England complete thrilling chase to keep Ashes alive

England kept their Ashes hopes alive with a sensational victory on day four of the third Test at Headingley. Harry Brook struck a match-winning 75 before Chris Woakes and Mark Wood provided invaluable contributions from the lower order to help England chase down Australia’s target of 251 with just three wickets to spare.

England resumed the fourth morning on 27-0, needing 224 more runs to win their first Ashes Test since 2019. However, it was far from plain sailing for Ben Stokes’ side as Australia struck on the fifth over of the day, with Mitchell Starc trapping Ben Duckett on the shin and the DRS confirming the decision, showing the ball crashing into leg stump.

England displayed their intent by unexpectedly promoting Moeen Ali to number three in place of Harry Brook. However, the plan backfired. The all-rounder lasted just 15 deliveries and was cleaned up by a searing full delivery from Mitchell Starc. Zak Crawley kept the score moving along with a few fours in the first hour but perished while playing a loose drive away from his body against Mitchell Marsh, nicking off to Alex Carey for a well-made 44.

Harry Brook and Joe Root kept the boundaries flowing in the lead up to Lunch but not before Australia prised another previous scalp before the break, with Joe Root strangling one down the leg side off Pat Cummins on 21.

Root departed with England still 120 runs away, and while Harry Brook got the target down to single figures, Mitchell Starc struck a crucial double blow after Lunch to turn the momentum in favour of the visitors. The left-armer had Stokes caught down the leg side and Bairstow chopping onto his stumps off successive overs, leaving England with just four wickets to spare and 80 to get.

Australia troubled Chris Woakes and Harry Brook with the short-ball ploy, but the pair survived a few close shaves and began to find a few boundaries to turn the tide. Woakes raced away to 20 off 30, while Brook got to his half-century off 67 balls. The duo added an invaluable 59 runs for the seventh wicket, putting England on course for victory.

Starc completed his five-wicket haul by removing Brook on 75 with England still 21 shy of the target, but Mark Wood and Chris Woakes took the hosts over the line with some streaky boundaries to keep the series alive heading into the fourth Test in Manchester.