England’s bid to regain the Ashes is over as a drawn fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford meant Australia kept hold of their 2-1 lead and the urn.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the reasons why England came up short in their bid to claim the urn for the first time since 2015.

Leach ruled out

Trusted spinner Jack Leach has had terrible luck with injuries and illness in his career but a stress fracture in his lower back a couple of weeks before the series began was a particularly cruel blow. Up until that point, Leach had been an ever-present in the ‘Bazball’ era, taking three five-fors and a 10-wicket match haul in 13 Tests, emboldened by Ben Stokes’ more attacking leadership. Leach being ruled out – and a dearth of county spinners – meant England had to hastily revisit their plans for Australia.

Declaration on the opening day

England had Edgbaston rocking and Australia on the ropes, with Joe Root starting to unleash his full repertoire after reaching his century, but Stokes wanted a crack at the opposition before stumps. He called Root and Ollie Robinson in with England on 393 for eight, coughing up the chance of going well past 400 for four overs at David Warner and Usman Khawaja, both of whom survived until stumps. Even though England eked out a slender first-innings lead, the tense climax that later unfolded meant England really could have done with the extra runs to put Australia under the pump.

Dropped catches

Fielding has been England’s weak link, with questions over Jonny Bairstow’s return as wicketkeeper just 10 months after a horrific broken leg increasing with every missed chance – eight in total. In Birmingham, his fluffed stumping of Cameron Green and drop of Alex Carey cost England 78 runs, although the hosts were profligate in general. Root and Stokes were unable to hold on to tough chances off Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon respectively, the fine margins that proved the difference in Australia’s win.

Moeen’s finger

Leach’s absence led to Stokes sending out an SOS to the more mercurial Moeen Ali, who reversed his Test retirement. He has returned just six wickets at an average of 64.5 and been outshone by part-timer Joe Root at times. This was evident in the opener in Moeen’s first Test in nearly two years, where the increased workload caused a blister on his spinning finger that then burst, impinging his ability to land the ball in the right areas. He was unreliable in Australia’s run-chase, sending down 14 overs, one fewer than Root, who was much more dangerous only for Cummins and Lyon to get Australia home.

Happy hookers

At 188 for one in response to Australia’s 416 at Lord’s, England were cruising. Australia turned to a bouncer barrage in desperation on an unhelpful pitch and the hosts obliged. First Ollie Pope, then Ben Duckett – two short of a first Ashes century – and linchpin Joe Root all flapped uncertainly as England lurched to 222 for four. Harry Brook later fell into the trap as England coughed up a big first-innings lead, with suggestions – rejected by the dressing room – they had taken an attacking approach too far.

Carey outsmarts Bairstow

The stumping heard around the world. Bairstow ducked a bouncer from Green then, believing the ball to be dead, immediately strode down the wicket after scratching his back foot in his crease. However, Carey gathered the ball and immediately threw the poles down. Cummins upheld the appeal and while the incident awoke the beast inside Stokes, the Yorkshireman’s perfectly legal dismissal left the England captain with just bowlers for company as they fell short in the chase. The issue mushroomed to the extent that the Prime Ministers of both countries had their say over the ‘spirit of cricket’.

Rain

Defeats at Edgbaston and Lord’s meant England needed to be note-perfect – and have a little fortune – to regain the urn. They rebounded at Headingley and were totally dominant at Old Trafford, bagging a 275-run first-innings lead to leave Australia shell-shocked. The writing looked to be on the wall when they slid to 113 for four at the end of day three but there was just a 30-over window over the weekend – with a Sunday washout – because of atrocious weather in Manchester. The idea that England should have declared earlier to give themselves more time to bowl out their opponents was arguably voided by them taking just one more scalp as Australia closed to within 61 with five wickets left.

England’s hopes of setting up a winner-takes-all Ashes decider were wiped out by the Manchester weather, with a fifth day washout in the fourth Test handing the urn to Australia.

The most pessimistic forecasts came to pass at Emirates Old Trafford as relentless rain meant the players never made it to the middle, salvaging a draw for the tourists and rendering their 2-1 series lead unassailable.

