Ashes 2021, Australia vs England 1st Test, Day 3 Highlights: Joe Root and Dawid Malan in action. (AP)Ashes 2021, Australia vs England 1st Test, Day 3 Highlights: England were 220/2 at the end of the third and final session on the third day of the first Test against hosts Australia in the ongoing Ashes at the Gabba in Brisbane on Friday.
Dawid Malan was on 80 not out, while skipper Joe Root was on 86*, with the visitors still trailing by 58 runs. Rory Burns (13) and Haseeb Hameed (27) had survived to lunch at 23/0, but fell soon after the break under the pressure of Australia’s pace barrage. Earlier, Travis Head helped the hosts end their first innings on 425-all out after finishing with a magnificent 152 from 148 balls.
Australia (Playing XI): David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
England (Playing XI): Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root(c), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler(w), Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Jack Leach
Australia
425 (104.3) & 20/1 (5.1)England
147 (50.1) & 297 (103.0)Australia beat England by 9 wickets
Root (86*) and Malan (80*) end the third day on a high! The batters forge an unbeaten 159-run stand to cut the deficit to 58 runs. Starc and Lyon fail to shine so far as captain Cummins register figures of 1/43. A big fourth day awaits! ENG: 220/2 (70 overs)
Some class batting from Root (78*) at the Gabba! After hitting Lyon for a boundary on the final ball of his last over, Root repeats in some style. The England skipper brings out the reverse sweep and guides it wide of slip. Malan's on 72*. ENG: 203/2 (62 overs)
After taking the final drinks break of the third day, Root (63*) and Malan (65*) rally on for the visitors. Lyon comes back in, replacing Labuschagne. The spinner, who is in search of his 400th Test wicket, concedes just two runs in his over. ENG: 181/2 (56 overs)
Now, Malan (50*) brings up his half-century! In 121 balls, hitting six boundaries... he has gritted it out there. ENG: 153/2 (49 overs)
Root (51*) and Malan (45*) continue to frustrate the Australia bowlers as the pair combine well to hit boundaries against Starc and Lyon in every other over. The skipper brings up his fifty in style, sweeping a Lyon delivery for a boundary. ENG: 146/2 (46 overs)
After Starc's maiden over, England get their first runs of the session against Lyon. Two singles in the over. ENG: 109/2 (38 overs)
Root (26*) and Malan (35*) hold fort well and reach the end of the second session after a maiden over. 84 runs and two wickets in 28 overs — a decent-enough session, considering their first innings collapse. England still trail by 171 runs. ENG: 107/2 (36 overs)
21 runs in the last three overs. Two boundaries each by Root (25*) and Malan (33*). Ton up for England! ENG: 103/2 (34 overs)
Ever since coming on, Root (8*) has been true to his name. The skipper has planted himself on the pitch, defending deliveries from left, right and centre. But he takes on Hazlewood and clips one through midwicket for his first boundary! ENG: 75/2 (29 overs)
The budding partnership has been brought to an end! Starc strikes as he removes Hameed on 27. After the opener smacked him for two boundaries at the start of the over, Starc forces Hameed to glove it behind to wicketkeeper Carey. ENG: 61/2 (21 overs)
England finally find some rhythm to their innings! Malan (16*) hits two boundaries in back-to-back overs before Hameed (19*) joins the party with a clever shot. He leg-glances a Starc delivery straight to the ropes. Fifty up for the visitors! ENG: 53/1 (19 overs)
After just four runs in the last six overs, England are on their backfoot. But Cummins starts off his over with five wides, offering the visitors some bonus runs in this difficult period. Later, Malan (4*) keeps himself on strike. Hameed's on 11*. ENG: 33/1 (15 overs)
Cummins with a dream start to the second session! Burns nicks one behind to Carey and departs on 13. ENG: 23/1 (9 overs)
Hameed (10*) and Burns (13*) provide a steady start to the visitors with both hitting occassional boundaries. Cummins comes into the attack and concedes five runs before Hazlewood ends the first session of the third day with a maiden over. ENG: 23/0 (8 overs)
Haseeb Hameed and Rory Burns open the second innings for England. Mitchell Starc starts the proceedings. After Hameed's three between the wickets, Burns survives a scare. The opener reviews a LBW decision and it confirms it's going over! ENG: 3/0 (1 over)
Head departs on 152 after being cleaned up by a Wood yorker. The hosts lead by 278 runs. AUS: 425-all out (104.3 overs)
Wood scalps his second of the innings! He sends Lyon (15) back to the pavilion after forcing the Australian to rush his pull shot. The ball goes straight into the hands of Robinson, who dashes in from square leg. On comes Hazlewood. AUS: 420/9 (102.3 overs)
Lyon announces himself with a boundary! He takes on Stokes and hits one over mid-wicket with a pull shot. AUS: 400/8 (99 overs)
Woakes finally breaks the 85-run eighth-wicket partnership! Starc (35) mistimes a shot and sends it straight down to Burns, who was well-positioned at deep square leg. Next up? Nathan Lyon. Australia lead by 244 runs at the Gabba. AUS: 391/8 (96 overs)
Starc (31*) takes positive steps by hitting both Wood and Robinson for boundaries in consecutive overs. Taking over from him in the next over, Head (133*) thumps Stokes for a maximum over long-off with an excellent lofted off-drive! AUS: 386/7 (95 overs)
After Woakes started the proceedings, England attempt to look for the eighth wicket through their pacers. Head (122*) and Starc (20*) manage well under pressure and calmly keep the run-counter ticking with occassional ones and twos. AUS: 364/7 (90 overs)
Hello and welcome to the live commentary of the ongoing first Ashes Test between Australia and England. After finishing the second day on 343/7 with a lead of 196 runs, Travis Head (112*) and Mitchell Starc (10*) will resume the hosts’ innings today.