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Ashes Third Test Day Two highlights: The urn beckons as Australia run riot

Aug 23rd, 2019
Aug 23rd, 2019

Australia has taken a sizeable step towards retaining the urn on what was a day two at Headingley that will go down in cricketing folklore. As it went, England succumbed to the efforts of a clinical visiting attack, bowled out for 67 in just 27.5 overs. In the process, they broke a swathe of unwanted Test records.

In response, Australia ended day two 6-171 with a lead of 283. Given the visitors need only draw this series to retain the Ashes, there is a long way back for an English side who may well look back at the two hours before lunch as the session that lost them the urn.

"I can't remember a day like this," Josh Hazlewood said after a stunning 5-30.

"When you wake up and see the sunshine (compared to overcast skies on day one), usually in England you think it's a great day for batting.

"The first hour was fantastic and we just kept building.

"Might be starting with a few scars there ... I don't think many teams are winning if one of their innings is 60 or 70 runs."

Earlier, Australia arrived at Headingley greeted with blue skies and no overhead assistance, the polar opposite of the bowler friendly conditions England had on day one.

However, the visiting attack was unperturbed, bowling with a level of claustrophobic accuracy that, when coupled with some loose English strokes, saw a capitulation of giant proportions.

First to go was Jason Roy, who must now be long odds to retain his spot at the top of the order for the fourth Test. He nicked off to Josh Hazlewood for nine, David Warner taking the first of his record-equalling fourth catch at first slip.

Warner snaffles Stokes at first slip on day two. (AAP)

Then, Joe Root departed for a second ball duck, Hazlewood again doing the business. On air, ex-Test wicket-keeper Ian Healy said Root looked 'totally stuck in the headlights,' whilst ex-Australian captain Mark Taylor went one step further, stating that "Australia totally have his (Root's) number at this point."

From there, wickets fell with almost metronomic consistency. Cummins had Burns (9) strangling down the leg-side to another short ball, before James Pattinson chimed in to remove Ben Stokes (8). At that stage, the scoreboard read 4-34.

Hazlewood five blasts out England

Then, with the score on 45, both Joe Denly, then Jonny Bairstow, were dismissed. Pattinson removing Denly for 12 (England's top scorer), and Hazlewood picking up his third to dismiss Bairstow (4).

The final four wickets to fall came in the form of Chris Woakes (5), Jos Buttler (5), Jofra Archer (7) and Jack Leach (1), as England fell to pieces, all out for 67.

Hazlewood was the pick of the Australian bowlers, taking 5-30, whilst Pat Cummins (3-23) and James Pattinson (2-9) acted as the perfect foil(s).

Josh Hazlewood returned figures of 5-30 on day two at Headingley. (PA/AAP)

Returning for their second innings, Australia would not have thought they would have had a lead of 112, but that was the state of the game.

David Warner (0) couldn't get off the mark, and fell victim to Stuart Broad for the fourth time this series when he was adjudged LBW with the score on 10.

Marcus Harris (19) hit a couple of good-looking boundaries, but was bowled through the gate by Jack Leach's first delivery.

Records broken as England blasted out for 67

When Usman Khawaja (23) was caught behind the wicket going hard at a wider Chris Woakes delivery, the English faithful may have felt like there was a sliver of hope for them still, as the scorecard read 3-52, with Australia's lead only 167.

However, Marnus Labuschagne, who is quickly growing into a thorn in England's attack, combined with Travis Head to settle and consolidate.

Head (25) faced 56 balls before he was bowled by Ben Stokes, who delivered an energy-sapping and lion-hearted spell after tea, bowling 15 overs straight.

That brought Matthew Wade (33) to the wicket to join Labuschagne, and the pair added 56, before Wade gloved a ball through to Bairstow.

Australian captain Tim Paine's (0) struggles with the bat then continued. He was caught in the slips for a duck, as Stuart Broad looked for a final push as the sun began to set over Headingley.

However, James Pattinson joined Labuschagne, and the latter brought up his third fifty in as many innings, ending the day 53* to firmly cement his place in Australia's best XI for the remainder of the series.

Warner catches four in dominant Australian fielding performance

So, Australia would feel they are a day of good cricket away from all but returning the urn, given that they only need to draw the series to keep the Ashes down under.

England barely have their head above the water as it stands. It would take a minor miracle to turn things around and salvage what will already go down as an utterly memorable Ashes Test match.

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