Day three of the third Ashes Test: England battling to keep Ashes alive

England will battle to avoid surrendering the Ashes on home soil for the first time since 2001 after an abject batting display left them with a mountain to climb in the third Test.

The shell-shocked hosts were skittled for a pitiful 67 inside 28 overs, Josh Hazlewood’s five-for amid some injudicious stroke-making putting Australia firmly in the box seat at a sun-drenched Headingley.

Marnus Labuschagne’s unbeaten 53 saw the tourists extend their lead to 283 by the end of the second day, and they will be hopeful of wrapping up a victory that would move them into an unassailable 2-0 lead to retain the urn.

Tweet of the day

Snap shot

This was England’s lowest Ashes total since 1948, with Joe Denly’s torturous 12 England’s lowest Test top-score in an innings where a side were all out. Australia’s 179 under heavy cloud cover and floodlights, a stark contrast to Friday’s glorious sunshine, is the lowest Test total to yield a first-innings lead of 100 runs or more.

Joe’s on a low

There were concerns Joe Root taking the Test captaincy would have an adverse impact on his batting. It seems those worries were not without foundation, with his average now a full 12 runs fewer when he leads the side. A second successive duck will once more lead to questions of whether he is correctly stationed at three in the order.

Archer’s having a ball

Money ball

Despite the dire situation England found themselves in – with Australia’s lead climbing north of 200 shortly after the tea interval – Ben Stokes delivered a herculean 15.2-over spell, only broken up by four balls from Archer. A rare moment of relief for Stokes came with a searing yorker that cannoned into the base of Travis Head’s off-stump.

Lucky Labuschagne

Tim’s Paine goes on

What’s next?

August 24: England v Australia, day three of the third Ashes Test, Headingley