England vs Australia, 3rd Test - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Series: The Ashes, 2023 Venue: Headingley, Leeds Date & Time: Jul 06-Jul 0911:00 AM LOCAL
Starc rattled England with a five-fer but his efforts went in vain.
Starc rattled England with a five-fer but his efforts went in vain. © AFP

**Stats**

Fifth successive win for England at Headingley starting since 2018. There are two other sequences of more consecutive wins at a venue for them - six each at Chester-le-Street (2003-16) and at Headingley (1956-62)

Most succesful 250+ chases at a venue

  • 7 at MCG

  • 6 at Headingley

  • 4 at SCG

  • 3 each at Kingsmead, Queen's Park Oval, Lord's, Edgbaston

England win a thriller

Mark Wood and Chris Woakes, the two men who were brought back into the XI for this game get the job done for England. The crowd go absolutely berserk. Headingley has witnessed another classic after the 2019 Test. Wood cracked a six and a four and Woakes finished the game with another four. What a finish!! What a Test match!! The Ashes is well and truly alive.

A twist?

Wow, now how many of you saw this coming? Starc has come into the attack and struck straightaway. And he gets the big wicket of Brook. He wanted to take on a short ball from Starc and mistimed it completely as Cummins completed the catch. England still need 21 to win this Test. Thrilling stuff.

Last throw of the dice?

Pat Cummins has turned to Mitchell Starc for one last time in this Test match. It was Starc who kept Australia in the hunt with four wickets today and he does the knack to run through sides. Can he deliver something here? England need just 23 more runs to win.

England favourites

This is terrific stuff. Harry Brook and Chris Woakes have turned this game around once again. They have added 50 off just 62 balls and England now need only 30. Surely, they should get the job done from here?

Target below 50 now

Got to set yourself small small targets in such tight run chases. And going by that, this is a huge moment in the game for England confidence wise. Woakes has scored some crucial runs and Brook is looking confident. They have added 31 already and the target is now less than 50. That's a psychological advantage. Australia need a breakthrough.

50 for Harry

It's been a fine innings. It's been a typical Brook innings. He has scored runs at a high pace and gets to fifty. He also went past 1000 Test runs today and became the fastest in terms of balls to get to that landmark. England need 60 to win now. They need Brook to stay.

Bairstow vs Starc in Tests

Innings 23 - Runs 162 - Avg 14.72 - 11 dismissals

Self destruction

We have seen him run through sides in limited-overs cricket over the years but Starc is now doing it in Test cricket as well. Two early wickets in the day to rock England and now two more wickets after lunch to completely put Australia on top of this Test match. This is crazy stuff. England are just gifting their wickets. This was bowled wide by Starc and Bairstow chases it, only to get an inside edge that rattles the stumps. England still need 80. They need something special from Harry Brook and Chris Woakes.

Soft dismissal

England are in deep trouble. And they have brought this upon themselves. First it was Joe Root and now Ben Stokes has been dismissed in tame fashion. This was angled down leg from Starc and Stokes wants to just tuck it on the leg side but gets a faint edge through to the keeper. Very unfortunate and he doesn't even bother reviewing. Lucky breakthrough for Australia and England still need 90 more runs. Bairstow walks out.

Lunch - England still need 98

England will happy with the amount of runs they managed to score. They have brought down the equation to 98 required now and they have ample time to get the job done. However, Australia are not out of this yet having picked up four wickets in this absorbing morning session. One quick wicket post lunch will tilt the game in their favour for sure. One way or the other, this Test is likely to reach its end in this session post the lunch break.

Massive wicket

This is a huge moment in the game. Just when England appeared to be in control of the game, Australia have hit back again. Root will be gutted. This was a nothing delivery. It was short but on a good height and was going down too. Root tried to pull it but gets a faint tickle through to the keeper. England are four down. Headingley roars though as they see Ben Stokes walking out.

A nice little partnership

Harry Brook has fetched a few boundaries and suddenly the momentum is shifting again. It's been a pulsating contest so far but given the target is just 251, Australia will have to keep chipping away in order to remain in control. Brook has raced to 27.

Australia keep fighting

Crawley just hammered Marsh through covers for a wonderful boundary but he dragged the length back a bit next ball and got the red cherry to shape away from the right hander to take his outside edge. England are now three down. Australia keep chipping away. This is turning out to be an absorbing contest.

The promotion fails

England sent in Moeen Ali at No.3 to surprise Australia but the move has backfired. Moeen lasted only 14 deliveries and has been cleaned up by Starc. This was a on a good length that came back a bit after pitching to clatter into the stumps. England are 60/2. They need 191 more. Joe Root is the new man in.

England lose an early wicket

They added 15 runs but Ben Duckett looked a bit susceptible. And he is gone eventually. He was a long way across the stumps and got hit on the pad by a delivery from Starc. The finger went up immediately but Duckett opts to challenge the decision. There is no inside edge and the ball is hitting the leg stump so he has to go. England also lose a review.

Build up

We had just two hours of play yesterday. But that was all more than enough for England to take control of the Test match. Rain kept us all frustrating but with time not being an issue, we knew it wouldn't have a say in the final outcome. England now have all the time in the world to get the job done. Their bowlers were superb yesterday after play finally got underway in the final session. The dangerman Mitchell Marsh fell early and then the likes of Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins didn't make significant contributions as well.

Eventually, it came down to a top innings from Travis Head to help Australia post a fighting total. They finished exactly with a lead of 250. England have already knocked off 27 runs by stumps and now need 224 runs today with all ten wickets intact. They are the favourites without a doubt. But if the conditions do favour the pacers, do not count out Australia. If they can make early inroads, we are in for a cracking finish to this Test match today.

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