Tony Jones: Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith star on wet and wild Manchester day
While the Australians might yet leave Manchester with the Ashes retained, there's little likelihood they'll leave here with sunburn.
Although the start of this Ashes Test had Old Trafford bathed in sunshine, it was simply too good to last.
And nor did it.
Almost on cue, as forecasters had been warning, the rain and wild winds rolled in at around 2pm.
Some spectators scurried for cover, others surrendered and, with a stiff upper lip, stayed put in their seats, battered by the driving rain.
It's one thing to be stoic, it's another to be just plain silly.
Steve Smith's extraordinary shot to reach his half-century at Old Trafford. Getty
The players had already headed to the rooms but there was still much in the way of activity on the field, namely ground staff battling the ferocious winds as they tried to put the covers in place.
Even when play resumed, the elements tormented the players.
"I've probably never played in conditions so windy before," Marnus Labuschagne said, after play was aborted by a further band of rain.
Labuschagne and Steve Smith were doing their utmost to forge an innings-restoring partnership, but their concentration levels were tested by the litany of debris which was hurtling across the pitch.
Labuschagne at one point chased a cheeky chip packet, while Smith dispatched a beach ball to the boundary. Not quite his best shot of the day in his unbeaten knock of 60, but not far off it.
Steve Smith was seeing them like beach balls at Old Trafford. Getty
The biggest issue though was the bails constantly being blown off.
"Never played in a game where there were no bails, so that was unbelievable," Labuschagne said.
Marnus Labuschagne and Jonny Bairstow fix the bails at a windy Old Trafford. Getty
But while the issue with the bails would prove a distraction for most players, Labuschagne turned it into an advantage.
"Maybe between balls it's actually quite a nice distraction because your mind is thinking about something relevant here," Labuschagne told Nine News.
Marnus Labuschagne celebrates his 50 at Old Trafford. Getty
If the conditions were a first (or a worst) for Labuschagne, there was another career-first for the South African-born Queenslander.
Never before, in any form of cricket, had he batted with Steve Smith.
"It was really fun, but our job's not done. We've got to make sure we put a big first innings score on the board," Labuschagne said.
Unfortunately for Labuschagne, it'll be left to others to push the scoring along. He was bowled for 67.
His stay at the crease was yet another signal that the 25 year-old, who got his chance in this series by subbing for Smith at Lord's, is very much the future of Australian cricket.
He's a breath of fresh air ... unlike the unrelenting gales that wreaked havoc on Old Trafford today.
