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Ashes 2023 | Spirited England Script Famous Headingley Win To Keep Ashes Alive

image-ljvkfec0Woakes celebrates win with Wood on Day 4 of third Test (Twitter)

England’s repeated persistence with their ‘BazBall’ philosophy ultimately paid off this Ashes 2023 series. They upstaged the Australians in a dramatic finish at Leeds, with Harry Brook playing the starring act in a thrilling run-chase.

Visiting speedster Mitchell Starc picked up five wickets in the innings, but lack of support from fellow pacers ultimately led to Australia’s downfall in the third Test.

Brook returns to form, Woakes hits nervy runs

England, needing 251 for a victory in the third Test, wiped out 27 of those runs within the closing stages of Day 3 itself. Opener Ben Duckett was trapped in front by Mitchell Starc early on the fourth morning to hand Australia their first wicket of the innings. Moeen Ali was cleaned up by the speedster soon after as England slumped to 60-2.

Duckett’s opening partner Zak Crawley remained unfazed by Starc’s thunderbolts and scored a free-flowing 44 from his end of the crease. However, he was dismissed by Mitchell Marsh against the run-of-play as England lost their top three without reaching 100.

Joe Root and captain Ben Stokes both failed to convert their starts into a big one, while Jonny Bairstow never got his engine rolling in a tense run-chase.

Harry Brook provided some stability in the middle-order as the youngster countered a rampaging Starc with much ease. The cricketer announced his return to form with a blistering 75, and formed a rebellious 59-run stand with Chris Woakes to lift his side from 171-6 to 230.

Woakes and tail-ender Mark Wood kept cool to score the remaining runs and guided England to a three-wicket win in the third Test, thus reducing Australia’s 2-0 Ashes lead by a match.

The two sides will now collide in the fourth Test of the series, scheduled to be played at Manchester’s Old Trafford Stadium between July 19 and July 23.

Brief Scores:

Australia: 263 all out (60.4)
Mitchell Marsh 118 (118), Travis Head 39 (74)
Mark Wood 5-34 (11.4), Chris Woakes 3-73 (17)

England: 237 all out (52.3)
Ben Stokes 80 (108), Zak Crawley 33 (39)
Pat Cummins 6-91 (18), Mitchell Starc 2-59 (14)

Australia: 224 (67.1)
Travis Head 77 (112), Usman Khawaja 43 (96)
Stuart Broad 3-45 (14.1), Chris Woakes 3-68 (18)

England: 254-7 (50)
Harry Brook 75 (93), Zak Crawley 44 (55)
Mitchell Starc 5-78 (16), Mitchell Marsh 1-23 (6)

England won by three wickets