Ashes 2019 3rd Test, England vs Australia Day 3 preview: Australia on top after topsy-turvy day

Marnus Labuschagne had fallen 5 balls before stumps on Day 1 at Headingley. He was again there when stumps were called on Day 2, on 53, his second fifty of the Test, along with James Pattinson, on 2*. Australia finished the day on 171/6; their lead has now swelled to 283.

Before that, England were shot out for 67 in 27.5 overs – their lowest ever score at Headingley – by Josh Hazlewood (5/30), Pat Cummins (3/23), and Pattinson (2/9). Joe Denly (12) was the only England batsman to reach double figures. Tim Paine held 4 catches and David Warner 4 more in the slips, which meant that eight of the English wickets fell to edges.

Hazlewood started the carnage, picking up Jason Roy and Joe Root (who got his second consecutive duck) in the space of 3 balls. Cummins, at least as aggressive at the other end, claimed Rory Burns. A Pattinson double-strike followed, and England, in tatters at this stage, never recovered.

England hit back. Stuart Broad (2/34) got David Warner for the fourth time in the series, for a duck, while both Marcus Harris and Usman Khawaja fell after some consolidation. At 52/3 – a lead of 164 – England might have sniffed a chance, but Labuschagne stood firm, adding 45 with Travis Head and 57 with Matthew Wade. Ben Stokes bowled his heart out, dismissing both Head and Wade, but it was not enough.

Key players

Ben Stokes (England): Stokes had got Labuschagne in the first innings and has been England’s best bowler in the second. He also bowls well at tail-enders, so England will expect him to polish things off quickly – and play one of those series-defining innings.

Josh Hazlewood (Australia): Eclipsed by Cummins at Lord’s, Hazlewood finally came to his own here, sticking to a perfect length and an off-stump line, inducing edges throughout his spell. He is definitely looking forward to replicating the first-innings effort.

Brief scores

Australia 179 (Marnus Labuschagne 74, David Warner 61; Jofra Archer 6/45) and 171/6 (Marnus Labuschagne 53*; Ben Stokes 2/33) lead England 67 (Joe Denly 12; Josh Hazlewood 5/30, Pat Cummins 3/23) by 283 runs.

Prediction

Australia to set England about 350 and claim 5 wickets before stumps.