ngland’s pursuit of Australian wickets was delayed on Saturday as rain wiped out the first session of day three at Headingley.
Ben Stokes’s side are looking to keep their Ashes hopes alive with victory in the Third Test, having suffered back-to-back defeats at Edgbaston and Lord’s.
The skipper’s superb 80 on day two has kept England in the contest, with Australia’s first innings advantage reduced to just 26 by the time Stokes fell on the second afternoon, giving spinner Todd Murphy his first Ashes wicket.
Australia had extended that to 142 by the close on the second day for the loss of four top order wickets, with Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh together at the crease. That pair reduced Australia’s first innings with a partnership of 155, both benefitting from early drops, and England will be desperate to breakthrough early once play is able to resume.
The onus is on England to force a result, with Australia one draw away from retaining the Urn, but the accelerated state of the game means that despite a poor weather forecast across the remaining three days, a result looks likely.
