Ashes cricket 2023: England has third Test victory in its sights after nightmare day for Aussies
Rain wreaked havoc on day three of the Headingley Test – but there was enough play to put Australia well and truly on the back foot.
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Australia is treating Sunday as a chance for redemption from four years ago as the tourists try to clinch the Ashes at the scene of their most heartbreaking loss.
The Aussies will arrive at Headingley for day four of the third Test needing 10 wickets to end a 22-year away Ashes series drought in England, but have a tough ask after the hosts reached 0-27 at stumps on day three in pursuit of 251.
Intermittent rain is forecast on Sunday, but with two days remaining enough play is likely for a winner either way.
The circumstances are similar to those four years ago, in which Australia blew a chance to retain the Ashes as Ben Stokes’ heroics led England to a one-wicket win in pursuit of 359.
Batter Travis Head played in that game, with his fighting 77 in the Aussies’ second innings this time around helping Australia to a defendable total.
Head said there was little use trying to hide from the enormity of the stakes on Sunday, with England needing to win to have any chance of regaining the Ashes.
“We’ve been in similar positions where we’ve had our backs up the wall as such, but this game has ebbed and flowed 50-50,” Head said.
“As much pressure that’s in our dressing room, it’s cliche to say it’s in their dressing room as well. It’s a huge day in the series tomorrow. So I think it’d be silly for both camps, not to say there’s nerves in the camp.
“Knowing what we can achieve tomorrow, knowing what England can then I guess, pull a fight back and go 2-1. There’s a lot on the table.
“There’s a lot to play for and nice that it’s here again, the crowd, the atmosphere. I think it’s fair to say that it’s a nice place to be with the series on the line and hopefully we can redeem ourselves from ‘19 at this place.”
Having been subjected to a short-ball barrage by India at times in the World Test Championship final and then consistently by England during this series, Head has combatted the plan well, with Saturday marking his third half-century during the Ashes to go with his 163 in the WTC decider against India.
Head said it had been difficult to handle the short ball, noting that he had arrived in England not feeling in control of that part of his game.
“I feel like if there’s anything I’m gonna leave from England it might be with a pull shot. I feel like as the series has gone on, I felt like I’ve played it better,” Head said.
“It was one part of my game that I felt just hadn’t clicked yet. (I was) just finding it a bit tough to find length, so I was just probably a little bit rusty. India didn’t come to that tactic till later in my innings. I didn’t play particularly well which then lends itself to a little bit of media, little bit talk around, find myself in the position I’ve been in.”
Head said the relentless nature of England’s bumpers had not been a shock.
“No doubt it’s a challenging thing. It’s foreign. There’s not many periods I think we’ve seen in Test cricket where it’s just been 100 per cent short balls,” Head said.
“That was a plan coming in. I wasn’t surprised with a plan. I prepared for the plan and thought it was going to come. Maybe not to the extent that it did, but I felt like, throughout the series, I’ve had moments where I’ve been able to get them off that plan. Have I been able to achieve something there, not sure? But yeah they’re pretty keen on that plan, which is fine.”
Catch up on everything you missed from day three of the third test.
REVIEW GOES
At the venue where they famously blew crucial reviews four years ago, the Aussies coughed up one early in the hope that Ben Duckett had tickled one down the leg side off Mitchell Starc. The appeal was turned down, and while the Aussies challenged DRS showed no contact. Duckett lived dangerously, narrowly surviving an edge on the next ball which dropped just shy of the cordon.
HEAD SCRATCHER
In conditions theoretically ideal for the ball to move, England reverted to its short-ball plan from Lord’s. Early in his stay, Travis Head was batting with five men on the boundary either square or behind square, and then with nine on the rope by the time the South Australian was partnered with Todd Murphy. Head smacked his way to 77 before being caught in the deep, adding crucial runs with Murphy and Scott Boland.
MITCH GLITCH
Mitch Marsh had played a couple of beautiful drives already on Saturday and was threatening to take the game away from England following his swashbuckling first innings ton. But the all-rounder got the faintest of touches to a ball from Chris Woakes, departing for 28.
