As the fourth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground ended in fading light, England’s tailenders held off Australia’s bowlers to earn a draw. After Pat Cummins and Scott Boland took three quick wickets, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad, and Jimmy Anderson batted out the final 10 overs under immense pressure before Steve Smith removed Leach with two overs left to set up a nervous finale to the gripping test match.
In the five-match series, Australia leads 3-0. At stumps, England finished 270-9, with Broad unbeaten on eight and Anderson not out on zero. Cummins removed Jos Buttler and Mark Wood in the space of three balls with the final hour approaching, thereby turning the test on its head after it appeared increasingly likely that England would earn a draw after its most determined batting performance of the series.
Marnus Labuschagne caught Jonny Bairstow at bat-pad for 41 as Scott Boland continued his incredible test cricket debut. At Melbourne’s 3rd test, where he was named man of the match, it was Boland’s 14th wicket in just his second test.
Despite Australia’s fielders being in catching positions around the bat, Broad and Leach saw out the remaining 10 overs as the fading light meant Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith had to bowl Australia’s final three overs.
As part of his 60 runs in the second innings, Stokes, who has proved to be an immovable object for Australia after his heroics in the 2019 Ashes series in England, hit ten boundaries and a six in the previous session.
Lyon scored the crucial goal when he caught Stokes in two minds about whether to play at or leave the ball. Steve Smith was given a simple opportunity at slip when he did neither. This was Lyon’s ninth wicket of Stokes, including two in this match.
As the clock ticked down, Cummins (2-80) made a breakthrough, lbw Jos Buttler for 11. On-field umpire Paul Reiffel initially rejected the appeal before Cummins referred to the TV umpire, who reversed the decision.
With two balls to go, Cummins struck Wood on the foot with a vicious in-swinging delivery, resulting in a much easier lbw decision for Reiffel to confirm.
Following Bairstow’s catch at bat pad, Boland exposed England’s tail, but Leach and Broad and then Anderson survived despite up to nine fielders in close catching positions. A 60-run partnership between Root and Stokes from 26 overs during the time before tea gave Australia renewed confidence it may be able to get rid of England.
Carey dropped Hameed off Pat Cummins, but Hameed only lasted a few overs longer as he edged through Carey, who took the catch, to give Scott Boland another wicket in his successful test debut. After an hour of play, Lyon (2-28) found a way to break through Malan’s defenses to have England at 74-2.
