A heavily-disrupted third day of the Third Ashes Test at Headingley provided England with a chance to claw their way back into this contest as they head into Sunday needing 224 runs to bring the series to 2-1 with 10 wickets remaining.
You had to feel for the spectators at Headingley. The rain completely spoiled their day and just when they thought the nightmare was over and that the Third Test would get underway, another shower curtailed the play early after just one over.
Thankfully, the players were back out again around 15 minutes later but everyone was wondering whether or not the extra wait for the day’s action would help or hinder England, who had an opportunity to put a dent in Australia’s second innings. They headed into Saturday trailing by 142 runs and they needed to do everything they could to derail the Aussies from extending their advantage.
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After the crowd had much to boo about for much of the day at Headingley, England gave them something to cheer about as Jonny Bairstow caught out Mitchell Marsh, who had tormented the hosts with his 118-run performance on Thursday. Chris Woakes caught him in two minds with his bowl and he feathered the ball straight into Bairstow’s path.
Woakes was fired up for the action at Headingley and it seems as though the rain delay spurred him on. Not long after helping dispatch of Marsh he bowled out pantomime villain Alex Carey, which got the biggest roar from the crowd as you would imagine.
Captain Pat Cummins and Todd Murphy soon followed to give England some hope for the Test and the overall series. Travis Head scored his 13th Test half-century but he was caught by Ben Duckett mid-wicket for all out, leaving England to require 251 runs to win the Test and keep their Ashes hopes alive. The bowling from Woakes, Mark Wood and Stuart Broad had been most impressive and they helped swing momentum into England’s favour.
Before the third day drew to a close, England recorded 27 runs from Zak Crawley and Duckett, leaving England with 224 runs to win with 10 wickets remaining heading into Sunday. The rain may have disrupted proceedings but England certainly got the better of the action played, and their confidence will be high as they look to pull one back in this Ashes series with optimism for Sunday's resumption of play.