OVER AND OUT
Having waited almost six hours for play on day three, the Headingley crowd was treated to one over from Woakes, yielding two runs. And then it started drizzling again, forcing the players off and the covers back on. Fortunately it was only around a 15-minute delay this time around. Among the biggest cheers of the day came at 5:40pm, when the sun somehow burst through the clouds.
CRAW BLIMEY
There was a nervous moment for an already banged-up England side when Zak Crawley dropped a slips catch in the belated warm-up, leaving him in some discomfort. The opener was tended to and was able to field.
SAME OLD AUSSIES
Unsurprisingly, Alex Carey was again on the end of a hostile reception from the crowd at Headingley, who chanted about his supposed “cheating” ways. Carey faced a challenging early spell from Stuart Broad, who had the ball nipping around, before gloving one onto the stumps from Woakes.
MARKED MAN
Despite his first innings brilliance, England held Mark Wood back behind Broad and Woakes on Saturday. It meant that by the time Wood was unleashed he had a close look at the Aussie tail, which he had ripped through on Thursday. It was a shrewd move, with Wood removing both Starc and Pat Cummins as part of a remarkable seven-over spell in which he was also whacked by Head.
ROBBED ENGLAND TO PAY OLLIE
Ollie Robinson was clearly still struggling with a back spasm but England sent him out to field in the chance he was needed to bowl. He was not, and was a liability as he chased after a first-ball drive from Murphy on the cover boundary, being moved the next ball.
RECAP THE DAY THREE ACTION FROM OUR BLOG
STUMPS: ENGLAND HAVE VICTORY IN SIGHT AFTER DREAM DAY
Joe Barton
England could hardly have scripted it better on a dream day that has Ben Stokes and his outfit on the verge of their first victory this series.
Outside of a Stokes-esque counterattacking half-century to Travis Head, who bludgeoned 77 to lift England’s target to 251, everything went to plan for the home side.
After a six-hour rain delay that gave their weary bowlers some much-needed rest, England ran through the Australian lower order to the tune of 6-93.
Head defied the horror batting conditions as teammates fell around him to hammer three sixes and seven fours, but the damage was done well before he had a chance to fix it.
In response, England’s openers rode their luck with some edges that fell short of the slips, to survive and be 0-27 at stumps – leaving just 224 runs for victory tomorrow.
4.15AM: AUSSIES BURN REVIEW LATE IN DAY
And just to cap a terrible day from Australia, they’ve burned a review in search of Ben Duckett’s wicket.
The Australians go up with a massive appeal for caught behind off Mitchell Starc’s bowling, but are turned down by Kumar Dharmasena.
It doesn’t take too much convincing for Pat Cummins to send it upstairs, but rather than bat hitting ball it is bat hitting pad that has made the noise which got Australia so excited.
That’s not out, and England are 0-11 after two overs.
4.05AM: 25 MINUTES FOR AUSTRALIA TO DO SOME DAMAGE
England have all the running in this Test after a brilliant bowling performance in this session, and now they have a victory target of 251 with two days to play.
But first, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley have to get through a 25-minute examination from Pat Cummins, Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc.
There’s probably only going to be enough time for around six overs. Can Australia’s openers make any inroads? Or will Crawley and Duckett complete a perfect day for the hosts?
3.57AM: ALL OUT! HEAD GOES FOR 77
A terrific counterattacking knock from Travis Head ends on 77, with Australia all out for 224 – and setting England a runchase of 251.
Head played a mini-Ben Stokes cameo, hammering three sixes and seven fours to push Australia’s lead first past 200 and then 250 while batting with the tail.
But hit bit off more than he could chew off Stuart Broad, getting under a length ball and giving a high catch to Ben Duckett who does well to hang on.
Australia’s bowlers will have a little over 20 minutes to bowl at the England openers. And what would you know – the sun is out!
3.45AM: WICKET! BROAD TRAPS MURPHY PLUM
Stuart Broad with an absolutely superb over, twice beating Todd Murphy’s outside edge before trapping him LBW.
That was an over that would’ve troubled the best left-handers on the planet, and Murphy did well to survive until the fifth delivery. He reviews, but it is in vain, as the best he could hope for was umpire’s call on height – and that sends him packing for a valuable 11.
The end is nigh for Australia, with Scott Boland joining Travis Head in the middle with a 237-run lead.
