*Official* Third Test (Headingley, Leeds) 6–10 July

[loterry1994]

also really disappointing to see Bairstow costing England a lot of runs with his keeping again

he definitely has to lighten up if he wants to stay keeper I think that’s where half his problems come from. As an outfielder his excellent thought, seen him field well for England and in Ipl before. Plus he runs quick enough

 

[Gob]

Two big chances stand out ..

Travis Head was dropped on 9 by Bairstow , he makes 39 ..

Mitchell Marsh was dropped on 12 by Root , he makes 118 ..

Mitchell Marsh joins Travis Head at the crease at 85/4 and they put on a 150+ run partnership ..

It was easier for England to take those catches than it was for Australia's lower order to face Mark Wood in my opinion.

Yeah. Australia did threw away a position of strength but they already had a competitive total by then

Root take that catch and Aust roll for 150. That's the game

 

[91Jmay]

I mean 6 for 23 isn't just Wood knocking over the tail. Head and Carey were absolutely awful.

 

[Gob]

195 is a lot of runs and Australia are two wickets away from Moeen

I think its absolutely 50 : 50

 

[Gob]

I mean 6 for 23 isn't just Wood knocking over the tail. Head and Carey were absolutely awful.

Head was

Carey did not have much choice there I don't think

 

[chris.hinton]

Well Englands on top

 

[loterry1994]

England slightly ahead but you can’t count out them collapsing also if one wicket falls early tommorow. Their lower order collapsed plenty this series as well

 

[Ashes81]

Another gripping days play.

Another day of missed opportunities for England. 4 dropped catches FFS. Dropped catches cost us the 1st test and if we don't win here, then we've shot ourselves in the foot again.

2 outstanding individual performances from Marsh and Wood.

Marsh was lucky with the dropped catch but his strokeplay was superb and he changed the momentum of the game.

Wood was equally good. He blew away the tail and even the top order looked uneasy. Blistering pace and accurate as well.

If only he could play more. If he had played in the other tests, it would be 1 each now.

Tomorrow we need at least parity and any lead would be a bonus.

 

[Ashes81]

I mean 6 for 23 isn't just Wood knocking over the tail. Head and Carey were absolutely awful.

Khawaja as well. No way he plays that shot if Robinson was bowling.

Pace does that - it gets even the best batsmen out of their comfort zone and they often play uncharacteristic shots

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Well Englands on top

You may have a point Chris ...
Root , Bairstow and Stokes have excellent records at Headingley..

Joe Root 661 runs in 16 innings @ 47.21,
Jonny Bairstow 574 runs in 12 innings @63.77
Ben Stokes 366 runs in 8 innings @ 52.88

6 Test Hundreds between them at this ground so this middle order knows what it's like to score runs here , especially Root and Bairstow being from Yorkshire.

 

[CartyDurham]

It Australia are batting again tomorrow then they will win this match

personally I feel england will go over 300 on this pitch v this attack

 

[hazsa19]

It’s finely poised. Early wickets Australia on top. Couple of partnerships England on top.

Unfortunately finely poised isn’t what we need at this stage of the series. We had a chance to roll them and get batting mid afternoon. So so wasteful.

 

[loterry1994]

Is there actually a decent chance of a draw this game? I know there’s rain about but there was also rain about the 1st test and it wasn’t anywhere close to a draw.

the betting odds for the draw just keep increasing. I just really can’t see it happening unless we get two and a half full days of rain

 

[kevinw]

Khawaja as well. No way he plays that shot if Robinson was bowling.

Pace does that - it gets even the best batsmen out of their comfort zone and they often play uncharacteristic shots

I had a look at Robinson's stats in the last year. I thought maybe he'd dropped off after an amazing start, but no, his record is the same as his career record. Would be surprised if he plays another twenty tests though.

 

[91Jmay]

Is there actually a decent chance of a draw this game? I know there’s rain about but there was also rain about the 1st test and it wasn’t anywhere close to a draw.

the betting odds for the draw just keep increasing. I just really can’t see it happening unless we get two and a half full days of rain

We'll lose probably a day and a half of overs i'd imagine but the game could move on very quickly tomorrow rendering it moot.

 

[Anil]

I mentioned after the first session or so that I feel 250 is par. They got a bit more. I also felt losing 2 in that little session would have been par. England lost 3. I am not sure how I can explain that. As a rule of thumb, I tend to think if you are put-in in SENA conditions, and you make more than 200, you have done well. On this outfield and track, I felt that should be stretched to about 250.

Got it thanks, missed your earlier comments, makes sense where you are coming from now. I just think if at least two of England's big guns fire tomorrow, they will be well and truly in the driver's seat, just saw a stat from Kenneth that all three of them have excellent records at this ground...

 

[loterry1994]

We'll lose probably a day and a half of overs i'd imagine but the game could move on very quickly tomorrow rendering it moot.

I can see another massive amount of wickets falling tommorow

 

[loterry1994]

Got it thanks, missed your earlier comments, makes sense where you are coming from now. I just think if at least two of England's big guns fire tomorrow, they will be well and truly in the driver's seat, just saw a stat from Kenneth that all three of them have excellent records at this ground...

these Aus bowlers have been on fire recently as well though and have taken most the big moments when it’s been at a stalemate more the series

 

[CartyDurham]

these Aus bowlers have been on fire recently as well though

Boland was blasted around the park at edgbaston and marsh has barely played . The spinner hasn’t bowled a ball

I’ll give you Cummins and starc

 

[loterry1994]

Boland was blasted around the park at edgbaston and marsh has barely played . The spinner hasn’t bowled a ball

I’ll give you Cummins and starc

apart from that first innings the first test where England declared. Yes aus did get smashed at a decent rate but they have found ways to reduce the totals to put them in winning positions. It’s already started this innings as well you can say yeah England are always 3 down. But guys like duckett and Brook have had good scores in different innings but today but.

if your an England fan your definitely not comfortable about this position at all