The Ashes best bets for day four & odds: Bairstow inspires England fightback

Free cricket tips, best bets and analysis for the fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 11.30pm Friday

Scoreboard
Australia 416-8d (Khawaja 137, Broad 5-101) lead England 258-7 (Bairstow 103*, Boland 2-25) by 158 runs

Best prices
13-5 Australia, 50-1 England, 2-5 Draw

Story of day three

Play had been delayed for two hours at the Sydney Cricket Ground due to persistent rain, and England would have been hoping for a stronger start to proceedings when bowling finally resumed.

The tourists started the day 13-0 but found themselves 36-4, with Zak Crawley, captain Joe Root and Dawid Malan dismissed in the space of just 53 balls.

Root and Malan have been England's two leading batsmen in Australia this winter but they made just three runs between them, which had many fearing another batting collapse.

But Australia were far from their best with the ball and a stunning 128-run stand from Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes salvaged the situation.

Bairstow showed plenty of fight and constructed an unbeaten 103 while Stokes, who was evidently struggling with pain to his left side, added 66 to keep England in the hunt.

When Stokes was trapped lbw by Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon, Mark Wood stepped in with an enterprising 39 from 41 balls to help England bridge the gap on the hosts to 158 runs.

Star of the day

Despite suffering with a sore thumb, Jonny Bairstow was magnificent and without him England would have been in dire straits.

The Yorkshire man closed the day on 103 not out, earning him a seventh century of his Test career and a first for three years.

His efforts helped England avoid a follow-on and, potentially, a series whitewash.

Moment of the day

Things could have been very different for Stokes, who was first dropped by Pat Cummins on nine before he survived a Cameron Green ball which nicked the stumps without removing the bails on 16.

View from the camp

'I was relieved and overjoyed, to be honest with you. I'm happy with today but we need to build on it tomorrow as well.

'My thumb is sore, but you're playing in the Ashes and you're going to take blows. It's going to take a lot to remove me from things. I might get an X-ray on it but I reckon I'll still be there in the morning.'

Jonny Bairstow, England batsman

Day four preview

England's fightback on day three and more heavy rain forecast for the final two days in Sydney, has made the draw look even more ominous.

It is 2-5 for a draw - it had been 8-11 prior to day three - and England's first-innings total will depend greatly on the early efforts of Bairstow.

With Jack Leach on strike and bowlers Stuart Broad and James Anderson next up, an early wicket could quickly change the complexion of this Test and inject confidence into Australia as they hunt down a 5-0 series win.

Bairstow went through the pain barrier as he counter-attacked his way to 103 not out at the SCG, but the Aussies will be gunning for his early wicket.

Given the lack of strength in depth to come, England, who are currently 258-7, could struggle to reach the 300-run mark.

The tourists have yet to reach that total from their six previous innings in this Ashes series and may fall short again.

Best bet

Under 301.5 England first innings runs
1pt 10-11 bet365

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