3.40AM: HEAD GOES FULL STOKES TO GIVE AUSSIES HOPE
With 50 minutes to play in this truncated day’s play, Travis Head has done his absolute best to keep Australia in this third Test.
In the face of nightmarish batting conditions and an England attack freshened up by a six-hour rain delay, Head accelerated his innings in Stokes-esque fashion.
At the fall of Pat Cummins, Head had scored 34 at a modest rate off 82 deliveries – but his next 22 added 30 runs.
And like Stokes, he’s starting to look like the walking wounded – having been struck on the hand by a nasty Mark Wood bouncer.
He’s added 41 with No.10 Todd Murphy to push Australia’s lead out to 237.
3.27AM: FIFTY FOR HEAD IN COUNTERATTACKING KNOCK
Travis Head is trying on his best Ben Stokes impression.
The nuggety left-hander has been left with nothing but the tail to do his work, but he’s quickly ripped off an impressive half-century.
Like Stokes, Head is targeting the boundary, protecting his partner and steadily building Australia’s total.
His partner, mind you, is Todd Murphy who has 10 off four balls.
This partnership has added 29 runs at close to 11 runs an over, with Australia’s lead up to 225.
Travis Head has played some blistering knocks in the last 18 months but this is his grittiest & probably most mature innings in very difficult conditions. Safe to say he’s a complete batter now #Ashes
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) July 8, 2023
3.10AM: WICKET! AUSTRALIA IN SHAMBLES AS CUMMINS DEPARTS
Four wickets have now fallen in this post-rain delay session, with Mark Wood grabbing his second of the innings.
Wood is bowling rockets once again, but this one isn’t express pace – just getting some shape away from Cummins who chases the ball and feathers a chance to Jonny Bairstow to be out for 1.
Cummins reviews, but it was a futile attempt in search of an escape. He doesn’t get it from DRS, with Ultra-Edge showing a spike.
He goes, and Australia’s lead is 196. Again, a reminder that Australia’s tail contributed very little in the first innings. England could be batting again very shortly.
3.00AM: WICKET! STARC CAMEO ENDS IN STUNNING FASHION
This is quickly turning into a disastrous little session for Australia, as Mitchell Starc becomes the third victim to fall after the rain delay.
Starc flicks a chance high in the air off Mark Wood and there’s a moment of confusion as Harry Brook, running from short leg, and Jonny Bairstow both lay claim to the catch.
Eventually it is Brook, rather than the wicketkeeper, who pulls rank and ends up taking a rather spectacular diving catch.
Starc goes for 16 from 19, Australia’s lead is still shy of 200, and if he wasn’t already coach Andrew McDonald should be doing a rain dance because it’s only going one way at the moment.
2.50AM: RUNS FLOW FREELY AS ENGLAND ATTACK
England sense how close they are to cracking Australia open, and are going for the throat here.
Attacking fields, and pitching the ball up. That’s the play.
And it’s working in Australia’s favour for the time being, with Mitchell Starc and Travis Head adding 26 runs in quick time.
Starc has a run-a-ball 15, while Head is no slouch when it comes to the strike rate normally.
Australia’s lead is closing in on 200 now. They’ll need a few more than that, though.
2.33AM: WICKET! WOAKES ON FIRE
Ohhhhh what a ball!
Chris Woakes is making the ball sing at the moment, and he might just be winning the Headingley Test for England.
Another ball on a dangerous length, and Carey – like Marsh before him – tries to pull the bat out of the way.
But again it catches his glove, and this time the ball is dragged back onto the off stump.
Just the five runs for Carey. And Australia are in real trouble here, with a lead of 165.
It seems like an appropriate time to remind you that Australia lost 6-23 to end their first innings.
2.30AM: AUSSIES HUNKER DOWN IN NIGHTMARE SESSION
It’s tough going out there for Travis Head and the new batsman Alex Carey.
Conditions are the worst to bat in they’ve been all Test, and in Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes England have two of the best possible bowlers to extract the maximum from a freshly juiced up wicket.
Broad is giving Carey a serious working over, the sort of spell that has caused David Warner so many headaches over the past 15 years.
Head and Carey have added four runs in four overs since the latter’s arrival at the crease.
2.12AM: WICKET! DISASTER FOR AUSTRALIA AS WOAKES STRIKES
A massive wicket for England, and it is Chris Woakes who removes the dangerous Mitchell Marsh.
