England and Australia were left frustrated by rain on the third day of the third Ashes Test at Headingley. The match outcome was on a knife edge as bad weather meant there was no play before tea. Australia were 116-4 in their second innings, holding a lead of 142 runs, and were looking to go 3-0 up in the series. England had a rocky start in their first innings, slumping to 142-7 at lunch on Friday before captain Ben Stokes’s dynamic 80 pushed them to a total of 237. This left England just 26 runs behind on first innings. Australia’s captain Pat Cummins bowled impressively, taking 6-91. England’s fortunes were turned around four years ago when Ben Stokes’s unbeaten century led them to a remarkable one-wicket victory over Australia at Headingley.
Play was scheduled to resume at 1000 GMT but heavy morning rain prevented that from happening. The umpires moved tea forward by half an hour, with a pitch inspection planned for 1445 GMT. However, the rain continued to delay play. Once the rain stops, the groundstaff will need up to 90 minutes to mop up the outfield. The scheduled playing time can be extended by up to an hour in an effort to make up for lost time.
The break in the action may provide some relief for England in terms of injuries. Paceman Ollie Robinson has been unable to bowl since suffering back spasms on the first day, and all-rounder Ben Stokes has been dealing with a long-standing left knee problem. The rain delay allows them more time to recover.
When play resumes, Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head will continue their partnership for Australia. Marsh made an impressive 118 runs in Australia’s first innings, and their partnership of 155 was central to their total of 263.
England are aiming to become only the second team in Test history to win a series after being 2-0 down, with the first team to accomplish that being Australia in the 1936/37 Ashes.
Despite the frustrations caused by the rain, both teams will be hoping for better weather conditions in order to reach a more conclusive outcome in this crucial Ashes Test.
