Ashes 2023, 4th Test: England lose Ben Duckett in reply to Australia's 317 at lunch

Ben Duckett (Pic: AFP)

Ashes 2023, 4th Test: England lost opener Ben Duckett early in the game as they began their innings in reply to Australia's 317 all out on the second morning of the fourth Ashes test at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Duckett went after fast bowler Mitchell Starc well outside off stump and feathered an edge behind on 1 at 9-1 in the third over.

Fellow opener Zac Crawley rode his luck to reach lunch on 26 with fill-in No. 3 Moeen Ali on 31. England was 61-1.

Crawley edged Josh Hazlewood on 12 but the ball fell short of first slip David Warner, and he was given out on 20 after he was pinned on the pads by Cameron Green. But Crawley reviewed successfully, as the ball was missing leg stump by a whisker.

Ali looked much more comfortable. He hit a couple of boundaries off a loose

Hazlewood over and sent two consecutive Pat Cummins deliveries to the fence, passing 3,000 test runs in the process.

Australia's first innings resumed on 299-8 and lasted 18 more runs and 7.2 overs.

Cummins was out to the first ball of the day, driving James Anderson straight to Stuart Broad at cover point. Anderson's first wicket of the innings ensured all five England bowlers took one at least.

Cummins was out for 1.

His replacement, Hazlewood, should have been out caught for 1, too, and the innings wrapped up on 300 but Chris Woakes over-stepped.

Also Read: Ashes 2023: Woakes, Broad help England take opening day honours over Australia

Woakes got him on 4 with an edge to the slips. Woakes' 5-62 earned his first five-for against Australia.

Starc was left unbeaten on 36.

Brief Scores

Australia first innings: 317 all out in 90.2 overs (Mitchell Marsh 51, Marnus Labuschagne 51; Chris Woakes 5/62)

England first innings: 61/1 at lunch

(With AP inputs)