With the ball hooping around under leaden skies, Woakes is causing all sorts of trouble and he dangles a length ball outside off stump.
Marsh tries to pull his bat out of the way, but it takes a faint flick off the glove on the way to the keeper.
That’s an unlucky dismissal from Australia’s first innings centurion, who goes for 28.
Australia’s lead is up to 157.
2.05AM: PLAY RESUMES…. AGAIN
We’re back! Again! Just a little shower, that one, and another 15 minute delay. And now it will be Stuart Broad bowling to Mitchell Marsh.
What did we learn from that six-ball offering from Chris Woakes earlier?
“We saw even in that one over it’s going to be difficult for Australia,” says Mark Taylor.
“The lights are on, it’s overcast skies. There’s a couple of clear patches and also bit of cloud around.
“A lot of tough work for Australia coming up. We’ve probably got the best part of 31 overs left to bowl today. So it’s going to be a good test for Australia.”
1.50AM: SIX BALLS… AND OFF!
Was it worth the wait?
After nearly a six-hour wait, play finally resumed – before the Australian batsmen were forced from the field once again due to rain.
Both Marsh and Head add a single run to their overnight total, meaning Australia’s lead has grown (ever so slightly) to 144.
England aren’t exactly racing to the dressing room. They think this could be a short delay.
“If the Aussies have to keep coming on and off it will make it a bit tricky for them,” says former Test batsman Callum Ferguson.
1.45AM: WE’RE BACK!
Play is finally underway on day three. The lights are on. Chris Woakes is bowling to Travis Head.
And the Headingley crowd are in full voice after a day of very little to do other than stay hydrated.
They can play through until 7.30pm local time (4.30am AEST), with a maximum of 34 overs to be bowled.
1.35AM: ENGLAND OPENER’S INJURY SCARE
Some drama for England during the warm-up after hours of waiting around while it rained.
Opening batsman, and slips fielder, Zak Crawley had to abruptly call an end to his warm-up as he rushed from the field to receive attention.
Crawley spilled a chance during catching practice. One to keep an eye on.
Zak Crawley meanwhile has dropped a catch during slip catching practice and seems to be in a lot of pain, wringing his right hand vigorously as he walks off hastily followed by the physio #Ashespic.twitter.com/rW57UzBZUA
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) July 8, 2023
1.25AM: TODAY’S REVISED MATCH CONDITIONS
Should everything go to plan, with no more rain to spoil things, play will resume in 20 minutes (1.45am AEST).
And there’ll be a maximum of 34 overs to be bowled, so in theory plenty of time for quite a bit to happen.
34 overs is enough time to move heaven and earth in the Bazball era.
But without wanting to sound like a party pooper, that does seem like a pipe dream with the floodlights already on at Headingley and more rain on the radar.
1.00AM: PLAY TO RESUME, BUT WHAT TO GAIN FOR AUSTRALIA?
I come bearing news! Barring any further rain, play will resume in 45 minutes (1.45am AEST).
The covers are off, groundstaff are on the job and the umpires are satisfied that play can finally get underway today.
But you have to wonder if the Aussie pair of Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head are doing a rain dance in the dressing room right now.
Big cheers at Headingley as the umpires come onto the field and the covers come off for the first time since 10am.
— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) July 8, 2023
More rain forecast, mind you… #Ashespic.twitter.com/ZDzrzwGwSm
The skies have, momentarily, cleared up meaning there is a growing possibility that the teams will be able to get on for some action this afternoon.
But with more showers looming on the horizon, that could only be for a short period – a situation similar to what England faced at the start of their second innings in the first Test.
With rain interrupting play at Edgbaston, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley were sent out under dark skies for 20 minutes of carnage in which both lost their wickets before the rain returned.
It proved a key moment in that Test, and something Marsh and Head would likely prefer to avoid today.
12.45AM: NEW INSPECTION TIME!
Well that was uneventful – we are now being told that pending no more rain there’ll be an inspection at 4.15pm local time (1.15am in Australia’s eastern states).
However the covers are coming off, In the most positive sign we’ve had in recent hours.
