Story of two captains as collection sits on a knife edge

Australia 263 and 116 for 4 lead England 237 (Stokes 80, Cummins 6-91) by 142 runs

Australia retained their slender benefit within the third Test at Headingley on one other day of Ashes cricket in fast-forward. They weren’t at their medical finest in Leeds in opposition to a flagging England facet, but might nonetheless clinch the urn this weekend.

Stokes had resumed after lunch unbeaten on 27 as England struggled to discover a center floor between assault and defence, shedding 4 wickets within the morning – three of them to aggressive pictures, regardless of their slowest-scoring session of the collection.

But Stokes and England shifted gears after the break, including 95 runs in 62 balls for the lack of their ultimate three wickets, in a frenzied hour within the Leeds sunshine. Stokes was the final man out, seeking to hit Todd Murphy for his sixth six, however his 80 dragged England to a deficit of solely 26.

Cummins struck with the second ball of the day, dismissing Joe Root for the tenth time. He discovered some additional bounce from simply wanting a very good size, with a good sufficient line to attract Root right into a shot, tentatively steering to Warner at slip.

It was a very good ball, sure, however a tame finish – one which additional vindicated the intent behind the reverse-scoop that he tried firstly of the fourth morning of the primary Test in Birmingham. Jonny Bairstow adopted quickly after, chasing a large half-volley from Mitchell Starc and flashing to second slip.

Stokes performed inside himself, clearly battling an obvious hip damage for which he acquired remedy, however dug deep in defence. Moeen stored him firm throughout a partnership price 44, however his dismissal – caught within the deep after a second successive top-edged hook – uncovered a well-known failing in opposition to the brief ball.

Woakes fell to the identical shot, top-edging a pull by means of to Alex Carey within the ultimate over earlier than lunch having earlier swiped Cummins over midwicket for six. England scored at 3.19 an over throughout the morning session, including 74 runs for the lack of 4 wickets. Headingley was subdued.

Stokes continued to battle by means of, hitting Starc for 3 consecutive boundaries as he sensed the second to assault. When Broad heaved Cummins to lengthy leg – the place Smith took an excellent catch, diving to his proper – Stokes went even more durable, thumping Murphy again over his head for back-to-back sixes.

He repeated the trick an over later, with one straight hit and a slog-sweep over sq. leg, and ultimately fell searching for a 3rd pair of back-to-back sixes, slog-sweeping the primary earlier than dragging the second down Smith’s throat at long-on.

Broad’s dismissal of Warner was trademark: across the wicket, vast on the crease, angling the ball in then nipping it away off the seam to search out his outdoors edge. Zak Crawley held on at second slip, and Labuschagne regarded skittish early in his innings at No. 3.

His partnership with the unflustered Khawaja both facet of tea offered Australia a chance to take management of the sport, in opposition to an England assault nonetheless lacking Ollie Robinson as a result of again spasm he suffered on the primary afternoon; when Labuschagne was dropped down the leg facet by Bairstow off Wood, it felt like a big second.

But inexplicably, he provided one other likelihood to the very subsequent ball he confronted. Getting down to brush Moeen, Labuschagne top-edged straight to Harry Brook on the sq. leg boundary; he resembled a baby making an attempt to persuade a guardian for a couple of extra throw-downs as he sullenly dragged himself again to the dressing room.

And Australia’s different middle-order banker fell quickly after. Smith, taking part in his a hundredth Test, charged down the pitch to Moeen, seeking to get his innings up and working by swiping him over midwicket however skewed a half-volley straight to Ben Duckett at brief midwicket. “See ya, Smudge,” Bairstow mentioned with a smile, incomes a glare from Smith on his method off.

Wood hit Khawaja with a bouncer shortly earlier than drinks and he fell quickly after, edging by means of to Bairstow as Woakes angled one throughout him. Head and Marsh reached stumps unscathed and with Australia again forward of the sport, however with none actual semblance of dominance heading into the center day of the collection.