England stay alive in Ashes with win at Headingley: Takeaways
England beat Australia in the 3rd Test at Headingley, Leeds, to stay alive in the Ashes 2023. A 75-run knock from Harry Brook helped the hosts successfully chase down 251. Chris Woakes and Mark Wood hit the winning runs. England survived the assault from Mitchell Starc, who took a five-wicket haul. Going into the fourth Test, Australia still lead the series 2-1.
The summary of Headingley Test
Australia suffered a top-order collapse after being put to bat. However, Mitchell Marsh's counter-attacking century propelled them past 200 (263/10). Mark Wood took a ferocious fifer. Pat Cummins's stunning six-for tormented England (237). Ben Stokes smashed a 108-ball 80. Australia managed 224 in the second innings, with Travis Head managing 77. Brook delivered for England before Wood and Woakes added the finishing touch.
The Test of comebacks!
Three players - Marsh, Woakes, and Wood - returned to their respective Test sides at Headingley. And each of them proved their mettle. Marsh, playing his first Test in nearly four years, rescued the Aussies in the first innings, having slammed a ton. Woakes swung England to victory with both bat and ball. So did Wood, whose searing balls made headlines throughout the Test.
Wood's searing deliveries
England speedster Wood made his comeback Test memorable by taking a five-wicket haul. He destroyed Australia's batting line-up and grabbed eyeballs for his searing pace. Notably, each of the six deliveries in Wood's first over of the match crossed the 90-MPH mark. He, therefore, bowed the fastest-ever over at Headingley in the format. His express delivery to dismiss Usman Khawaja (1st innings) grabbed eyeballs.
Another match-winner for England
It was Ben Stokes, who took England to a record-breaking victory at Headingley during the 2019 Ashes. Woakes delivered a match-winning knock in the run-chase this time. He smashed an unbeaten 47-ball 32 (4 fours), also adding 59 runs with Brook when England were tottering on 171/6. Woakes also took six wickets in the match. He completed 100 Test wickets in England.
Player battles light up Headingley
England seamer Stuart Broad once again outfoxed Australian opener David Warner, dismissing him in both innings. Broad dismissed Warner for the 17th in Test cricket. Warner knicked one off Broad and was caught in slips. His dismissal was identical in both innings. Similarly, England batter Joe Root fell to Pat Cummins in both innings. Cummins has now deceived Root 11 times in Test cricket.
Wood was phenomenal down the order
Wood also delivered with the bat at Headingley. His 8-ball 24 (1 four and 3 sixes) helped England reduce the deficit in the first innings after they suffered a collapse. During the run-chase, Wood slammed an unbeaten 8-ball 16, thereby receiving the Player-of-The-Match award.
A look at other highlights
Brook, who played a match-winning knock, became the fastest to complete 1,000 Test runs in terms of balls (1,058). Stokes, in the first innings, completed 6,000 runs in the format. Australian seamer Starc took his 14th Test five-wicket haul. Travis Head smashed a valuable 112-ball 77 in the second innings. Cummins (6/91) now has the third-best bowling returns as a skipper in Ashes history
Can England stop Australia in Manchester?
England denied Australia their first Ashes series win in the UK in over two decades. Their last series win in the nation came in July 2001 under Steve Waugh. They won eight back-to-back series between 1989 and 2002 before England broke the deadlock in 2005. Although Australia lead 2-1, the series remains evenly poised at the moment, considering England's incredible effort.
