As it happened - Australia vs England 4th Test Sydney 3rd day

Jonny Bairstow saved England’s blushes and saved his Test career with a stunning SCG century to help his nation avoid the follow-on having slumped to 4 for 36 in the face of an Australian barrage on the third day.

Bairstow’s century was both brave and chanceless. He copped a vicious blow on the thumb from Pat Cummins in the afternoon that left him doubled over in pain. But he brushed it off to score his second century in Australia and his seventh in Test cricket. It was his first in over three years and 38 Test innings.

He roared to the rooms after bringing it up with a flashing cut over backward point in the last over of the day in an emotional moment, as the England team and fans stood and applauded a rare show of fight on this tour.

He was brilliantly supported by Ben Stokes, who fought through obvious pain to make a vital 66 in a century stand with Bairstow, while Mark Wood made an excellent 39.

It was an extraordinary day. Two hours were lost to rain, England went 70 balls without scoring and lost three wickets in the process, Australia dropped three catches, Stokes was bowled without the bails coming off, Scott Boland took 2 for 0 before injuring his side, and Australia produced their most ragged four hours of the series as Bairstow picked them apart with excellent footwork and positive intent to leave England 158 runs behind with three first-innings wickets in hand and two days remaining.

At the very end of a rollicking day's play, Jonny Bairstow has brought up his hundred at the SCG. A slash at Pat Cummins in the final over disappeared over backward point, allowing him to celebrate England's first century of the 2021-22 Ashes - and Bairstow's first in Tests since 2018. He's helped to finally provide some backbone, with England fighting past the follow on and into day four of this rain-affected match thanks to punchy partnerships with Ben Stokes and Mark Wood.

Cricket Australia have confirmed Scott Boland has been cleared of any damage to his right side and is returning to the field. He had a bowl in the nets with Australia's bowling coach Andrew McDonald and is likely to be available to bowl again in the innings.

Andrew McGlashan has noted the momentum has shifted in an instant as the gloom returns and the floodlights have come on at the SCG: For a minute you just started to wonder. Was Ben Stokes going to produce something special? As he took on Nathan Lyon in thrilling fashion memories of Headingley came flashing back. But just as Australia were looking a little rattled – or at least frustrated – a delivery from Lyon skidded on and caught Stokes right in front as he was struck on the back leg. Stokes was walking before the umpire’s finger went up. For the first time in the series, Australia appeared angry at taking a wicket. The stand with Jonny Bairstow was arguably England’s best period of the series given that it has not been easy batting out there today, as witnessed by the vicious blow Bairstow has taken on the thumb from Pat Cummins. There is also an injury concern in the Australia camp with Scott Boland heading for a scan after slipping in his delivery stride on the last ball of the afternoon session.

Cricket Australia have confirmed Scott Boland has been sent for a scan after suffering a heavy fall bowling the very last ball before the tea break. He hit the deck in his follow-through after his spikes dug into the turf and he landed heavily on arm which was tucked into his side. He was in obvious discomfort when he got up and he has been sent for a scan. Meanwhile, Jonny Bairstow copped a nasty blow on the thumb from Cummins and was in a world of pain while getting treated by England's medical staff. But he has bravely continued on and struck a blow of his own in the next over slog sweeping Nathan Lyon for six.

Nathan Lyon was being treated with contempt by Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow after tea. It looked a questionable decision from Australia skipper Pat Cummins to start with Lyon given he had been milked before tea and the SCG has offered very little to the spinners in this game so far and it's one of his least productive Test grounds. But he proved his skipper right, skidding one through the defence of Stokes and hitting him plumb infront of middle. Stokes walked without looking at the umpire for confirmation he was out lbw. It was an expensive wicket for Lyon but a vital one for Australia.

Jonny Bairstow reaches a well-deserved half-century. It's been an excellent knock so far. He has been proactive but extremely controlled. He has rarely been tied down and has been particularly aggressive against Nathan Lyon. Bairstow and Ben Stokes also raised England's third-century stand for the tour. Only five times have England had a century partnership for the 5th wicket in Tests having lost four wickets inside 40 runs. Three of those four involve Ben Stokes.

All looked lost for England at 4 for 36 in the midst of a spell where they didn't score for 70 balls. But Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow have mounted an excellent counterattack in a 99-run stand to post England's third-highest and fourth-longest partnership of the series and bat through the session unscathed. There were some hairy moments. Stokes was dropped by Pat Cummins. It was a sharp caught and bowled chance but it should have been taken. He was bowled not offering a shot to Cameron Green but somehow the bails stayed on despite the ball taking a large deflection off the stump. The deflection was so pronounced umpire Paul Reiffel thought it came off the pad and he gave him out lbw. The decision was overturned on review. Since then Stokes and Bairstow have put pressure on Australia's bowlers. Stokes has moved around the crease and bravely hit over the top. Bairstow has been busy and found gaps at will with good footwork and a positive mindset. Signs of life from England. Australia will want to tighten the screws again after the tea break.

