The Ashes: First Test on a knife edge going into final day
The final moments of the fourth day produced riveting Ashes theatre. The bandana-draped Stuart Broad, all gliding limbs and giggling smiles, made the ball and script bend to his will. Steve Smith gasped and blew his cheeks in dismay. Jonny Bairstow leapt into the skies and punched the turf. Marnus Labuschagne hurled a volley of abuse at himself as he walked back to the dressing room. The eyes and faces of the audience flickered between joy and agony, and they exhaled a deep clump of breath when the day ended. Their hearts could beat a bit slower now, the emotions could settle in, the eyes could wink again, as the most fascinating day of the first Test ended with the promise of another, perhaps even more, engrossing day of cricket. The Day of Judgement, when either Australia or England ...