Australia have squandered an ideal probability to ram dwelling their benefit within the third Test at Headingley, letting England again into the Ashes after two poor periods.
On one other pulsating day of this frantic sequence, Australia misplaced 3-22 halfway by means of 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 sequence victory in England in 22 years, Pat Cummins’ males appeared properly on monitor with England crumbling to 7-142 by lunch.
But from there, the day went south for Australia.
Ben Stokes did what Ben Stokes does finest, producing a counter-attacking 80 and hitting 5 sixes in a 50-minute interval after lunch to carry 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 Test and keep within the sequence his innings may very well be seen as virtually as essential.
Then, along with his staff again within the match, regular service was restored.
Stuart Broad was in a position to 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 Test cricket, and the second time in seven balls on this match alone.
But 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 brief midwicket to supply the spinner his 2 hundredth Test scalp.
And when Usman Khawaja was caught behind off Chris Woakes for 43, England had been properly and really again within the match.
Also working within the hosts’ favour is that chasing groups have received the final three Tests 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.
Against an England batting line-up that now seems caught between all-out assault and taking part in extra sensibly, Cummins ran by means of 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 the same high edge earlier in the identical over.
Chris Woakes was additionally caught behind attempting to hook, earlier than Mark Wood hit 24 off eight balls after tea after which grew to become 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 large ball that the Englishman drove exhausting 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.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
