Australia all out for 263 as Wooden takes 5-34
By:
Pramod Thomas
ON one other sensational day of Ashes motion, the pendulum swinging this manner and that, it was tough to name who had the benefit as England completed day one of many pivotal third Check on 68-3, having bowled Australia out for 263 at Headingley.
Thursday’s (6) motion had all the pieces. A boisterous crowd eager to let their emotions be recognized that they nonetheless really feel wronged from a controversial second check at Lord’s, missed probabilities, returning heroes, huge hitting, an excellent century and 13 wickets.
Nevertheless it stays anybody’s sport as England path by 195 runs.
Forgotten man Mitchell Marsh’s hundred had dragged the vacationers again into the competition after that they had been struggling on 85-4, earlier than a blistering spell of bowling from Mark Wooden (5-34) had the group off their seats.
Wooden’s first worldwide five-wicket haul in England, on his first look within the format this yr, helped the hosts take the ultimate six Australian wickets for 23 runs.
At that time, England within the ascendancy in a match they should win to stop Australia retaining the Ashes with two video games to spare.
Nonetheless, the dismissals of each openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, together with new quantity three Harry Brook, earlier than the shut of play left the hosts feeling like that they had missed one other alternative on this tightly-contested collection.
“It’s a particular feeling, to get 5 wickets,” Wooden stated. “I used to be chomping on the bit to get going.
“I used to be most happy I used to be in a position to transfer the ball and that’s what received me the wickets in the present day. The highest gamers on the planet play quick balls effectively, so I believe it’s that motion that made the distinction.
“The partnership that Marsh and Travis Head had dragged them again into it but when the solar is out tomorrow and we will bat effectively we will get it again in our favour.”
Again from damage, Wooden confirmed no rustiness in a hostile first spell, the place he took the wicket of Usman Khawaja (13) with a 95 mph ball that broke the stump.
Stuart Broad already had David Warner’s quantity for the sixteenth time in his check profession, discovering the opener’s edge within the first over to ship him packing for 4 runs earlier than Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne (21), who has struggled to seek out his greatest kind, fell.
The important thing wicket of Steve Smith (22) earlier than lunch had England firmly in command however Marsh, enjoying in first check for Australia since 2019 rather than the injured Cameron Inexperienced, got here in from the chilly to place the vacationers within the driving seat as soon as extra.
His third check century, all of which have come in opposition to England, in a 155-run partnership with Travis Head, left the famously feisty Western Terrace stand flat, earlier than Marsh (118) was caught within the remaining over earlier than tea.
Marsh was dropped on 12, considered one of 5 good probabilities put down by England, however Wooden’s remaining spell, the place he took 4 wickets for 5 runs from 16 balls once more shifted the momentum within the hosts’ favour.
Bowling out captain Pat Cummins and forcing wicketkeeper Alex Carey right into a hook shot that was caught happy the group, who haven’t forgotten the function each performed within the controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow within the second check at Lord’s, an incident England insisted was not within the “spirit of the sport”.
Regardless of his each contact of the ball being booed, Cummins remained undeterred, taking the wickets of opener Duckett (2) and Brook (3) early within the England innings earlier than Crawley (33) gave all-rounder Marsh his first wicket of the sport.
Native lads Joe Root and Bairstow steered England by means of to the shut with none additional harm, setting issues up properly for an additional breathless day on Friday (7).
(Reuters)
