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Australia have squandered an ideal probability to ram house their benefit within the third Take a look at at Headingley, letting England again into the Ashes after two poor periods.
On one other pulsating day of this frantic collection, Australia misplaced 3-22 halfway by the night session on Friday to go to stumps on day two at 4-116 and with a lead of 142.
With a win sufficient to safe Australia their first Ashes collection victory in England in 22 years, Pat Cummins’ males regarded effectively on monitor with England crumbling to 7-142 by lunch.
However from there, the day went south for Australia.
Ben Stokes did what Ben Stokes does greatest, producing a counter-attacking 80 and hitting 5 sixes in a 50-minute interval after lunch to elevate England to 257 and a deficit of 26.
Stokes smashed his most memorable innings at Headingley in opposition to Australia 4 years in the past.
And whereas he didn’t attain three figures on Friday, if England are to win this third Take a look at and keep within the collection his innings might be considered as nearly as essential.
Then, together with his group again within the match, regular service was restored.
Stuart Broad was capable of dismiss David Warner within the first over of Australia’s innings, drawing his edge with one which angled in on the left-hander.
It marked the seventeenth time Broad has claimed Warner’s wicket in Take a look at cricket, and the second time in seven balls on this match alone.
However there was one other sting within the tail after Australia fought again to 1-68.
Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed when he swept Moeen Ali straight to a person on the legside boundary when he went aerial off the spinner on 33.
Steve Smith additionally got here and went in fast style, flicking Moeen straight to a person at quick midwicket to supply the spinner his two hundredth Take a look at scalp.
And when Usman Khawaja was caught behind off Chris Woakes for 43, England have been effectively and actually again within the match.
Additionally working within the hosts’ favour is that chasing groups have received the final three Checks to go to a fourth innings at Headingley, with pursuits of 296, 362 and 322.
Australia’s predicament got here regardless of the lion-hearted efforts of Cummins, who claimed 6-91 for his aspect.
Towards an England batting line-up that now seems caught between all-out assault and taking part in extra sensibly, Cummins ran by the hosts on Friday morning.
After eradicating Harry Brook and Ben Duckett on Thursday night, Cummins had Joe Root edging within the first over the day.
Moeen additionally fell to him when he inexplicably skied a pull shot, regardless of solely surviving an analogous prime edge earlier in the identical over.
Chris Woakes was additionally caught behind attempting to hook, earlier than Mark Wooden hit 24 off eight balls after tea after which turned Cummins’ fifth sufferer.
Australia’s captain additionally had Broad neatly caught within the deep by Smith for seven, earlier than Smith took his fifth catch within the innings when he pouched Stokes.
Mitchell Starc additionally completed with 2-59, getting the wicket of Jonny Bairstow with a full and extensive ball that the Englishman drove laborious at and edged to the slips.
Todd Murphy additionally bagged Stokes as his first Ashes wicket when he had him caught within the deep, after withstanding an onslaught from the England captain after tea.
-AAP