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Australia enjoy yet another dominating day in the fourth Ashes Test match against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground. If Jonny Bairstow's brave century on Friday has been a rare bright spot in England batting in this series so far, Australia's comeback man Usman Khawaja lit up Day 4 with his second century in the Test. He thus becomes only the third Australian to score two tons in the same Test at this venue. Starting the day at 258/7, England could add just 26 runs before being all out for 294 giving the home side a 122-run lead. Australia, in their second innings, didn't have a good start and were reduced to 86/4 at one stage. From there on Khawaja and Cameron Green put on 179 runs for the fifth wicket to set a mammoth 388-run target for the visitors. Green scored 74 while Khawaja remained unbeaten on 101. For England, Jack Leach took 4 for 84. At stumps, England are 30/0 with Zak Crawley and Haseeb Hameed at the crease. Get here Day 4 highlights of the fourth Test between AUS vs ENG.
12:53 PM IST: Stumps on Day 4
England will be happy their openers have hung in there for 11 overs till the end of the day's play. England 30/0 with Haseeb Hameed and Zak Crawley batting on 8 and 22 respectively.
12:20 PM IST: England chase starts
Haseeb Hameed and Zak Crawley have opened the innings for England. England 21/0, still need 367 runs.
11:38 AM IST: AUS declare
Jack Leach takes two wickets in an over as he dismisses Cameron Green (74) and Alex Carey for a first-ball duck. Australia declare their innings at 265/6, setting a victory target of 388 for England. Leach finishes with 4/84
11:17 AM IST: Double delight
Century for Usman Khawaja. What a Test match he is having. Two hundreds in two innings in this Test. Australia 258/4. He becomes the third player to make a century in both innings of a Test match at the SCG. He is also the 6th Australian to make a century in both innings of an Ashes Test match.
10:43 AM IST: 100 in sight for Usman Khawaja
Usman Khawaja inches closer to yet another century in this Test match. He is batting on 82 as Australia's lead cross 300-run mark. Cameron Green is batting on 45. Australia 216/4
10:15 AM IST: Khawaja fifty
Fifty for Usman Khawaja. The left-hander playing for Australia for the first time in this series now has a 100 and a 50 in this Test match. Australia 171/4. Cameron Green is batting on 29 at the other end.
9:33 AM IST: AUS stretch lead
Usman Khawaja (32*) and Cameron Green (23*) lead Australia charge as they stretch lead past the 250-run mark. Australia 143/4. The duo also completed 50-run stand for fifth-wicket.
8:38 AM IST: Smith departs
Jack Leach gets his second of the innings. Steve Smith is clean bowled for 23. The ball skids off the surface and stuns Smith. Key wicket for England. Australia 86/4
In reply, Australia have lost their top three for 82 runs on board with the lead crossing the 200-run mark. Mark Wood took two wickets while Jack Leach accounted for one. Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja are currently in the middle.
8:10 AM IST: AUS take lead
England could add just 36 runs to their overnight total of 258/7 on Day 4 morning. Jonny Bairstow was out for 113. For Australia, Scott Boland impressed once again with 4 for 36. Australia took a 122-run lead.
For the first time in the Ashes 2021-22, England's middle-order saved the blushes for a faltering top order. Bairstow's headline-grabbing performance was not only classy but his unbeaten 103 was a product of 100 per cent application of a strong mind and a body that withstood a lot of pain. It was Bairstow's seventh Test hundred and came in the seventh innings of this current Ashes series.
Ben Stokes and Mark Wood played crucial knocks after England slumped to 36 for four at lunch on Day 3. Stokes made a typically swashbuckling 66 of 91 balls, including nine fours and a towering six over cover. Off-spinner Nathan Lyon ended the 128-run partnership between Stokes and Bairstow by trapping Stokes LBW with a ball that kept low. Bairstow and Mark Wood combined for a 72-run partnership to help calm frayed nerves in the visiting camp. But Cummins eventually had Wood caught by Lyon for 39 off 41 balls going for one big shot too many.
England will have to show the same resolve on Saturday. A healthy lead will boost Australia's chances to make it 4-0 at Sydney, the weather permitting of course. Rain has been predicted for the weekend.
