Tale of two captains as series 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 Take a look at at Headingley on one other day of Ashes cricket in fast-forward. They weren’t at their scientific greatest in Leeds in opposition to a flagging England aspect, but may 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, dropping 4 wickets within the morning – three of them to aggressive pictures, regardless of their slowest-scoring session of the collection.

However 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, trying 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 in need of a great size, with a good sufficient line to attract Root right into a shot, tentatively steering to Warner at slip.

It was a great 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 Take a look at 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 fighting an obvious hip harm for which he acquired remedy, however dug deep in defence. Moeen saved 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 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, hitting Starc for 3 consecutive boundaries as he sensed the second to assault. When Broad heaved Cummins to lengthy leg – the place Smith took a superb catch, diving to his proper – Stokes went even tougher, 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 finally fell on the lookout 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, large on the crease, angling the ball in then nipping it away off the seam to seek out his exterior 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 aspect of tea introduced Australia a possibility to take management of the sport, in opposition to an England assault nonetheless lacking Ollie Robinson because of the again spasm he suffered on the primary afternoon; when Labuschagne was dropped down the leg aspect by Bairstow off Wooden, it felt like a major second.

However 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 dad or mum for just a few extra throw-downs as he sullenly dragged himself again to the dressing room.

And Australia’s different middle-order banker fell quickly after. Smith, enjoying his one centesimal Take a look at, charged down the pitch to Moeen, trying to get his innings up and operating by swiping him over midwicket however skewed a half-volley straight to Ben Duckett at brief midwicket. “See ya, Smudge,” Bairstow stated with a smile, incomes a glare from Smith on his means off.

Wooden hit Khawaja with a bouncer shortly earlier than drinks and he fell quickly after, edging by 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.