Ben Stokes moved to his highest score of the series with three cracking boundaries off Mitchell Starc. The first was a clip off the toes wide of mid-on. The second was a drive straight of mid-on which brought a sharp jab of pain into his injured side. The third was a dismissive pull shot cracked over square leg. Stokes has countered superbly, making the most of his good fortune.

Andrew McGlashan: As we all digest that remarkable moment where Ben Stokes’ off stump took a hefty clip but the bail didn’t come off (and he was given lbw padding up before reviewing) it’s worth saying what a big effort this is from him. He is wincing in pain almost every ball, and certainly after playing big shots, due to the side strain he suffered yesterday. Once again he is putting his body on the line for England however futile the cause might be. He has been well short of his best in this series having made himself available for the tour without any cricket but has hurled himself into whatever has been asked of him. It’s a real shame for the series that he has not been able to cut loose with the bat, partly due to England’s woeful positions but also a feeling he is carrying a huge burden himself in a flimsy batting order.

Andrew McGlashan is soaking in the atmosphere on Jane McGrath day at the SCG:

There have been some big cheers in this Test. The latest has been for England scoring a run. Yes, a single. Their first in 70 deliveries. It was an extraordinary passage of play either side of lunch as Scott Boland, Cameron Green and Pat Cummins rendered England scoreless (but certainly not wicketless) before Ben Stokes squeezed a single into backward point to ruin Boland’s figures. As they were in Melbourne, the crowd – this time decked out in plenty of pink for Jane McGrath day with the match so far raising more than $3 million – have been fully behind Boland as he continues his remarkable start to Test career, applauding him back to the long leg boundary after every over. And yet, it’s not beyond the realms that Australia go into the next Test in Hobart without either Boland or Usman Khawaja.

Ben Stokes finally broke Australia's streak of 70 dot balls with a thick edge that ran through a vacant point. Scott Boland's figures are ruined. He now has 6 overs, 5 maidens, 2 wickets for 1 run.

Scott Boland and Cameron Green have strangled England in 8.5 overs. England are in all sorts of trouble at lunch on day 3 and the radar looks clear. This could get ugly quickly.

Equalling Sir Donald Bradman usually takes some extraordinary batting excellence. Unfortunately, Joe Root has equalled Bradman for the wrong reasons. Root fell for a duck to Scott Boland, wafting at a length ball wide of off and nicking it to second slip where Steven Smith took an excellent catch above his head. It was Root's 5th Ashes duck as captain, equalling Bradman, and his 7th as captain of England in all Tests, just one shy of Michael Atherton.

Scott Boland averaged 7.85 with the ball after his debut Test at the MCG where he took 6 for 7 and was Player of the Match. He's bowled 12 balls in this SCG Test and has 1 for 0 after clean bowling Zak Crawley with a beauty that jagged back through the gate and crashed into the top of off. His Test bowling average has now dropped to 6.88.

Andrew McGlashan: Mitchell Starc’s immense series continues. He should have had Zak Crawley taken at slip last night but couldn't quite keep his foot behind the line. He then saw Haseeb Hameed dropped early today by Alex Carey, but he did not have to wait long. There was a hint of shape back to Hameed although it was a wild drive by an England batter who has been picked part on this tour. Starc has been outstanding from the first ball of the series. He carried the attack in Pat Cummins’ absence in Adelaide and has constantly delivered breakthroughs. He would be a worthy Player of the Series regardless of what happens over the next Test and a half. Currently he has 15 wickets at 18.93

Until Mitchell Starc castled Haseeb Hammed, Zak Crawley and Hameed's opening stand of 22 was England's second-highest opening partnership of the series. They had some luck just to get to 22. Crawley was caught off a no-ball from Starc last night at slip. Hameed nicked Starc in a very similar fashion this morning on 2 and Alex Carey put him down, moving very late and diving across infront of David Warner at first slip. It didn't cost anything and Starc was finally rewarded. Dawid Malan enters early at No.3 yet again.

The game is scheduled to restart at 12.10pm pending no more rain.

This does not make good reading for England fans as we are over six months into a new World Test Championship cycle. Meanwhile, Australia are sitting pretty at the top but the rain is still halting their progress in Sydney.

Australia batter Travis Head has rejoined the squad today in Sydney after being cleared of Covod-19 having tested positive last week in Melbourne. Australia's selectors have guaranteed Head will return in Hobart, but they now have a headache regarding Usman Khawaja. Have your say on whether he should stay?