Ashes: Rain stops play as Smith marks return from concussion with fifty

Rain played spoilsport in the fourth Test of the Ashes series at Old Trafford in Manchester, with only 44 overs being possible on day one.

Play had to be abandoned after a delayed tea, as the ground was too wet for the players to take the field. Australia's Steve Smith, playing his first Test since his concussion, shone in an otherwise dull day, with an unbeaten 60. Australia were 170/3, having chosen to bat after winning the toss. Travis Head (18*) is the other batsman at the crease.

It was Smith's fourth fifty of the series as he extended his Ashes run-spree against England on Wednesday.

The former captain missed England's dramatic one-wicket win in the third Test at Headingley as he was rested after being felled by a bouncer from paceman Jofra Archer in the drawn second match of the series at Lord's.

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Smith came in with Australia in trouble—Stuart Broad's double strike, which included David Warner's dismissal for a duck and Marcus Harris (13), reducing the visitors to 28/2.

He reached his fifty with his seventh four in 81 balls when he extravagantly cover-drove all-rounder Ben Stokes with a shot that saw the batsman end up on his knees.

Marnus Labuschagne, who has made four successive Test fifties since coming in as Smith's concussion substitute in the second Test, was bowled by seamer Jamie Overton in the following over for 67, to leave Australia 144/3.

Smith, who this week returned to the top of the world Test batting rankings, is playing in his first series at this level since completing a 12-month ban for ball-tampering.

The 30-year-old former Australia captain scored 144 and 142 in his side's 251-run win in the first Test at Edgbaston before making 92 at Lord's.

The five-match series is all square at 1-1.

(With PTI inputs)