England arrived 61 ahead and needing five wickets to get over the line but left without a ball being bowled.

They have all but eliminated the concept of the draw since captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum ushered in the ‘Bazball’ era more than a year ago, but – for the first time in 17 games at the helm – conditions finally left them with no cards to play.

After weeks of blockbuster entertainment in the closest, most exciting Ashes contest since 2005, a shootout for glory at the Kia Oval next week was on the cards if there had been enough time for England to convert their dominance.

Instead, dreams of a stirring comeback to beat their rivals for the first time since 2015 were swept away, leaving the holders to retain in circumstances that will surely ring hollow.

Australia made it clear they were more than happy to finish the job in the pavilion rather than out on the pitch, but any post-match celebrations may be slightly muted after this narrow escape.

There is still plenty to play for, with Australia bidding to claim a first outright win on English soil in 22 years while their opponents are seeking to square the ledger at 2-2 and preserve an undefeated streak under Stokes’ leadership. But a home win being taken off the table by the elements is the definition of a damp squib.

England had made all the running here, piling up a 275-run first-innings advantage and taking five of the 10 wickets they needed to finish the job before the skies turned against them.

Five of the last six sessions were lost without a ball bowled, leaving a 30-over window on Saturday afternoon as the only play possible on the wettest of weekends. England will be cursing their misfortune and have now lost the chance to be become just the second team in Ashes history to win from 2-0 down.

The momentum of the series swung when captain Ben Stokes embarked on a six-hitting rampage in the fourth innings at Lord’s, apparently sparked into life by Alex Carey’s controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow, and, although his magnificent century was not enough to save that game, it set things on a new path.

England took the third Test at Headingley in relatively comfortably fashion – the first of three must-win games – and spent the first three days on the other side of the Pennines establishing an even more dominant position.

Zak Crawley’s outrageous 189 and an unbeaten 99 from Bairstow saw them pile up 592, their highest total against Australia in a dozen years, and an three-wicket blast from Mark Wood tightened their grip on the third evening as Australia stumbled to 113 for four.

That was as good as it got for the hosts, with Marnus Labuschagne making 111 and Mitch Marsh batting through what became the final session of the match to keep Australian heads above water.

The sides will reconvene in south London on Thursday for the final chapter in a memorable tour.

England’s bid to push for a series-levelling victory in the fourth Ashes Test was disrupted by the Manchester rain, which wiped out the first session at Emirates Old Trafford.

Only 30 overs were possible on Saturday, where Australia advanced from 113 for four to 214 for five and although they are still 61 runs in arrears, they could be bailed out by the elements.

After persistent overnight showers left a saturated outfield, a planned pitch inspection at the scheduled start time of 11am on the final day never materialised because of a brief band of rain.

Another examination of the playing field took place at 12.15pm and, with an early lunch being taken five minutes later, there was hope of getting on as a start time of 1pm was announced.

However, as England’s players began warming up, the heavens opened once more, forcing them back indoors as the covers were hastily brought back on – seemingly the beginning of another frustrating delay.

England have to make all of the running if there is any play, with Australia content to settle for a draw that would retain a 2-1 lead and the urn to boot, snatching away the possibility of a Kia Oval winner-takes-all decider next week.

England were crowned Women’s World Cup winners for a fourth time on this day in 2017 after they beat India by nine runs in a thrilling final at Lord’s.

Nat Sciver-Brunt’s half-century helped the hosts post 228 for seven from their 50 overs in front of a bumper crowd at the home of cricket.

Opener Punam Raut looked set to lead India home as they reached 191 for three, but Anya Shrubsole dismissed her 14 runs short of a century and went on to finish with figures of six for 46 to bowl England to victory.

The final had been a repeat of the second match of the tournament, which India won by 35 runs, but Heather Knight’s team went on to win their remaining six group fixtures to top the standings and progress into the last four of the competition.

It set up a semi-final meeting with South Africa and England chased down 219 thanks a run-a-ball 27 not out from Jenny Gunn.

