The Ashes 2023: Ben Stokes leads England's battle to desperately stay alive in series

Ben Stokes provided yet much heroics and the bowlers important precocious wickets arsenic England desperately battled to support their Ashes hopes live connected time 2 of the 3rd Test astatine Headingley.

Stokes' sound meant the tourists' first-innings pb was conscionable 26, contempt 4 wickets falling successful the greeting league - including Joe Root with the 2nd shot of the time to Pat Cummins, who claimed 6-91.

The England skipper attacked aft lunch, launching 5 sixes and six fours, portion Mark Wood helped plaything the momentum with 24 from 8 balls.

In reply, contempt the nonaccomplishment of David Warner for one, the opener again caught disconnected Stuart Broad, Australia eased to 68-1 and a pb of 94 arsenic they threatened to instrumentality a steadfast grip connected an enthralling Test.

But Moeen Ali removed Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith successful successive overs earlier Chris Woakes dismissed Usman Khawaja successful the last hr for 43.

Travis Head and first-innings centurion Mitchell Marsh survived the last 45 minutes to permission the Test, successful which a triumph would seal the bid for Australia, finely poised.

• Reaction to time 2 astatine Headingley

England enactment successful the contest

England are already attempting to bash what they person ne'er done earlier - overturn a 2-0 shortage to triumph the Ashes - and astatine times connected a captivating 2nd time their hopes were fading.

But successful Stokes they person subordinate astatine his champion erstwhile his backmost is against the wall, shown successful his unthinkable 155 successful past week's second-Test decision past week and successful his iconic, match-winning 135 not retired astatine Headingley successful 2019.

England resumed connected 68-3 but by luncheon they had conscionable 3 wickets near and were inactive 121 runs successful arrears, lone for their skipper to astir resistance them to parity - each portion struggling with a glute injury.

That wounded prevented Stokes from bowling and, with Ollie Robinson besides retired of the onslaught with a backmost spasm, England were struggling erstwhile Khawaja and Labuschagne blunted the caller ball.

But England stuck to their task connected a transportation offering little question and gait than connected time one.

The beingness of Marsh and Head, 2 batters who tin people rapidly is simply a danger, but Headingley is the champion Test crushed successful England to bat successful the 4th innings.

In the past 3 Tests astatine Headingley the squad batting past has chased 359, 322 and 296 to win, portion Leicestershire knocked disconnected 389 to triumph present successful region cricket earlier this summer.

Stokes fights done the pain

Stokes arrived astatine the crease erstwhile Root got a shot from Cummins that bounced, took the borderline and was snaffled by Smith astatine 2nd slip.

Within the archetypal fractional hour, Bairstow edged a afloat shot from Mitchell Starc erstwhile attempting a slashing drive, Smith again the catcher.

Stokes was diligent successful the greeting session, sharing watchful concern of 44 until Moeen fell into the short-ball trap and was caught astatine good limb for 19.

The England skipper watched from the non-striker's extremity arsenic Woakes was deed connected the caput by a Starc bouncer, responded by a clubbing different for six but was past inevitably caught down connected the propulsion via a bladed edge.

Wood was the improbable instigator of England's counter-attack. He smacked Starc for six archetypal shot and cleared the enactment 3 much times successful 8 balls earlier Stokes flicked the switch.

Again helium hogged the onslaught to enactment connected 32 with fig 10 Broad and 38 with past antheral Robinson arsenic helium smashed Ashes debutant Todd Murphy for 5 sixes, including 1 immense consecutive deed into the apical tier.

Stokes offered 2 pugnacious chances successful successive balls portion connected 45 - Starc spilling a moving drawback from long-off and spinner Murphy a caught and bowled - but was yet dismissed aft slicing different heave into the hands of Smith astatine long-on.

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