Poms claim big scalps in afternoon session with Marnus falling on ...

England claimed two crucial wickets in the middle session to put a dent in Australia’s charge on the opening day at Old Trafford.

After Mark Wood trapped Steve Smith LBW for 41 shortly after the luncheon break, Moeen Ali claimed the big week of Marnus Labuschagne for 51, the ball after he’d brought up his half century.

At tea, Australia is 4/187 with Mitch Marsh (1*) and Travis Head (47*) out in the middle.

Smith and Labuschagne resumed after lunch, looking to build on a solid first session for the tourists under sunny Manchester skies.

Wood was cut to the boundary for four the previous ball before he caught Smith on his pads attempting to walk across his stumps. Originally given not out by umpire Nitin Menon, the decision was overturned on review, showing Smith caught dead in front.

Earlier, Stuart Broad struck early on day one of the Old Trafford Ashes Test, removing Australian opener Usman Khawaja for 3.

The England seamer, coming from around the wicket, nipped one into Khawaja’s pads, with umpire Joel Wilson awarding the dismissal. It was absolutely plumb, but the Queenslander wasted a review before trudging off.

It was Broad’s 599th Test wicket.

Former English Test cricketer Derek Pringle tweeted: “Talk about delusions of grandeur … Khawaja must think he’s 6ft 4in tall to review that lbw off Broad … crashing into middle stump.”

Chris Woakes removed David Warner straight after the drinks break after a bizarre delay at the drinks break.

With the sun glare causing havoc for the batters, Stuart Broad went down to the boundary to ask a section of spectators to move seats and block the glare. Warner edged behind shortly after to embattled England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow for 32.

Woakes nearly had Steve Smith out for a golden duck when he hooked his first ball to third man which just evaded Mark Wood, trickling to the boundary for four to get off the mark.

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England won the toss and elected to bowl first at Old Trafford. No Test side has ever chosen to field first and won in Manchester.

Pat Cummins has now lost fourth consecutive tosses in the Ashes series. Australia has not lost a Test at Old Trafford since 1981.

Former Australia star Jason Gillespie revealed his hesitation at the visitors electing not to pick a specialist spinner in a Test team for the first time since 2012 as weather threatens to have an impact on the fourth Ashes Test.

Australia holds a 2-1 series and only need a draw in the Test at Old Trafford to retain the Ashes, but will no doubt look to become the first touring party to win an Ashes series in England since 2001.

Yet the visitors made the bold choice to drop Todd Murphy, Nathan Lyon’s replacement, for the fourth Test.

Murphy was drafted into the starting line-up after Lyon was forced to withdraw from the series due to a calf tear.

Yet the spectacled spinner bowled just two overs on the final day at Headingley.

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He’s now been left out of the line-up entirely as the Aussies opted to go for an all-out pace attack in order to squeeze Cameron Green back into the side, with spin duties set to fall on Travis Head’s shoulders.

Although Gillespie isn’t surprised Murphy was dropped, he would still have made room for the young Victorian if he was the Australian coach.

“Is that a trust issue,” Gillespie wrote in a column for the Daily Mail.

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“Is Cummins not sure whether Murphy has what it takes? Or was he just protecting his young spinner in Leeds when he was up against some really good, aggressive England batsmen?”

Gillespie added: “I do rate Murphy. He’s a good young bowler and I would be loath to go into any Test without a frontline spinner.

“I would have played him at Old Trafford.”

It ultimately may not matter how Australia’s bowling attack lines up with inclement weather set to play a part in the fourth Test.

The BBC’s weather site predicts light rain showers on the first day in Manchester, light rain on the second, drizzle on the third, heavy rain on the fourth and light rain on the fifth.

It could prompt England, who know they need an outright victory in this Test if they are to take back the Ashes, into full-on attack mode.

TEAMS

Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood

England: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Jonathan Bairstow, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

Follow all the action from Day One of the fourth Test in our LIVE BLOG below!

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