Ashes 2023 | What Happened Last Time When England and Australia Clashed at Headingley?
Ben Stokes being lauded by teammates after guiding England to win at Headingley (ICC Twitter)
On Thursday, the stage is set for England and Australia to lock horns in the third Test of the Ashes 2023 at Headingley, Leeds. The high voltage series, so far, has been a stern test of England's mettle, with the home side trailing 0-2 in the five-match face-off against a relentless and seemingly unstoppable Australian side.
Will Ben Stokes repeat his heroics at Headingley?
The last time England and Australia contested at Headingley was in the third Test of Ashes 2019. That memorable game is etched in the minds of cricketing fans, largely due to a phenomenal knock by Stokes.
Entering the third Test match, England was 1-0 down in the series. After bowling Australia out for just 179 in the first innings, the hosts had gained the upper hand. However, their subsequent batting performance did little to bolster their spirits.
The English lineup, infamous for its potent batting, crumbled for a paltry 67 runs in the first innings. Australia responded with 246 in the second innings, setting England a herculean target of 359 to secure victory.
England beat Australia by one wicket at at Headingley in 2019
Stokes played a magnificent knock [Source: Twitter]
The last time England and Australia contested at Headingley was in the third Test of Ashes 2019. That memorable game is etched in the minds of cricketing fans, largely due to a phenomenal knock by Stokes.
Entering the third Test match, England was 1-0 down in the series. After bowling Australia out for just 179 in the first innings, the hosts had gained the upper hand. However, their subsequent batting performance did little to bolster their spirits.
The English lineup, infamous for its potent batting, crumbled for a paltry 67 runs in the first innings. Australia responded with 246 in the second innings, setting England a herculean target of 359 to secure victory.
Facing a supposedly unassailable task, England stumbled further into despair, tottering on the edge of defeat at 286-9 on the fourth day, another 73 runs short of the target. However, what happened next is regarded as one of the greatest moments in Test cricket history.
It was against this backdrop that Stokes, the last remaining English hope, staged a performance of epic proportions. In the company of Jack Leach, the last man in England's batting order, the all-rounder began scripting a comeback for the ages.
Leach's mission was to survive and simply hold the fort while Stokes started hunting down the target. The spinner admirably bore the Aussie attack, scoring a single run off 17 balls and ensuring Stokes had the strike.
With just a solitary wicket in hand, the southpaw took on the task of scoring the remaining runs mostly by himself. He mixed up defensive play with some breathtaking shots, including an assortment of sixes with spectators and opponents transfixed.
His monumental knock of 135 not out steered England to a nail-biting one-wicket triumph, the highest successful run-chase in the team's Test history. This incredible win by England, architected by Stokes, helped them level the series 1-1 and has been widely remembered as one of the greatest Test match innings of all time.
Meanwhile, Stokes, now the captain of England, will need to summon a similar display of heroics if England is to produce a resurgence in the ongoing Ashes 2023.
 "Jatin")
