Pat Cummins has opened the door for Australia to take an enormous first-innings lead at Headingley after England seemingly went away from Bazball within the third Ashes Test.
England went to lunch on day two on 7-142 in reply to Australia’s 263, following a Friday morning the place Yorkshire locals Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow each fell cheaply.
Moeen Ali was additionally caught earlier than lunch, changing into Cummins’ fourth sufferer of the innings with Australia’s captain boasting figures of 4-59.
Needing to win the match to remain within the Ashes, England batted by means of their slowest session of the collection after they added 74 runs from 23.1 overs at a price of three.19 an over.
Adding to England’s considerations is an obvious glute damage to Ben Stokes, with the captain requiring treatment on subject earlier than going to lunch unbeaten on 27.
Stokes was additionally lucky to nonetheless be on the crease, surviving a good lbw assessment that ball-tracking confirmed was umpire’s name on affect however was really crashing into center stump.
But the morning nonetheless belonged to Australia, after Cummins broke by means of within the first over below shiny blue skies and in good batting situations.
With England needing their Yorkshiremen to bat by means of the session and push them in the direction of parity, star man Root lasted solely two balls when he edged Cummins to slide on 19.
It was the third time Cummins had efficiently drawn an edge within the innings, after additionally having Harry Brook and Ben Duckett caught behind the wicket on the primary night.
Bairstow’s dismissal, although, was much more disappointing for England.
With the hosts already in bother, he went onerous at a full, vast ball from Mitchell Starc (2-28) and edged it straight to Steve Smith at second slip for 12.
Moeen adopted for 21, skying a pull shot off Cummins after the same top-edge fell into vacant house earlier in the identical over.
And Starc bagged a second proper on lunch, getting a hooking Chris Woakes caught behind for 10 after the allrounder had efficiently pulled Cummins for six within the earlier over.
That left Stokes going to the break needing to hold England as soon as once more with the tail, with the hosts nonetheless 121 runs adrift of Australia’s first-innings complete.
Rain is forecast for the third and fifth days, however the tempo at which the match is transferring means that will not matter.
A draw for Australia will imply they preserve the Ashes, whereas a win at Headingley will guarantee their first collection victory in England since 2001.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
