England v Australia: first test Ashes 2019, fourth day – live! | sport

The Australian television broadcasts a prerecorded interview with Travis Head and the player who will play in partnership with Steve Smith said that his country was aiming for an advance of more than 250 people. The strategy is to see the opening time about, then cash once the balloon softened.

How do you solve a problem like Steve Smith? Mark Taylor, on Australian television, said Bow went from fourth to fifth line and was patient. Easier to say than to do, of course.

Abhijato Sensarma sent an email asking me if I would choose Bancroft for the next test. Short answer: yes. If the Australian brain thinks that it is the ideal agent for the opening test, it would be difficult to hang it after two strokes.

It is obvious that he can not continue to score badly, but the solidity of his place also depends on the form of Marcus Harris, the only other opener of the party.

Morning Stuie. Hard not to think that Smith is the key to all this. If it fails to last an hour, you can see England go on an adventure. If it is cut off after lunch, the balance of power fluctuates.

If Australia starts the hunt for the 200, I'll put them as favorites. England has all she has to lose. Small margins.

Leanne Indaimo wins the award for the first email of the day. "I have noted with interest that one of the bloggers had commented yesterday that he liked to think that he would be a cricket fan if he grew up in a country where he was born." There was no cricket, "she wrote. "I am writing to say that it is possible. My son was born in England and grew up in Italy, in the cricket desert, since the age of five. I can say that thanks to the brainwashing of his Australian parents, he is a big fan of the game. Obsessive even. Despite his English birthplace, he is of course a true Australian blue supporter. He now lives in England on the verge of living his first series of ashes on enemy soil. He has no idea what he's going to do !!

Fine stuff. Maybe your son could now cast his allegiance behind the Janjua Cricket Club Brescia in the new European Cricket League?

The Australian version is provided by Geoff Lemon and yesterday, he was as interested in Steve Smith's behavior on the field as by the crease.

The interesting thing about this is that Smith has not finished his punishment. His ban on playing for a year is over, but not the second year of banning executive positions in any Australian team. It was also interesting to see him in the lanyard while Australia was trying to take the last English wickets in the first inning, directing the traffic to the field as easily as it was doing before.

The current global TMS link. For overseas listeners only. If you are in the UK, get their coverage at the usual BBC locations. Here it is, thanks to Peter Haining for sending it.

In the absence of Anderson, Stuart Broad led the attack with manhood. Barney Ronay reminded how paceman, often decried, raises his game up to the stakes.

Broad liked these contests. Unlike Anderson, whose number of dives against the Australians, the game of Broad improves to face the most badailed opponents of England, especially in English summer.

Update from Jimmy Anderson:

The sight of a lame Anderson hindering the victorious race late Monday night would be something to behold.

Nobody seems to have any idea of ​​how to dislodge the more agitated and idiosyncratic drummers, but Chris Woakes is a man with a plan, perhaps, Ali Martin reports.

Much has been said about the hostility of English crowds to Australian players in this series, but Tim Adams has sketched a much more promising scene from outside Edgbaston where Smith, the villain of pantomime, is gaining support at home.

The stages of Smith's 144 pbadages looked like a quick introduction to the tribal language theories of crowds. The first 50 races of Smith were greeted with a strong animosity on the part of the public; his vivid century was first booed and then almost immediately applauded, often by the same people. Detractors hesitated and then converted. At the closing of the Australian's sleeves, while the evening sun was on the ground, most of the English were delighted to offer him the rich ovation his genius and strength deserved.

If you want to remember the state of the game, go back in Vic Marks' report on the strains on the third day.

Once again, Steve Smith is the obstacle that pushes the English to distraction. As long as it is still in the fold, nothing can be guaranteed. England made solid progress ahead of another packed house: a 90 lead for the first run and first three scalps when Australia beat again. But Smith, who reminded us the first day how he can turn a sleeve, remains.

Weather: The tension is already more than enough in this contest, but if you want more, what about the uncomfortable weather this afternoon? It is currently nice and cool in the West Midlands, but the risk of rain-related interruptions or two after the lunch break is high.

Jonathan Howcroft

Hello everyone and welcome to the fourth day of the first Ashes Test of Edgbaston. Australia restarted its second run with 34 points and seven wickets in hand.

WinViz suggests England has a 67% chance of winning, Australia only 23%, but I wonder if that takes into account the necessary loading of Steve Smith. The Australian superstar will be safe again when the game resumes and the English bowlers do not seem to know how to prevent it from staying indefinitely.

With the pitch offering diminishing returns for the seamstresses and the Dukes' ball failure, Moeen Ali's shoulders will be under tremendous pressure, which will push England to the brink of victory this morning. If Australia attacks much more than after lunch, the nerves around Edgbaston will choke loudly. A target of more than 150 will be difficult to pursue against an Australian attack containing Nathan Lyon on a surface offering a lot in the back.

The first few hours of today seem to shape the rest of the series. It's going to be exciting.