Fourth Ashes Test | Jonny Bairstow century highlights ‘Pink’ day 3

At stumps, Bairstow was 103 not out and Jack Leach was on four, with England trailing Australia by 158 runs.

A brave century by Jonny Bairstow and a half-century for Ben Stokes helped England claw its way back to 258-7 after a terrible start to the third day of the fourth Ashes test Friday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Bairstow scored the tourists’ first century in its seventh innings this series to headline a day where England had slumped to 36-4 by lunch before its middle order counterattacked to help England get back into the match on another rain-affected day at the SCG.

In clear pain after being struck on the thumb by a Pat Cummins delivery and with partners running out, Bairstow began attacking at nearly every ball and brought up a deserved century from 138 balls with 12 boundaries and three sixes moments before stumps by slashing a Cummins delivery for four.