile surface.
Earlier, the hosts scored 127 runs in the extended morning session for the loss of three wickets – Joe Root, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook.
Josh Hazlewood gets his first wicket of the innings!
Moeen Ali goes, England eight down! ✖️ pic.twitter.com/GLIDPE1nMs
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 19, 2023
