Watch: Joe Root found England a much-needed breakthrough before Tea on day four of the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford, successfully reviewing an outside edge from Marnus Labuschagne.
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As predicted, all of the morning session was lost to rain on a crucial day for the Ashes series, but play was able to get underway at 2:45pm in Manchester. England struggled to make any inroads on what was still a flat pitch as Marnus Labuschagne crossed three figures for the second time in an overseas Test.
Well into the session the umpires decided that conditions were too dark for England’s seamers to continue to bowl, meaning Ben Stokes had to turn to Moeen Ali and Root from each end. A change of ball immediately made the spinners look more threatening, with Root in particular challenging the outside edge of both batters.
Labuschagne eventually played a non-committal cut shot to a wide delivery from Root, getting an outside edge on the ball which Bairstow took well standing up to the stumps. He juggled it once before catching it on the rebound and immediately celebrating the wicket. However, umpire Nitin Menon did not see the outside edge and stood firmly with his arm by his side.
Stokes reviewed immediately and the outside edge was clearly visible on the replay. Labuschagne left the field for 111, with England needing five wickets to stay in the Ashes series.
Watch: Joe Root dismisses centurion Marnus Labuschagne on review below
Is there ANYTHING this man can’t do!?
Joe Root gets the breakthrough. COME ON! 💪 #EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/EFmDIex5pU
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 22, 2023