Knight won the toss and decided to bat first in the final, with Lauren Winfield-Hill (24) and Tammy Beaumont (23) helping England make a strong start before Sarah Taylor joined forces with Sciver-Brunt in a vital 83-run partnership for the third wicket.

Taylor was dismissed for 45 and Sciver-Brunt went for 51, but Katherine Sciver-Brunt smashed 34 down the order alongside Gunn’s important unbeaten 25 to set India 229 for victory.

India opener Raut and Harmanpreet Kaur, who was out for 51, moved their nation into a position of strength, but Shrubsole sparked a dramatic finale with a sensational spell of bowling.

Raunt was pinned in front lbw for 86 to leave India on 191 for four with 38 more runs required from 43 balls.

The pressure proved too much with Shrubsole dismissing Veda Krishnamurthy, Jhulan Goswami, Deepti Sharma and finally Rajeshwari Gayakwad to earn England home success in the 11th World Cup.

England face a battle with the elements as they try to force victory in the fourth Ashes Test and keep their hopes of a series win alive.

Only 30 overs were possible on Saturday, with plenty more rain forecast on what could be a frustrating final day at Emirates Old Trafford.

Australia are more than happy to settle for a draw that would see them retain their 2-1 lead and the urn, meaning England will be forced to make the running in whatever windows of play are possible.

They have already been frustrated by a 103-run stand between centurion Marnus Labuschagne and Mitch Marsh, but saw their prospects rise when Joe Root had the former caught behind.

There is little margin for error after their 275-run first-innings lead was whittled down to 61 by the tourists, who will resume on 214 for five.

View from the dressing room

Labuschagne scoffed at the very notion that Australia might make a bold bid for a win of their own on day five, making it clear England could expect nothing but resistance.

Tweet of the day

Leading meteorologist Simon King predicted no play at all over the weekend but is hoping to be proved wrong for the second day in a row.

England see the light

Midway through Saturday’s play, match officials Joel Wilson and Nitin Menon informed England captain Ben Stokes that the light had deteriorated to such an extent that he could no longer use his fast bowlers. That meant spin from both ends, with an out-of-sorts Moeen Ali backed up by Root. England were frustrated with the decision and will be hoping to use their full attack in any victory push, particularly the raw pace of Mark Wood. Wilson was also lampooned for wearing sunglasses at the same time that he was adjudicating on the quality of the light and may be advised against a repeat performance.

All eyes on Anderson

Things have yet to click for England’s record wicket-taker this summer, with just four wickets at 76.75. He has been pushed to the periphery at key stages and while the 40-year-old would love to be the man to drive the team onwards on his final Ashes appearance at his home ground, he may have to wait his turn. The Lancashire faithful will be with him all the way, but Anderson needs to find his missing X factor in a hurry to give them the show they want.

Cashback for the crowd

After a thrilling series of daily entertainment, Saturday’s ticket holders were forced to watch the weather wipe out two full sessions. Supporters were treated to just 30 overs of action in the middle, but their disappointment was mitigated by the news they would receive a 50 per cent refund. Just one more delivery would have taken them beyond the cut-off point. For once, England’s slack over-rate offered something for fans to feel good about.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite hit his 29^th Test half-century as the West Indies ended the third day of the second Test against India on 229-5 after 108 overs, trailing by 209 runs at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

The West Indies began the day 86-1 and Brathwaite and his overnight partner, debutant Kirk McKenzie, added a further 31 runs before McKenzie became the first man to fall on day three for a well-made 32 off 57 balls.

Vice-captain, Jermaine Blackwood, then joined the skipper out in the middle and the pair added a further 40 runs to the total before Brathwaite was brilliantly bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin for a top-score of 75 from 235 balls including five fours and a six.

Just after tea, Blackwood became Ravindra Jadeja’s second victim of the innings when he was caught brilliantly by Ajinkya Rahane at first slip for 20 with the score on 178.

Joshua Da Silva was next to go when his middle stump was uprooted by Mohammed Siraj for 10.

