Ashes 2019: Joe Root makes fighting fifty as England keep faint third Test hopes alive
Catch-up on how all the action unfolded on Day Three at Headingley
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Your support makes all the difference.England fought their way to 155-3, but Australia remain favourites to win the third Ashes Test.
Joe Root and Joe Denly both passed fifty in pursuit of a target of 359, and though the latter departed soon after reaching his half-century, England’s captain remains unbeaten overnight on 75.
Root’s fine hand ensures England maintain slim hopes of pulling off the most remarkable of chases, and you can see how the third day’s action all unfolded below:
When is the third Test?
The third Test takes place on 22-26 August.
What time does it start?
The toss takes place at 10:30am in Thursday, with play scheduled to get underway at 11am each day.
Where can I watch it?
Live coverage of each day’s play will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports The Ashes from 10am.
Odds
England to win: 8/11
Australia to win: 21/10
Draw: 29/4
Prediction
England to win: As long as the weather plays ball, this could be the moment the series swings in England’s favour. With Jofra Archer set to renew his bowling assault and no Steve Smith to dig Australia out of trouble, England should be able to level the series here with bright sunshine forecast for the weekend.
Welcome to The Independent's live coverage of the third Ashes Test as England begin their first innings on day two, having skittled Australia on day one at Headingley for 179 runs.
Thursday's play belonged to Jofra Archer as the England bowler took six wickets in a beautiful display of seam bowling, but today it will all be about how the host's batsman stand up, having looked less than convincing so far this series.
They will hope to take heart from Ben Stokes' century last time out at Lord's, but for Jason Roy and Joe Denly, time is running out to prove they warrant a place in the top order.
Play is due to get underway at 11am, and with bright skies above Headingley a full day's play is scheduled including additional overs to catch up on the time lost yesterday.
Things looked vastly different at 5.30pm yesterday. After winning the toss and electing to insert the visitors Joe Root was stewing at first slip as he watched David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne take Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes' bowling apart.
At that stage Australia were 136-2 so Root threw the ball to Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad. Together they regained control of the match with three wickets in 15 balls. Archer getting the key breakthrough of David Warner.
Fast forward two hours, to the final over of the day. Ben Stokes had just trapped Labuschagne on the pads and sent him back to the pavilion and numbers 10 and 11 were at the crease.
Archer put his hand up once again, and it took just one ball for him to dismiss Nathan Lyon. Australia lost eight wickets for 43 runs, Jofra Archer claiming his first five wicket haul in test cricket with 6-45.
With dark, grey skies and rain in the air, Root made the brave decision at 11.05am yesterday morning to bowl first.
It paid off and with the sun expected to bake down on Headingley all day today things could go from good to better for England.
But that is down to the batsmen, Rory Burns has been in good form but runs are needed from Jason Roy, Joe Denle and even Joe Root himself. If one of these four get a big score then England are firm favourites to go on to win the game.
They won't have it easy though as Australia's bowling attack is potent, Josh Hazlewood is accurate, James Pattinson is quick, Pat Cummins is the best in the world and Nathan Lyon is Australia's best ever off spinner.
Not an easy task then.
They were almost silent for about an hour after tea on Day One but by the end of the day the Western Terrace was in full voice, three guesses who they're chanting about...
Talk was about the pace of Archer yesterday. At Lords he reached 96mph but was well below that on Day One just tipping 90mph at his quickest.
It didn't exactly hold him back but he answered the question of why his speed was down after the day.
He said: "I don't need to run in and bowl at 90mph every spell to get wickets and it was shown today,
"There will be times in Test matches when you have to focus on hitting a length and there will be times to ramp it up as well.
"This wasn't a wicket you had to run in and bowl 90mph. It was a bit softer on top and it would swing and nip as well. As long as you put ball in the right areas you should get wickets."
The focus now shifts to England's batsmen with Jason Roy under a lot of pressure. He replaces Keaton Jennings as England's latest opening batsman and so far hasn't found anything like his fluent best.
A prolific 72 against Ireland his only notable score. This series Roy has been found out, scores of only 10, 28, 0 and 2 show how he's struggled but with England in front of the game, a good pitch and a sunny day can he cash in today?
Also under he microscope are Joe Denly and to a certain extent Jos Buttler. Denly did okay at Lords getting two starts (30, and 26) but failing to cash in on them. For Buttler a drop down the order to six saw him post his highest score of the series (31) with a further drop to seven improve his run tally?
For a number of years now, England's bowlers have been setting up games with the batters then failing to capitalise or they recover the team after another batting collapse.
Today is a huge day for England, in terms of the match and the series. If they bat all day England should win the game and level the series.
Batting will be easier in the afternoon and early evening so England need to keep wickets in hand to fully make use of the pitch.
The only job of Rory Burns and Jason Roy is to get through the first hour, if they do that, then get to lunch. Don't worry about the score, the match situation or the anything else.
Get through the first hour, get to lunch and set up England's innings.
ENG 0-0
Here we go. Rory Burns has the first ball of day two, Pat Cummins to bowl it.
ENG 1-0
Three slips and a gully to the left-handed Burns. Cummins sends the first ball away from him and it straightens as it passes the bat. Burns leaves it alone.
Cummins comes straighter with the next ball, Burns blocks it into the offside and takes a quick single. England are away.
ENG 5-0
A round of applause as the crowd finish a rendition of "Jerusalem" precedes Jason Roy's first ball. Just back of a length from Cummins, but Roy leaves it well alone as its wide of off stump.
Roy pushes forward next up and prods at the ball, getting a thick edge that flies past gully and down to third man for four runs.
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