As Jonny Bairstow capped off a bullying batting performance from England with an incendiary unbeaten 99, a plane flew over Old Trafford with a banner behind it predicting the final score in this epic Ashes series will be 3-2 to the hosts.
But for this to even be half-possible, for a blockbuster decider to be set up at the Oval next week, then Ben Stokes and his Bazballers need mercy from an opponent that cares little for the confidence coursing through their veins: the Manchester weather.
Yep, the forecast for the entire weekend is pretty bleak – wetter than an otter’s pocket, in fact – and if the meteorologists are right then Australia, leading 2-1 yet seemingly broken asunder these past three days, will retain the urn with a Test match to spare.
Things may change, of course, even if the tourists won’t share this hope. At stumps on day three they were clinging on, sitting 113 for four and still 162 runs in arrears. Mark Wood had steamed in for three precious strikes, his best mate Chris Woakes for one, and it had needed an unbeaten 44 from Marnus Labuschagne to keep Australia afloat.
This was some display of fast bowling from Wood, haring in from the James Anderson End and passing 100 Test wickets along the way. Not only that, it helped sustain the momentum from Bairstow’s earlier display of range-hitting, one that powered England to 592 all out in 107.4 overs and a first innings lead of 275 runs.
Introduced early on during what was a 12-over crack at Australia’s openers by England before tea, Wood prised out the first with just his second ball when a 92mph delivery outside off stump was tickled behind by Usman Khawaja on 18. Khawaja reviewed, slightly curiously, with the tremor on snicko that followed mere confirmation of the fact.
Once Woakes continued his stellar series by persuading David Warner to chop on to his stumps for 28 after the interval, resistance formed. Steve Smith had survived an early scare – an edged third ball that was deemed not to have carried to Joe Root at slip – and offered an hour of defiance alongside his longtime apprentice Labuschagne.
But the reintroduction of Wood had the sellout crowd bouncing before the close with the removals of Smith and Travis Head in the space of 10 balls. Smith was hurried into an awkward hook, gloving behind to Bairstow on 17, while Head, peppered all series, was also beaten by pace and could only fend to gully off the splice of the bat.
England’s desperation for breakthroughs was matched only by Labuschagne’s dogged defence at the other end. And when the newly arrived Mitch Marsh offered the same to Moeen Ali’s final ball of the day, pressing forward and playing it down, it was hard not to fear this might be the final act of a memorable Test match.
Two days of rain would be cruel on England amid an increasing belief that the dam has burst in this tight series and they are now completely dominant; that Australia did well to barricade the doors of city hall early on using desks, and bins, and, er, boundary riders, only for the state troopers to pile in and make a spell in Joliet inevitable.
After Zak Crawley flayed 189 on day two, Australia’s bowling figures continued to burn. Josh Hazlewood did register a five-wicket haul but one he won’t entirely cherish, this just the second time he, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc have all shipped over 100 runs. They look like an attack in desperate need of fresh energy next week.
England actually started the day relatively sedately, if adding 112 runs in just 24 overs before lunch can be described as such. Harry Brook and Ben Stokes registered half-centuries but found the old ball hard to get away, and a burst of late wickets gave rise to thoughts of a declaration with the lead at 189 runs.
Stokes was not interested and what followed, from 506 for eight, was an irrefutable display of shock and awe from Bairstow. The Yorkshireman had glowered his way through the Headingley Test, consumed by that run out at Lord’s, but with Australian brains turned to paté this week, he handed out another dish best served cold.
Bairstow had hustled his way to 48 from 50 balls by the time Anderson walked out after the ninth wicket and faced just 31 more when he was left one short of his century. The charge was signalled with a glorious short-arm jab that muscled six off Starc and brought up his half-century, before clearing the rope three more times.
The pick came off Cummins, Bairstow clearing the front leg and leaving Stokes open-mouthed in the dressing room as the ball soared over midwicket. These blows were not the only catharsis either, Bairstow scampering a couple of byes to pilfer the strike and the crowd delighted that Alex Carey’s ability to bullseye the stumps had evaporated.
Anderson could not quite hold on long enough though, a 49-ball stand of 66 with Bairstow ended lbw to Cameron Green. But Bairstow was still a barrel-chested bundle of delight as he walked off to a standing ovation and England set about trying to unpick 10 locks. The question now, with two wet days in store, is whether the final six rust over.