Alick Athanaze (37), and Jason Holder (11) were the batsmen at the crease at stumps.

Scores: India 438 off 128 overs (Virat Kohli 121, Rohit Sharma 80, Ravindra Jadeja 61, Yashasvi Jaiswal 57, Ravichandran Ashwin 56, Jomel Warrican 3-89, Kemar Roach 3-104, Jason Holder 2-57) West Indies 229-5 off 108 overs (Kraigg Brathwaite 75, Alick Athanaze 37*, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 33, Kirk McKenzie 32, Ravindra Jadeja 2-37)

Marcus Trescothick praised Joe Root’s “golden arm” for moving England one step closer to victory in the fourth Test, but admitted their Ashes hopes are at the mercy of the Manchester weather.

England dominated the first three days at Emirates Old Trafford but saw their attempts to level the series 2-2 dented on Saturday, with 60 overs lost to rain.

Plenty more was predicted on day five, meaning time was likely to be tight as they make a final push for the line with Australia 61 behind on 214 for five.

England managed just one wicket in the solitary session on day four, with Root’s part-time spin prising out Marnus Labuschagne for 111 after the pace bowlers were withdrawn due to bad light.

It was a crucial moment, ending a century stand with Mitch Marsh (31no) and giving the hardy crowd something to celebrate after a day of disappointment.

“Joe’s a little bit of a golden arm, isn’t he? He just finds a way,” said Trescothick.

“He just has that ability to come in with a little spell now and again and just pick up one or two wickets. He has a good knack of doing that. He bowls the odd delivery that really surprises people.

“It’s a big, big player out of the way and it’s one less person that we have to knock over, which is important.”

With England chasing the game, there is no dodging the dire weather that threatens to rob a memorable series of a fitting decider at the Oval next week. And Australia have made it clear they will not entertain the idea of setting up a positive result on day five.

Labuschagne appeared baffled by the mere suggestion that his side could push for a lead and try to take all 10 wickets, with his eyes firmly on the prize of retaining the urn.

“No chance, zero,” he said of his side’s ambitions to win the match.

“I think we’re just going to let it pay out, get bowled out when we do. I don’t think we’re going to give England a sniff…that’s exactly what they’d like.”

Trescothick was part of the 2005 Ashes Test at the same ground which went all the way to the final ball of the game as Australia finished nine down to salvage a draw and would be happy to go the distance again.

“Of course we are, we’d wait till 12 o’clock tomorrow night if we could,” he said.

“But we can’t control what we turn up to. If we get a full day’s play I think we’d be very confident in what we can try and do and push for a result.

“We’re looking at everything, as you can imagine. Everyone’s got a different (weather app) on their phones, lots of different ones on computers knocking around and unfortunately, they’re all pretty much saying the same thing at the moment: rain.

“We’ll wait and see. Any opportunity that we can get out in the middle tomorrow we will be grabbing with both hands.”

England’s prospects of levelling the Ashes were just about alive after Joe Root claimed the only wicket of a rain-ruined fourth day at Emirates Old Trafford.

Just 30 overs were possible during a gloomy afternoon, with the morning and evening sessions wiped out by the weather, as Australia finished 61 runs behind on 214 for five.

With the forecast dreadful again for the fifth and final day, England badly needed to make inroads but hit a brick wall as Marnus Labuschagne converted his overnight 44 into a vital 111.

Labuschagne has had a lean series by his own high standards but stepped up for his side to nudge them closer to the draw that would guarantee the urn joins them on the flight back to Australia.

At 2-1 down England need to find a way through the showers to square the ledger and force a decider at the Oval next week.

Labuschagne shared a 103-run stand with Mitch Marsh as the duo threatened to shut the door completely.

Indeed, had he finished not out things would have been even more precarious, but Root made the most of an unexpected role with the ball to land an important blow.

England were only using their part-time spinner due to bad light, with the umpires deciding that the visibility had deteriorated too much for the seamers to operate, but his unpredictable style added a new threat to an attack that had fallen flat in tricky conditions.

