Ashes 2019 5th Test, England vs Australia Day 3 preview: A day at the crease may seal it for the hosts

England finally came out on top after an entire day’s play, at The Oval. Kumar Dharmasena did rule Rory Burns leg before off the last ball, but Burns got the decision overturned to make sure there was no mishap. He and Joe Denly saw off 4 difficult overs before stumps to finish day on 9 without loss.

England lead by 78 at this stage; if they see through the first session on Day 3, they may win to level the series. The pitch is still firm, and batsmen have got runs once they have played themselves in. The two sub-300 scores have been largely due to some outstanding fast bowling from both sides.

Australia took 31 balls to get Jos Buttler (70) and Jack Leach (21) in the morning as England pushed their score to 294. Mitchell Marsh (5/46) took his first five-wicket haul, while Pat Cummins (3/84) took his series tally to 27 wickets.

Jofra Archer (6/62) then had David Warner (5) and Marcus Harris (3) edging to reduce Australia to 14/2, but once again Marnus Labuschagne (48) and Steven Smith (80) rose to the challenge, adding 69 runs before Archer trapped the former leg-before.

Sam Curran (3/46) then rapped Matthew Wade (19) on the pads before Smith and Marsh (17) took the score to a relatively safe 160/4. Then Marsh hooked Archer to deep fine leg. Soon afterwards, Curran had Tim Paine (1) caught behind and Cummins (0) leg-before off consecutive deliveries.

Smith continued, dominating the bowlers and playing his strokes to precision. He eventually missed a straight ball from Chris Woakes (1/51) to get out LBW. Peter Siddle (18) and Nathan Lyon (25) then added a quick 37 before Archer returned to dismiss both.

Key players

Joe Root (England): Root’s 3 ducks in this series have been so much under scrutiny that his 4 fifties have gone virtually unnoticed. It is time for him to rise to the challenge and bat Australia out of the Test.

Pat Cummins (Australia): Cummins’ 27 wickets are the most from either side in this series. However, he is yet to take 5 in an innings this time, something he will want to make amends to. He is the top-ranked bowler in the world, after all.

Brief scores

England 294 (Jos Buttler 70, Joe Root 57; Mitchell Marsh 5/46, Pat Cummins 2/76) and 9 for no loss (Rory Burns 4*) lead Australia 225 (Steven Smith 80; Jofra Archer 6/62, Sam Curran 3/46) by 78 runs.

Prediction

England to lead by 350 before stumps.