ASHES DAY ONE, FOURTH TEST – SESSION-BY-SESSION: Honours shared as England take four wickets in the evening after Australia raced to 107 for two in dominant start

England finished day one of the fourth Ashes Test on top with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc at the crease on 299 for eight. 

Chris Woakes starred for the hosts with the ball – taking four wickets including two in one over – while Stuart Broad took his 600th Test scalp to join Jimmy Anderson in exalted company. 

Anderson himself struggled to dazzle at the ground that has a stand and a bar named after him, while Marnus Labuschagne also had a moment to forget after once again throwing away his wicket to Moeen Ali’s off-breaks. 

There was also a moment of redemption for the much-maligned Jonny Bairstow who took a terrific low grab after coming under fire for his keeping so far this series. 

Here, Mail Sport’s Lawrence Booth takes you through the action from Old Trafford, session-by-session.  

Stuart Broad made history in taking his 600th Test wicket after dismissing Travis Head

Australia ended the day on 299 for nine with captain Pat Cummins (right) at the crease

Morning – Australia

Invited to bat, Australia for once lost Usman Khawaja early, trapped in front to give Stuart Broad his 599th Test wicket. 

Chris Woakes then had David Warner caught behind for 32 to make it 61 for two – and almost had Steve Smith caught at long leg first ball. 

But Smith and Marnus Labuschagne took the tourists to 107 for two by lunch, at a Bazball-esque 4.28 an over.

Afternoon – shared

In a session of nip and tuck, Australia added 80 runs for the loss of Smith and Labuschagne – who are threatening to lose their pre-series tag as the ‘wickets England want most’. 

Smith was undone by Wood’s pace, while Labuschagne – after bringing up his first half-century of the series – played all round an off-break from Moeen Ali.

Evening – England

Four wickets, including three for Woakes, left England with a slight edge at the end of another absorbing day. 

Chris Woakes (right) took three of the four wickets to fall in the final session – including two in one over

Mitchell Marsh had threatened to turn things Australia’s way with a rapid half-century, but he was brilliantly caught by the under-fire Jonny Bairstow as Woakes snared him and Cameron Green in the same over.

Verdict – honours split between the two sides.  

Play of the day 

With apologies to Stuart Broad’s achievement of 600 Test wickets, there was no better moment than Jonny Bairstow’s right-handed lunge to cling on to an edge from Mitchell Marsh, having briefly been sent the wrong way. 

Bairstow has spent most of the series under the wicketkeeping microscope – and celebrated on his backside with a mixture of relief and jubilation.

Jonny Bairstow took a fantastic catch low to his right have already begun moving the other way