Rain, Labuschagne hundred hold up England victory push

Australia 317 and 214 for 5 (Labuschagne 111, Wood 3-27) trail England 592 by 61 runs

A gloomy Manchester allowed more cricket than many thought would be possible on the fourth day, but England only managed one wicket in 30 overs in their push to send to the series to a decider as Marnus Labuschagne made his first away Ashes century before falling to Joe Root.

Root was only bowling because the umpires had told Ben Stokes that it was too dark for pace, a decision which did not appear to impress the England captain. However, after initially proving costly as Labuschagne moved towards three figures with a brace of sixes, both Root and Moeen Ali caused problems late in the session with turn and bounce and the former broke through shortly before tea.

That was as far as play got as steady drizzle returned and played was called off shortly before 6.30pm. The forecast for Sunday is bleak, with warnings for heavy rain in place for the northwest of country including Manchester, but England will hold onto the belief that they could still force victory with a small window of opportunity.

The second new ball is nine overs way - although now the umpires have taken a light reading that could become a factor - and Australia are still 61 behind. Were they to get into the lead, that would be another element to take out time. A draw will see them retain the Ashes, taking a 2-1 lead to The Oval where the best England could achieve would be a shared series. Labuschagne's century at least earned Australia the right to take it to the fifth day.

The rain had lashed down during the morning, but the biblical forecast improved as the hours wore on and a gap emerged long enough for the clean-up operation to being and play to start at 2.45pm. However, England struggled to replicate the intensity of the previous evening when Mark Wood had made sizeable inroads, with Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh making relatively comfortable progress.

Labuschagne, who made his first half-century of the series on the opening day, was the more aggressive, taking advantage of anything loose as England's quicks searched for any modicum of assistance with the old ball that, by and large, refused to do much - perhaps hindered by becoming damp over the outfield. Marsh, while playing second fiddle in what became a stand of 103 in 31 overs, did produce one cracking cover drive off Stuart Broad.

England were able to get the ball changed in the 58th over but James Anderson was only able to bowl four deliveries with it before the umpires, Nitin Menon and Joel Wilson, ruled it was getting too dark just as Stokes prepared to bring Wood back into the attack.

He summoned his spinners and there were soon signs that they could be a threat as one delivery from Moeen popped into Marsh's gloves but landed safely. Labuschagne took the positive route, dancing down to Root and twice sending him into the stands as he motored through the 90s.

But, on 93, he had a scare when Root sent down one of his alternative seam-up swinging deliveries which took the outside edge and flew too high and fast for Zak Crawley at slip. In the next over Labuschagne nudged Moeen into the off side and scampered the single that took him to his 11th Test hundred, his first in 24 innings and just his second overseas.

He didn't advance much further, though, as another slingy delivery from Root bounced as Labuschagne attempted to cut and the top edge was well held, after a rebound, by Jonny Bairstow. It was not given on-field by Menon although England reviewed in an instant and Labuschagne immediately indicated he knew he was out, tossing the bat frustratedly in the air.

Four balls later Root nearly had Marsh as well when he pushed with hard hands and got an inside edge that flew low to Harry Brook's left at short leg. Brook could not quite channel Abdullah Shafique and hold on.

England were excited again with the last ball of the session when an uncertain Cameron Green, who looks short on confidence with the bat, lunged forward and the ball ballooned to slip. England reviewed again, but this time there was no inside edge involved before it took the pad. That was the last action of the day. Once again, the two teams were left to nervously watch the weather forecasts.