England’s pace unit had already been neutralised by the damp outfield, which softened up the ball and wrecked their chances of getting it to swing.

With first-choice spinner Moeen Ali looking out-of-sorts as he struggled to find any rhythm, Root took it upon himself to press the issue.

He served up a variety of different deliveries, getting some to kick and holding others back to gain drift.

He almost had Labuschagne on 93 when he sent one down seam up and shaped it away, but a thick edge sailed hard and fast past Zak Crawley at slip.

Labuschagne landed blows of his own, launching Root for two sixes over wide long-on, and made his way to three figures for just the second time on foreign soil and the 11th overall.

There were just four overs left when Labuschagne stepped back in his crease and shaped to cut Root on a tight line around off stump.

Jonny Bairstow did well to hold the edge, parrying it up initially but gathering safely, with the batter’s unsuccessful call for DRS earning him an extra send-off from a crowd who had waited all day for something to celebrate.

He left Marsh to carry on the fight with 31 from 107 deliveries, a watchful knock that saw him shelve his natural attacking instincts.

Root mustered a half-chance against the all-rounder late on, but Harry Brook was unable to grab a fiercely tricky one-handed catch at short-leg.

With Cameron Green joining Marsh at the crease, Australia will feel they have enough to withstand whatever England can throw at them on day five and perhaps creep into a lead of their own.

England’s seamers had a tough time of it, with the quartet of James Anderson, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood and Stuart Broad labouring without luck before being withdrawn by the officials.

With no real demons in the pitch, precious little sign of low bounce and a ball that died a little every time it was stroked into the wet grass, it took Wood’s pace to conjure anything out of the ordinary.

He cranked it up to 93mph in a bid to take conditions out of the equation, but the closest he came to making it tell was a nasty blow to Labuschagne’s finger.

Joe Root kept England’s hopes of a series-levelling win alive in the fourth Ashes Test, dismissing centurion Marnus Labuschagne on a rain-affected fourth day.

The worst fears of a washout at Emirates Old Trafford were not realised, with persistent showers finally clearing in time to get play under way at 2.45pm, but a stand of 103 between Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh threatened to shut the door on the hosts.

Labuschagne made a defiant 111 to nudge his side closer to a draw that would see Australia retain the urn but was finally removed when he nicked Root’s occasional off-spin to Jonny Bairstow, who gathered well at the second attempt.

That left the tourists 214 for five, 61 behind having ended day three 167 adrift.

Root was only bowling due to bad light, with the umpires deciding that conditions were too gloomy for the seamers to take part, but his unpredictable offerings provided the biggest threat and he was unlucky not to have Labuschagne caught at slip on 93.

England’s pace unit had already been neutralised by the damp outfield, which wrecked English hopes of getting the ball to move through the air and eventually led to a change after it went soft and lost shape.

Mitchell Marsh was not out on 31 at the tea break, having eaten up 107 deliveries for his side in a knock that forced him to curb most of his attacking instincts.

England began by rotating James Anderson, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood and Stuart Broad but the quartet were unable to find a way past Labuschagne and Marsh.

Wood cranked it up to 93mph in a bid to take the placid pitch out of the equation but the closest he came to breaking the partnership was a nasty blow to Labuschagne’s finger.

The number three has endured a modest series by his own high standards but came good at an important time for his team, registering his 11th Test ton and his second overseas.

He accelerated when the umpires insisted on England turning to spin, taking advantage of an out-of-sorts Moeen Ali, who could not get his length right, and plundering two sixes off Root.

But the former captain’s tendency to mix it up with a variety of different deliveries was causing problems. He sent one down with the seam up, drifting it through the air and taking Labuschagne’s edge as he closed in on three figures, but the extra pace on the ball saw it fly past Zak Crawley’s left ear and race away for four.

After getting his man on the cut, Root almost grabbed another when Marsh propped forward and offered a tough chance to Harry Brook at short leg. He thrust a hand out but could not cling on.

The rain began to come down again in the interval, leaving England praying that there is enough time in the game to force a result.

