Australia VS England Test Series
3rd Test Played at Headingley, Leeds England
Australia 1st Innings 263 All Out (Mitchel Marsh 118, Travis Head 39, Mark Wood 5/34, Chris Woakes 3/73, Stuart Broad 2/58)
Australia 2nd innings 116/4 (Usman Khawaja 43, Marnus Labuschagne 33, Moeen Ali 2/34)
England 1st Innings 237 All Out (Ben Stokes 80, Jack Crawley 33, Pat Cummins 6/91, Mitchell Starc 2/39)
Australia leads by 142 runs with 6 second innings wickets at hand.
Australia leads the series 2-0.
Australia taking a lead of 2-0 after two tests of nail-biting fascinating contests, now leads their traditional rival England by 142 runs at stumps of day-2 at Headingley in the do-or-die match for the home team.
Kangaroos have 6-second innings wickets at hand to post a challenging target as rain interruption is in the forecast for all the remaining three days. England appearing with a changed bowling attack restricted Australia to 263 all out in the first innings as Mark Wood, bowling at a furious pace excelled taking 5/34. Another pacer Chris Woakes also bowled well taking 3/73. For the Australians, Mitchel Marsh coming into the side in place of injured Cameroon Green rescued the Aussies from total disarray blasting 118. But Australia also responded with fire for fire.
Aussie Captain Pat Cummins did the same as Wood did to Australia. His consistent fast bowling ripped out the English batting, reducing them to 8/167. Captain courageous Ben Stokes again playing a swashbuckling counter attacking innings of 80 could close the difference to only 26. Cummins took 6/91. Ben Stokes ignoring his leg strain blasted 6 fours and 5 sixes in his flamboyant style counter attacking barrage of fast short bowling of Australian pacers. His brave batting only narrowed the difference keeping England in the contest. One must not fail to appreciate the courage of the Australian Captain gambling with rookie spinner Todd Murphy against blaster Stokes who ultimately was caught in the deep by Smith off the bowling of Murphy. Smith took as many as 5 catches in the innings.
This test series has grown into a contest of pacers bowling short aiming at the rib cage of opposition batsmen. Australia, in the second innings, also looked struggling. However, at stumps of day two scoring 116/4 they lead the home team by 142. On this surface, chasing anything above 250 will be highly challenging. First innings hero Mitchel Marsh (17*) and Travis Head (18*) were at the wicket when the stumps were drawn.
Australia’s win will mean their defending Ashes getting up to 3-0, which England will do everything possible to defend. But Robinson and Stokes both have injuries and the English attack is handicapped with them unable to bowl. But overall, despite having the edge of the Australians, this test series is witnessing a fascinating contest of the willow and the leather. The first two tests went down to the wire and the third is also being evenly contested.
BDST: 0930 HRS, JULY 08, 2023
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