Ashes 2017/18: 3rd Test, day 4, 5 things we learnt from the day

England had a great start to the day with James Anderson sending back Mitchell Marsh and Steven Smith early on but Tim Paine and Pat Cummins piled on the agony with a 93-run stand for the eighth wicket. It gave Smith a massive lead before he decided to send England in to bat a second time.

Josh Hazlewood then worked over Mark Stoneman and Alastair Cook to put England in complete misery. James Vince counter-attacked but Joe Root fell too and Mitchell Starc sent the former on his way to reduce England's hopes.

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Rain, though,saved them from further blushes but it looks rather unlikely that there won't be an Ashes winner by tomorrow.

#5 Anderson starts with a bang

James Anderson picked up two early in the day

Any hopes of Mitchell Marsh and Steven Smith continuing in the same manner was thwarted in the second ball of the day as James Anderson targeted the cracks and had Marsh trapped in front of the stumps for his overnight score of 181. Steven Smith was next as the England seamer landed yet another one in the right area and moved it away a touch to catch Smith off-guard.

All through day 3, England bowlers had failed to get into the right rhythm and never bothered to try anything different either. But Anderson on day 4 found that there was enough purchase on the wicket to trouble the batsman provided you landed the ball in the right channel. He added the wickets of Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon later in the innings to finish with four.

#4 Paine and Cummins adds to visitor's woes

Tim Paine made an unbeaten 49

After the menacing 301 stand between Smith and Marsh, Tim Paine and Pat Cummins added to England's worries with a brilliant 93-run stand that hammered down the visitor's hopes for staging a late fightback. Cummins once again proved that he was no mug with the bat while Paine played the anchor role.

Initially the pair were in no hurry to get things moving with the lead growing but as they got settled in, Cummins started unleashing his shots. Paine remained composed as ever and in no time the duo had thwarted England's last hopes.

#3 Cook's horrible run continues

Alastair Cook has been in poor touch in the series

Alastair Cook has been a forlorn figure in England's campaign so far. The rigidity, sturdiness and temperament he is generally known for has been sorely lacking in this series. While his tendency to hang back has been a major concern against Mitchell Starc, his downfall in the second innings came off a poor shot.

With Hazlewood zooming in on a full-ish length and seaming the ball, Cook couldn't quite control his flicks and eventually a leading edge was pouched safely by Josh Hazlewood. In his last 10 innings, the former skipper has averaged just 14 and there are rumors going around about an imminent retirement.

#2 Vince delights, then falls to a peach

James Vince looked in ominous touch

England's No.3 debate is in a see-saw battle, with James Vince delighting in parts and succumbing just as brilliantly. On Sunday, the No.3 once again appeared in pristine form, playing some audacious shots en route a fine half-century.

While Cook and Root perished, Vince barely looked troubled as he punished anything full from the Aussie seamers. It took a stunning delivery from Mitchell Starc to end his stay at the crease. The left-arm seamer came around the wicket, angled one into the right-hander and it seamed away to take out his off-stump.

#1 England hope rain can save them

More than twenty overs were lost owing to rain

England's sole hope in saving this Test lies on rain. They were in a dominant position at the end of day 1 but Australia hammered them into submission the next two days with the 301 stand between Steven Smith and Mitchell Marsh proving to be too hot for the English to handle.

Left with a deficit of 259, they lost Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman and Joe Root rather early but stayed afloat courtesy a flamboyant James Vince. Mitchell Starc, though, ended that innings with a terrific delivery and England could go only one way from there.

Eventually, rain came to their rescue and they would hope that it continues all through day 5 if they need to save this Test.