Bit of cause for optimism atm. Covers being drawn off and it’s brightening up ahead of 4.15 inspection pic.twitter.com/bdzIIKH8Yh
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) July 8, 2023
12.30AM: STILL DRIZZLING, AS WE AWAIT THE UMPIRES
15 minutes until the all-important pitch inspection from the umpires.
But what will they be able to deduce? It’s still drizzling in Leeds. And the heavier rain is due to come in an hour or so.
It doesn’t leave a great deal of time to clear the ground and let the players get through their warm-ups.
Let’s see what they come up with!
12.05AM: PITCH INSPECTION IN 40 MINUTES
Some hope? Word from the England and Wales Cricket Board is that “pending no further rain there will be a pitch inspection at 1545 (12.45AM AEST)”.
So we look to the skies and hope for the best for the next 45 minutes!
11.55PM: ‘DIRECT HIT’: DANGER SIGNS FOR DAY THREE
Optimism is thin on the ground at Headingley, as far as the prospect of any cricket being played today.
Tea is being taken at 3.10pm local time (12.10am on the east coast of Australia). So the earliest we can get back on will be 12.30am AEST.
So that band of rain that looked like it might be missing Leeds… it now looks like a direct hit. Let’s try again tomorrow! #Ashes2023pic.twitter.com/cp7OxsfQBy
— Andrew Miller (@miller_cricket) July 8, 2023
The good news, however, is that tomorrow looks more promising – especially in the morning where precious little precipitation is forecast.
There is some suggestion that scattered showers could make life difficult in the afternoon and evening, but there should be enough play to move the game on a touch certainly.
11.35PM: MORE. BAD. WEATHER. NEWS.
I really want to bring you something positive out of Headingley – but the news is not getting any better.
The word from CODE Sport’s Daniel Cherny is that the rain is coming down steadily now, and that the prospect of any play today is starting to slip away.
11.10PM: ENGLAND WARNED ABOUT GOING FULL BAZBALL
With time being taken out of the game, England have been warned not to go full Bazball when play resumes in this Test.
The danger for England is they may feel the need to attack aggressively, knowing that the only way to keep their Ashes hopes alive is victory at Headingley.
With a 142-run lead, Australia holds the whip hand – just – and England need wickets, and quickly, once the rain disappears.
But if they are too aggressive, they open the door for Australia’s unbeaten batsmen, Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head, a chance to quickly cement the match position for the tourists.
“If England do over-attack, (Australia) have two of the best batters in making an opposition pay the price at the moment at the crease, in Mitch Marsh and Travis Head,” said former Test batsman Callum Ferguson.
“So I’m really excited to see how this next period of play does unfold when we get back out there.”
10.45PM: UNEXPECTED BONUS OF RAIN DELAY
As we wait for further news on the weather situation in Leeds – and a possible resumption of play today – it’s worth pondering what this delay could mean for both sides.
For Australia, it could play into their hands as the current owners of a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series. Overs will be lost today, with the first session already entirely washed out and further showers predicted later this afternoon.
That shortens the game and, with England needing a result to keep the series alive, the responsibility will fall back onto the hosts to push the tempo.
Obviously with 24 wickets falling in the opening six sessions of this Test, the contest has moved along at a rapid rate and makes a result likely even if an entire day’s play is lost.
However the unexpected bonus could be for England and their beaten-down bowlers.
England have spent an enormous amount of time in the field this series, with Australia soaking up considerably more overs than their England counterparts – owing to the ‘live fast, die young’ theory upon which Bazball is built.
In this Test alone, they have captain Ben Stokes who seems unable to contribute with the ball due to an ongoing knee issue, Ollie Robinson - who hasn’t been able to bowl since mid-way through day one, due to back spasms – and speedster Mark Wood, who has battled injury concerns throughout his career and is used sparingly in short bursts.
That’s heaped a heavy workload on Stuart Broad, the bowler with the most overs under his belt through the first three Tests.
There’s no player involved in the Ashes series who would appreciate a day off more than Broad, but the likes of Wood, Chris Woakes and spinner Moeen Ali won’t be far behind him.
10.15PM: COVERS RETURN AT HEADINGLEY
The lunch break officially ended five minutes ago, but the news from the ground is not encouraging.
Towards the end of the lunch break, the covers returned to the centre wicket and it looks like a resumption of play is not any closer.
That means the wait continues for Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head as they look to build on Australia’s 142-run lead.
9.55PM: COVERS OFF, SUN BREAKING THROUGH
This is the news we’ve been waiting two hours to hear: the sun is starting to win the weather battle in Leeds.
With an early lunch taken, players are currently waiting for the call to get out in the middle and start their warm-ups for the day’s play.
The covers are being removed, and just the hover-cover over the centre wicket remains.
Groundstaff are working feverishly to have the wet areas of the ground cleared up, so that warm-ups can take place.
But there’s hope play could be resumed within the next half an hour or so.
9.30PM: HOPES RISE AS RAIN STOPS IN LEEDS
By Daniel Cherny
Rain has stopped in Leeds for now – and the covers are starting to come off.
It is still looking ominous for later in the day and a lot of surface water to mop up but at least there’s some hope.
9.15PM: DELETED TWEET SPARKS FRESH TWIST ON BROAD-WARNER FEUD
By Ben Horne and Daniel Cherny
The father of Stuart Broad has been forced to delete a tweet mocking David Warner after it raised the ire of the International Cricket Council.
Chris Broad, a former England Test player himself is an ICC match referee and raised eyebrows in the Australian camp with his surprise decision to enter the Ashes sledge-fest.
This masthead understands Broad will be reprimanded nternally by the ICC, with his conduct not meeting the standards of his position as a match referee.
Broad made fun of Warner with a post on twitter on day two of the Test which attempted to make light of his son’s penchant for dismissing the Australian opener.
Broad posted a meme of Bart Simpson writing on the chalkboard in the famous scene from The Simpsons credits, with the words ‘Stuart Broad has got me out again.’
A little over 24 hours later and the tweet from Broad’s account had been deleted.
At first glance it might seemed all in good fun from a player’s father and part of the banter typical of the Ashes, with Warner now out 17 times to Broad Jnr in Tests.
But as a current match referee – and an experienced one at that – it was inappropriate given the integrity of the position he holds as a leading official.
This masthead contacted the International Cricket Council, who declined to comment.
Broad is not officiating in this series but often rules over Australia, and likely will in the World Cup later this year.
Australia had bigger things to worry about with the third Test on the line, but Broad’s bizarre post was certainly noticed by members of the camp.
Match referee for the first two Ashes Tests Andy Pycroft was invisible in the opening Test at Edgbaston when he inexplicably decided against sanctioning England’s Ollie Robinson for a foul-mouthed send-off of Usman Khawaja.
During Covid when match referees officiated over their home nations due to travel restrictions, Broad sanctioned his son Stuart during a match for dissent of an umpire.
9PM: EARLY LUNCH CALLED IN LEEDS
By Daniel Cherny
Rain was threatening to intervene in the back half of the Leeds Test, throwing a spanner in the works of an already delicately-poised match.
The first session on day three at Headingley was wiped out by showers, with an early lunch called.
More rain was forecast for the afternoons of days three, four and five.
Australian coach Andrew McDonald said after play on day two that he expected there would be enough time for either side to win the match given 24 wickets had fallen across the first two days.
“I think there’ll be enough time, how accelerated the game is at the moment,” McDonald said.
Trailing 2-0 in the series, England needs to win this Test to have any chance of regaining the Ashes. Australia will retain the Ashes with a draw, however the Aussies are desperate to win this series outright having not won an away Ashes series in 22 years.
8.40PM: HISTORY OF HEADINGLEY’S BIGGEST RUNCHASES
Australia leads by 142 runs, as rain delays the start of play on day three at Headingley.
But what do they need to feel comfortable against a rejuvenated England lineup that boasts, among other powerhitting run fiends, the seemingly unstoppable Ben Stokes.
Headingley has been home to some famous chases, not least of all from four years ago when Stokes pulled off the greatest of escapes when he spearheaded England’s chase of 359 with one wicket in hand against Australia.
But that’s not even the biggest chase at the ground. That belongs to Sir Donald Bradman and his Invincibles, who chased down 404 in 1948.
In 2017 the West Indies chased 322 at the ground, while England ran down 315 against Australia in 2001 and just last year the hosts chased 296 against New Zealand.
Australian great Mark Taylor believes, at minimum, they need another 150 runs to take them close to setting England a target of 300.
“History suggests it is one of the better places to chase runs,” Taylor said.
“So Australia I think need at least another, I would say, 150, they would like a lead of at least 300.
“Australia definitely need more runs today.”
Whether those runs come today, or tomorrow, is another matter – as the rain is falling steadily in Leeds and it’s unclear when play will be able to resume today.
8.15PM: RAIN SETS IN AT HEADINGLEY
We’re 15 minutes past the scheduled start time for day three, and normally that would mean I’d be telling you that three wickets have fallen, or Mitchell Marsh or Ben Stokes had hit a 26-ball half-century, such has been the insanity of this series.
But not today. Today there’s been no play, because that classic English weather has intervened.
It’s hosing down in Leeds and the forecast for the day looks bleak.
Our man on the ground, CODE Sport’s Daniel Cherny, turns weatherman for a moment.
“Rain is getting heavier at Headingley,” he says.
“The expectation was if we were getting any play today it would be in the morning. The forecast now is for storms all day. It’s not looking promising.”
8.00PM: WARNER’S WORRIES RAISE RED FLAG FOR AUSSIES
It’s still raining at Headingley, so let’s discuss one of the biggest questions facing Australian selectors this series: what to do with champion opener David Warner?
Warner is having a troubling series, averaging the least of Autralia’s specialist batsmen with just 23.50 runs per outing.
His twin dismissals at Headingley, both to nemesis Stuart Broad to take his career tally to 17 wickets at the hands of the England ace, were especially troubling according to Test great Ian Healy.
Healy has grave concerns about Warner’s immediate future in Test cricket, and says Australia should move on from the veteran opener if they can wrap up the Ashes with a win at Headingley.
“The one that I wasn’t happy with his output was David Warner, I thought he seemed very distracted at the crease,” Healy said.
“And even on the way off, he didn’t quite settle in his innings.
“I’m giving him the job to win the Ashes. If they win the Ashes here, I’m dropping him.
“But if they haven’t won the Ashes, he stays and gets that job done and hopefully contributes and kick starts his career again.”
Legendary Australian captain Mark Taylor was prepared to give Warner another chance, regardless of the result in Leeds.
“I did see some danger signs yesterday which was a worry because I tell you, after the Lord’s Test, I pretty well had him penned in for the series,” Taylor said.
“He hadn’t made any big scores but he looked pretty good. He had played in a much more secure and tighter way.
“The problem Australia will have if David Warner doesn’t play in the next Test or the last Test for that matter, is they lose his catching.
“His all-round ability has been really useful for Australia … his catching at first slip has been very sound, he’s got a very good combination with Alex Carey the keeper, and Steve Smith at second slip.
“And that’s one area this series Australia has certainly beaten England. England have struggled in the slips and that’s where a lot of catches go in this series.
“So if Warner doesn’t play, you lose that combination and that’s a big loss. That’s why I’ve still got him in, but the ink is getting a little bit dry and bit thin so I would like to see him play better as he did at Lord’s.”
7.30PM: WILL RAIN SPOIL DAY THREE?
We are half an hour from the scheduled start of play, and the forecast rain looks like it is about to hit Headingley.
There was some optimism this morning that Headingley was going to miss the worst of the bad weather, but it’s getting more and more gloomy in Leeds – and I’m not talking about the moods of the respective camps.
Rain arrives at Headingley. Covers on. But still an hour to go before the scheduled start.
— Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) July 8, 2023
Looking over to Headingley, 3 miles away. Thunderstorm and rain right now... pic.twitter.com/6hR3vbxQNc
— Stuart Clarke MBE (@StuartClarkeUK) July 8, 2023
7PM: AUSTRALIA BLASTS FALSE CAREY RUMOUR
By Ben Horne
The Australian cricket team has slammed a story pushed by former England captain Alastair Cook suggesting Alex Carey walked out of a UK hairdresser without paying.
Leeds barber Adam Mahmood told The Sun newspaper that the Australian wicketkeeper had left his cash only hairdresser without paying and that he had given Carey a deadline of Monday to pay back the $57 Australian dollars.
Cricket Australia has categorically denied Carey has even had a haircut or visited a barber since the team was in Chelsea in London.