England have a window of opportunity to push for a win in the fourth Ashes Test, with play starting at 2:45pm on the penultimate day at Emirates Old Trafford after rain wiped out the morning session.

A dismal forecast in the north-west this weekend led to fears England would not have enough time to claim the six wickets they need for a series-levelling victory to set up a Kia Oval decider next week.

Overnight showers continued into Saturday morning which shelved a scheduled 11am start time but the rain slowed to a trickle then stopped, allowing the ground staff to begin mopping up just before 1pm.

There were considerable puddles on the outfield but a comprehensive clean-up operation convinced the umpires at a 2pm pitch inspection that play could get under way 45 minutes later.

England have seized total control of this Test, with Australia needing 162 just to make the hosts bat again, after closing on 113 for four thanks to Mark Wood’s three-wicket burst on Friday evening.

More rain is predicted to fall later on Saturday afternoon which could scupper plans for 59 overs to be bowled, with play able to go on until 7:30pm.

England’s push for victory on the penultimate day of the fourth Ashes Test was delayed by the forecast rain at Emirates Old Trafford.

There are growing fears the inclement weather in the north-west this weekend may not relent to give England a window to claim the six wickets they need for a series-levelling victory.

England have seized total control of this Test, with Australia needing 162 just to make the hosts bat again, after closing on 113 for four thanks to Mark Wood’s three-wicket burst on Friday evening.

However, overnight rain continued into Saturday morning and shelving a scheduled 11am start time, with England tweeting: “We’re going to be heavily delayed.”

England will have their eyes on the skies as they attempt to dodge the rain and turn three dominant days into victory in the fourth Ashes Test.

The hosts need to win at Emirates Old Trafford to have any chance of reclaiming the urn and have done everything in their power to set up a winning position.

A thumping first-innings lead of 275, built around Zak Crawley’s 189 and an unbeaten 99 from the stranded Jonny Bairstow, gave them full control before Australia slipped to 113 for four.

With Mark Wood tearing in to claim three for 17 and a cushion of 162 runs, England would back themselves to get the game moving over the weekend but may find the weather forecast harder to defeat than the tourists. Long, heavy showers are expected on Saturday and Sunday and the pressure will be on to maximise any passages of play that are possible.

With six sessions on the table they will be hoping a fresh bowling attack has enough time, but Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood has already broken cover to admit he would be happy to watch the heavens open. Marnus Labuschagne remains in place on 44 not out, with in-form all-rounder Mitch Marsh at the start of his innings.

England pile into toiling Australia

Crawley laid the foundations for England, who added 208 to their overnight score which took them to a formidable 592, with fifties for Ben Stokes, Harry Brook and Bairstow. This was England’s highest total in a home Test since August 2011, their best score in the Ashes since January 2011 at Sydney and the first time they have gone past 500 on their own shores against Australia since August 1985.

Tweet of the day

All eyes will be on the skies this weekend – and the view of the BBC lead weather presenter does not augur well.

Quote of the dayJonny 99

Bairstow was left high and dry, one short of a 13th Test ton, after number 11 batter James Anderson was trapped leg-before by Cameron Green. The previous delivery, Bairstow had turned down a risky return run which would have taken him to three figures. This was Bairstow’s second 99 at this ground – although on that occasion against South Africa six years ago Anderson was blameless as the Yorkshireman was lbw missing a sweep off Keshav Maharaj.

Pat down

An analysis of 23-0-129-1 makes for grim reading for the Australia captain, who doubtless would not have been consoled by claiming the wicket of his opposite number Ben Stokes. Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting wondered aloud on Sky Sports whether Cummins was “starting to get a bit mentally and physically worn out”, having played in and captained the side in the World Test Championship final and four Ashes matches inside the last seven weeks. His partners in crime Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc hardly fared any better as the trio leaked a barely believable 392 between them from 75 overs.

Duck-ing the trend

Chris Woakes, whose priceless 32 not out got England over the line in the Headingley run-chase, nicked off from his first ball to collect England’s first duck of the series. In the last Ashes in 2021-22, there were 17 scoreless dismissals. Woakes’ fortunes improved with the ball in hand as he snared David Warner for the second time in the match courtesy of an inside edge on to his stumps.

