Ashes 2019: Joe Root makes fighting fifty as England keep faint third Test hopes alive
Catch-up on how all the action unfolded on Day Three at Headingley
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Your support makes all the difference.England fought their way to 155-3, but Australia remain favourites to win the third Ashes Test.
Joe Root and Joe Denly both passed fifty in pursuit of a target of 359, and though the latter departed soon after reaching his half-century, England’s captain remains unbeaten overnight on 75.
Root’s fine hand ensures England maintain slim hopes of pulling off the most remarkable of chases, and you can see how the third day’s action all unfolded below:
When is the third Test?
The third Test takes place on 22-26 August.
What time does it start?
The toss takes place at 10:30am in Thursday, with play scheduled to get underway at 11am each day.
Where can I watch it?
Live coverage of each day’s play will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports The Ashes from 10am.
Odds
England to win: 8/11
Australia to win: 21/10
Draw: 29/4
Prediction
England to win: As long as the weather plays ball, this could be the moment the series swings in England’s favour. With Jofra Archer set to renew his bowling assault and no Steve Smith to dig Australia out of trouble, England should be able to level the series here with bright sunshine forecast for the weekend.
ENG 54-6
Hazlewood finishes an incredible morning for the visitors with an arrow straight ball at Buttler's stumps but he keeps it out.
Advantage Australia.
ENG 54-6
Here are the figures for the Australia bowlers:
Cummins: 7-4-14-1
Hazlewood: 11-2-26-3
Lyon: 1-0-2-0
Pattinson: 5-2-9-2
They've been fantastic and have put Australia in pole position to win this test and regain the Ashes.
ENG 54-6
An unspoken factor in England's woes is the form of Joe Root. The captaincy weighs on him but there's really no other choice.
Any one of this team could be dropped on form except for Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer.
Root is England's only world class batsmen but repeatedly seeing the team you're leading fail must weigh on his mind.
I watched Sky Cricket's Kevin Pietersen documentary last night and it highlighted some of the magnificent innings he played for England.
We could use some of his genius now, too often recently England have collapsed in test match cricket.
Much like with the One Day team, England need to overhaul the test squad. If anything to prove to the current members that they haven't been good enough for a while.
The bowling has been really good but England's batting has been poor. Joe Root got a beauty, Jonny Bairstow can be forgiven as well.
But Roy, Denly and Stokes were all out driving, and Burns was out trying to hook Pat Cummins.
A little application goes a long way in test cricket. Where are the new Alastair Cooks, the new Paul Collingwoods? The batsmen that dig deep when it gets tough.
At this stage of his career Sam Curran should be nowhere near the England test squad. He's a medium paced swing bowler who wouldn't displace Jimmy Anderson or Chris Woakes as a front line bowler.
Yet England's batting is so frail that Curran's batting rescues them when he's in the team and so he continues to be selected.
If the selectors like his batting, put him in the team and let him bat. He can't do much worse than the current lot.
Things will come to a head in the next test when Jimmy Anderson will likely be fit. Who does he replace in the team?
Archer? No chance
Woakes? That would weaken an already weak batting line up
Broad? He's been England's best bowler of the series
Leach? No front line spinner then
Do you leave him out? England's all time leading wicket taker, because the batting is too weak without a strong lower order?
"Give us half an hour of aggression." - Michael Vaughan's words to Kevin Pietersen at the Oval on the final day in 2005.
That's my advice to Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes. Go aggressive, try to get close to Australia's total.
England are in a bad way, if they get out it can't get worse for them so go after it and hopefully it gets better.
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