Ashes 2023: Jonny Bairstow joins THIS elite club after unbeaten 99-run knock in Manchester Test

England’s Jonny Bairstow joined a special but unfortunate club on Friday, July 21 after he scored an unbeaten knock of 99 runs in the fourth Ashes Test. Bairstow, already in news in the Ashes for a controversial dismissal became just the second English player to remain stranded on 99. England are in the driving seat of the fourth Test having taken a 275-run lead at the end of the first innings. Interestingly six batters scored 50-plus runs in the first innings.

Bairstow joins elite club

Batting on Day 2, Bairstow was in a rich form that saw him score his 25th Test fifty in the first session. However, the inability of the tail to hang with Bairstow saw him unable to complete his hundred. With the dismissal of James Anderson on the fourth ball of 108th he became just the second English batter after Geoffrey Boycott to remain unbeaten on 99 in the Ashes.

Players to remain unbeaten on 99 in Tests

1. Geoffrey Boycott vs Australia in 1979
2. Steve Waugh vs England in 1995
3. Alex Tudor vs New Zealand in 1999
4. Shaun Pollock vs Sri Lanka in 2002
5. Andrew Hall vs England in 2003
6. Misbah-Ul-Haq vs West Indies in 2017

England dominate Manchester Test

England have dominated the Manchester Test as they look to gain parity in the Ashes having trailed 1-2 before the Test. Having asked Australia to bat first, the visitors scored 317 in their first innings before Ben Stokes’ team began their dominance. Australia had Marnus Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh to thank with respective fifties as they led the charge while Chris Woakes scalped five wickets while Stuart Broad ended with a couple.

England on the other hand, started their Bazball dominance with Zak Crawley scoring189 in 182 deliveries. He was the only centurion in the innings with five other batters including Bairstow scoring fifties. England were bowled out for 592 as Josh Hazlewood remained the pick of bowlers with five wickets while Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc ended with two wickets each.

At the time of writing, Australia were 78/2 in their second innings as they still trailed England by 197 runs.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE