Jonny Bairstow broke through for his first Test hundred in Australia and wincing Ben Stokes reeled off a counter-punching half-century to help England recover from another collapse in the fourth Ashes Test in Sydney on Friday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
At the close England were 258 for seven, with Bairstow unbeaten on 103 with eight fours and three sixes, and Jack Leach not-out four to trail Australia by 158 runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Yorkshireman Bairstow screamed with delight after he cut Pat Cummins to the ropes to raise his third Ashes Test century, but first Down Under.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I was relieved and overjoyed," said Bairstow, who received a painful blow on his thumb by a lifter from Australia skipper Cummins.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"My thumb is sore but you're playing in the Ashes and you're going to take blows. It's going to take a lot to remove me from things.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I might get an X-ray on it tomorrow but I reckon I'll still be there in the morning."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Bairstow reached his ton on the third-last ball of the third day for England's first century in this series. He and Stokes led a recovery after England were in dire straits at 36 for four.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
England have already lost the Ashes but they at last showed some fight.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Stokes, grimacing in pain from a side strain picked up while bowling on Thursday, posted his highest score of the series with 66 to share in the rearguard.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Stokes dug deep to club nine fours and a massive six off Nathan Lyon over extra cover but the off-spinner had the last word, trapping Stokes plumb lbw with a skidding delivery to end his brave 91-ball knock.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The all-rounder had a massive slice of luck on 16 when he was given out, only to win a review when replays showed a Cameron Green delivery actually hit the off-stump but the bail somehow was not dislodged.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Stokes shared in a restorative 128-run stand for the fifth wicket with Bairstow to pull England out of the mire.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We're still in a good position even though there is some uncertainty around the weather. I thought it was a good counter-attack from Stokes and Bairstow," Australia vice-captain Steve Smith said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Lusty hitting from Mark Wood gave England further momentum before he was caught by Lyon at backward point off a Cummins lifter for 39 off 41 balls.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Wood pointed to the ball coming off his helmet but in the review 'Snicko' detected a faint top-edge that then deflected off his helmet.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The fightback came after Scott Boland continued his wicket-taking exploits for Australia with more scalps including England skipper Joe Root for a duck as England's batting collapsed again in the morning session.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Boland, who took a stunning 6-7 on his Test debut as man-of-the-match in the third Test in Melbourne, knocked over Zak Crawley's off-stump and then had Root caught in the slips for a seven-ball duck to have the tourists in yet more strife.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
It got worse for England when Dawid Malan was caught by Usman Khawaja at leg slip for three off Green in a trap set up for the catch.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Boland claimed two wickets in his first 19 balls, highlighted by the dismissal of Root, who yet again dabbled outside off-stump and speared a high two-handed catch to Steve Smith at second slip.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Boland has now taken nine wickets in the series at just 8.88. He later went for scans after a fall while bowling just before tea, but was later cleared of a rib injury.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Mitchell Starc took his series tally to 15 wickets when he took out Haseeb Hameed's middle-stump for six with a beautiful delivery.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
It continued a depressing run of outs by the England openers with stands of 0, 23, 7, 4, 4, 7 and 22.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Crawley, dropped on seven, was enjoying a charmed life after a massive reprieve before he had scored late on day two when he was caught by David Warner at slip, only for Starc to be no-balled for over-stepping.<\/p>\r\n\r\n