Teammates including Steve Smith, who was with Carey at the time, verified that Carey had not visited a barber.
It’s understood a different Australian squad member had visited a local barber who paid for a haircut by international transfer immediately, having walked into the barber not knowing it was cash only.
The squad member has the receipt which they will take to the barber today to clear up any misunderstanding.
Sir Alastair Cook took to BBC radio and said he had his hair cut at the same Leeds hairdresser and repeated the false story on air without checking with the Australian team.
“He says ‘one of them, I think Alex is his name’. I said ‘Alex Carey, wicketkeeper?’” Cook said on radio.
“He says ‘he hasn’t paid.’ It was one of those cash only barbers and he promised him he would do a transfer later on in the day.”
Cook said told fellow commentators: “True story. He might have paid by now.”
A shocking revelation about Australia's Alex Carey! 😲#BBCCricket#Ashespic.twitter.com/fzljpIdHho
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) July 6, 2023
Only problem is the story wasn’t true and Carey was wrongly accused.
It continues the circus that has followed the Australian team and Carey since the controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow in the Leeds Test match.
6.30PM: ICC INTEGRITY QUESTIONED AS BROAD-WARNER RIVALRY TAKES SINISTER TURN
By Ben Horne
The father of Stuart Broad has raised eyebrows by entering the Ashes sledge-fest even though he is an International Cricket Council match referee.
Chris Broad, a former England international himself, mocked David Warner with a post on Twitter which attempted to make light of his son’s penchant for dismissing the Australian opener.
Broad posted a meme of Bart Simpson writing on the chalkboard in the famous scene from The Simpsons credits, with the words ‘Stuart Broad has got me out again.’
At first glance it might seem all in good fun and part of the banter typical of the Ashes, with Warner now out 17 times to Broad Jnr in Tests.
But as a current match referee, it was a questionable move bordering on inappropriate given the integrity of the position he holds as a leading official.
News Corp contacted the International Cricket Council for comment, who declined to comment on whether the post was a breach of their standards and protocols for match officials.
Broad is not officiating in this series but often rules over Australia, and likely will in the World Cup later this year.
— Chris Broad (@ChrisBroad3) July 7, 2023
Australia had bigger things to worry about with the third Test on the line, but Broad’s bizarre post was certainly noticed by members of the camp.
Match referee for the first two Ashes Tests Andy Pycroft was invisible in the opening Test at Edgbaston when he inexplicably decided against sanctioning England’s Ollie Robinson for a foul-mouthed send-off of Usman Khawaja.
During Covid when match referees officiated over their home nations due to travel restrictions, Broad sanctioned his son Stuart during a match for dissent of an umpire.
4PM: UK BARBER GIVES CAREY DEADLINE OVER HAIRCUT WALKOUT
A UK barber has given Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey until the end of the Third Test to pay £30, after he allegedly left without paying for his haircut.
Cash-only clipper Adam Mahmood, 39, says he is willing to wait for the money after Carey promised to pay later because he had no notes on him — but he’s set a deadline of Monday, as reported by The Sun.
Carey — branded a cheat by the UK media for stumping Jonny Bairstow out at the second Ashes test at Lord’s — had promised to send the cash by bank transfer.
Adam, of Doc Barnet’s Barber Shop in Leeds, said: “I’m still waiting.”
Carey called in with teammates Marnus Labuschagne, 29, David Warner and Usman Khawaja, both 36, on the eve of the Third Test at Headingley.
While the rest posed for snaps and paid, Carey refused to have his photo taken and left.
“They all came in just before we shut, Adam told The Sun.
“We cut their hair and had a great laugh.
“But we don’t accept cards and Alex said he had no cash on him.
“Well, there’s a Tesco cash machine literally round the corner he could have run to.
“He could have nipped back to their hotel and been no more than five minutes but instead he said he would transfer it.
“Maybe he forgot. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt but if it’s not paid by Monday, I won’t be happy.”
Adam, meanwhile, said he was unaware of the stumping saga until former England skipper Sir Alastair Cook called in for a trim.
He said: “Cooky told me all about what happened and laughed when I told him Carey had done a runner.
“He’s starting to get quite the reputation.”
Originally published by The Sun as Ashes villain Alex Carey given deadline to pay barber £30 after he left without paying
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