Century Mark

Wood snaring the valuable wicket of Steve Smith for a second time in the match, after Australia’s vaunted number four was given the hurry up by a steeply rising bouncer, was Wood’s 100th Test wicket. It has taken Wood 30 matches and eight years to reach the milestone. Interestingly, the identity of his first Test wicket was a certain Brendon McCullum – now England head coach – at Lord’s in May 2015.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite and fellow opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul placed West Indies on a steady foundation, but they are still left with much to do, after Virat Kohli registered a 29th Test century to put India in full command at the end of day two action at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday.

Brathwaite ended the day unbeaten on 37, with the Caribbean side at 86-1 in their first innings, still 352 runs behind the visitors, after losing Chanderpaul for 33 shortly before close in this, the 100th Test between the two teams. India lead the two-test series 1-0.

India resumed from their overnight score of 288-4 and though West Indies bowled with some amount of purpose, they couldn’t stop the opponents from posting a daunting 438 all out, just prior to the tea interval.

Kohli scored 121, his first hundred away from home in five years, while Ravendra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, both added half-centuries to what is massive total, give the feeble nature of West Indies batting.

Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican snared two of the last four wickets to end with 3-89 from 39 overs. He had support from veteran pacer Kemar Roach, who had 3-104 from 22 overs, and Jason Holder, who had 2-57 from 21 overs, as West Indies took the last four Indian wickets for a mere 43 runs.

West Indies started their reply in a solid manner, as Chanderpaul and Brathwaite withstood early pressure from India’s seamers, and later capitalised on the hard, easy-paced surface.

The openers hardly played a stroke wrong and had the bowling at their mercy until Jadeja, bowling his left-arm spin, had Chanderpaul caught at backward point, from an ill-advised lofted drive.

It brought Jamaican debutant Kirk McKenzie to the middle and the young left-handed batsman displayed confidence throughout his half-hour knock which included a lofted drive over long-off for six off Ashwin’s off-spin. He will resume on 14 alongside his captain on Saturday’s third day in which they will be targeting at least 239 to avoid being asked to follow-on.

Earlier, Kohli raised a well-deserved century, partnering with Jadeja in a 159-run fifth wicket stand that pushed India past the 350-run mark.

Kohli’s 76th milestone knock came from 180 balls and included 11 boundaries.

Jadeja reached his 50 from 105 balls, before West Indies grabbed a breakthrough when Kohli was run out by Alzarri Joseph.

Further success came for the hosts five overs later when Roach got Jadeja caught behind for 61 after reviewing a negative verdict from South African umpire Marais Erasmus.

West Indies maintained steady bowling in tough conditions after the visitors continued from their lunchtime total of 373 for six, and it paid dividends, though Ashwin defied them to carve out 56.

Holder had Ishan Kishan caught behind for 25, and after being frustrated by Jaydev Unadkat and Ashwin, they eventually made inroads when Warrican had the former stumped.

The spinner then accounted for Mohammed Siraj for a duck, before Roach brought the innings to a close when he had the last laugh in against Ashwin, who smashed three boundaries off in the same over in is 75-ball 50.

Jonny Bairstow took aim at his detractors, describing the criticism he has faced as “out of order” after lifting England into the boxseat in the fourth Ashes Test.

After bashing Australia’s tiring bowlers in his unbeaten 99 off 81 balls to help England to a mammoth 592 all out, an aggrieved Bairstow continued on the offensive at the end of the third day’s play.

While a golden summer with the bat last year meant he was destined to return after recovering from a horrific leg break he suffered last August, the decision for Bairstow to take on wicketkeeping duties against Australia has backfired as the Yorkshireman has dropped seven catches and missed a stumping.

England have resisted calls to restore gloveman Ben Foakes, dropped to facilitate the return of Bairstow, who believes his knockers have failed to take into account the severity of an injury in which he broke his left leg in three places and dislocated his ankle after slipping on a golf course.

