England made an encouraging start in its reply to Australia’s first innings total of 497.
Rory Burns and skipper Joe Root put on 100 for the third wicket as the host reached 125 for two at tea on the third day of the fourth Ashes Test on Friday.
Heavy rain wiped out the entire morning session at Old Trafford and when play got underway at 1330 local time, England soon lost its night-watchman Craig Overton.
Overton, asked to bat late on Thursday after the loss of opener Joe Denly, was caught by Steve Smith at second slip after edging Josh Hazlewood.
Calm and efficient
That brought Root to the crease and he and Burns batted calmly and efficiently in the extended afternoon session.
Burns brought up his third score of fifty or more in this series with an angled shot to third man off Mitchell Starc that went for four.
England trails by 372 runs with the five-match series standing at 1-1.