“You’ve got to have a bit of perspective on it,” Bairstow told the BBC. “I’ve not played in months and I’ve not kept properly in three years.

“There’s obviously been a lot of talk and things like that, some of which I think has been a bit out of order to be honest but that’s part and parcel of people having an opinion.

“There are times when if people had a conversation with you individually and found out a bit more about the injury or the ankle and how everything’s going, they might have a slightly different view or perspective on it.”

He added on Sky Sports: “The leg break could have ended my career. There are times when you have aches and pains, and people say you’re limping – yeah I am at times! Because there’s a lot going on in my ankle.”

There is a perception that Bairstow tends to perform well when he feels he has a point to prove and Australia’s bowlers bore the brunt of any ill-feeling he had after flaying 10 fours and four sixes as he amassed his highest score since his injury.

However, Bairstow, who was left stranded one run short of three figures after last man James Anderson fell lbw to Cameron Green, insisted he does not need to be fired up to be at his best.

“Everyone thinks I play better when people have a go at me,” Bairstow said. “It gets a bit tiresome, to be honest.

“I’ve played a lot of cricket now. To keep being told you’re rubbish – if I was that rubbish I wouldn’t have played 94 Tests.

“To score 99 you’re pretty happy, aren’t you. I put on a really nice partnership at the end with Jimmy.”

Bairstow snaffled two catches as Mark Wood’s three-wicket haul helped reduce Australia to 113 for four, still trailing by 162, but unsettled weather over the weekend could dampen their victory push at Emirates Old Trafford.

“The weather is the weather, I’m not Michael Fish,” Bairstow said with a smile. “In the circumstances of the game to get 275 in front and then to take four wickets tonight for 100 is all we could have done.”

As well as his work behind the stumps coming under scrutiny, Bairstow was at the centre of the series’ biggest flash point as he was opportunistically stumped by Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey at Lord’s.

Bairstow stepped out of his crease believing the ball to be dead after ducking a Green bouncer but Carey gathered the ball and in one motion threw down the stumps earlier this month, prompting controversy to the extent that the Prime Ministers of both England and Australia had their say.

“It wasn’t the way I wanted to be out down at Lord’s,” Bairstow added. “That is part and parcel of the game. We have seen it in other occasions. I have heard about it in club cricket.

“That’s not necessarily what you want to be hearing. The example for me when you are looking at young kids coming up. You want to be playing the game and play it how I have always played it, you play it tough, you play it fair.”

Australia’s Josh Hazlewood admitted he would be happier to watch it rain than try and wrestle the fourth Ashes Test from England’s grasp.

The tourists have been comprehensively outplayed over three days at Emirates Old Trafford, watching the hosts pile up a 275-run first-innings lead before being reduced to 113 for four in the evening session.

Their only realistic hope of avoiding defeat lies in the skies, with a dismal weekend weather forecast threatening to drown out the fixture.

A damp draw would be enough for Australia to retain the urn, albeit in the flattest of fashions, but Hazlewood welcomed the prospect.

“It would be great to lose a few overs here and there and make our job a bit easier hanging in there, that’s pretty obvious,” he said.

“I would be very pleased. It is forecast, but the forecast can change all the time. There’s rain around but rain and light plays a big part in cricket and has done forever.

“We’re a long way behind, as you can see on the scoreboard. We’re well behind and it’s easy to see that.”

Hazlewood, who took a five-wicket haul amid an attacking blitz from England, stood firm behind his skipper Pat Cummins after what has surely been the most difficult few days of his tenure.

Cummins has looked reactive and muddled in the field, returned the worst bowling figures of his career (one for 129), misread two catches and got out to the first ball of day two.

“It’s a good learning experience,” said Hazlewood.

“He hasn’t been captain for a long period of time and we’ve probably had the better rub of the green for the whole period he’s been captain. He’ll no doubt sit down with the coaches and go through a few things, but he’s a very quick learner.

“Hopefully it doesn’t happen again but in those positions he is still very calm… nothing flustered at any stage.”