Woeful England post lowest total against Aussies since 1948
LEEDS: Australia ripped through England to bowl the hosts out for 67 in their first innings on day two of the third Ashes test at Headingley, their lowest Test innings score against Australia since 1948.
Trailing 1-0 in the series, England were looking take advantage of good conditions to surpass Australia’s first innings score of 179.
However, Jason Roy’s struggles continued as he fell early for nine, before Joe Root followed his golden duck at Lord’s by lasting one more ball on his home ground without scoring.
Rory Burns went next, before England’s in-form batsman Ben Stokes, on eight, went for a shot he did not need to and edged to David Warner, one of four catches taken by the Australia opener.
Coming out on 54-6 after the morning session, the wickets continued to fall as Chris Woakes was out first ball after lunch, with Australia making light work of the England tail to embarrass the hosts and open up a first innings lead of 112.
Josh Hazlewood did the damage with the ball, taking 5-30 as Australia’s pacemen proved too hot to handle for England, who posted their 12th lowest test innings of all time, which lasted less than 28 overs.
World Cup-winning opener Roy, new to Test cricket this season, took guard having made just 40 runs in four innings this series.
He fell in familiar fashion on Friday when he edged a drive off Hazlewood to Warner.
Roy’s exit saw Root come into warm applause on his Yorkshire home ground.
Root, arguably England’s best batsman, was out for a second ball nought when he was undone by a straighter Hazlewood delivery that seamed away a touch, with Warner doing the rest.
Hazlewood had taken two wickets for no runs in three balls, with England 10-2.
It was Root’s second straight nought after he was out for a golden duck in the second innings of the drawn second Test at Lord’s.
England were almost 10-3 when new batsman Joe Denly was given out lbw to Hazlewood on nought by umpire Joel Wilson.
But Denly reviewed and with replays showing the ball would have gone well over the top of the stumps West Indian official Wilson, who had a record-equalling eight overturned decisions in a Test in the series opener at Edgbaston, had to reverse his original verdict.
England, however, were 20-3 when Burns was caught behind for nine by Australia captain and wicketkeeper Tim Paine after the left-handed opener’s gloved hook off a Pat Cummins bouncer.
All-rounder Ben Stokes came into this match following an unbeaten 115 in the second innings at Lord’s.
But he all but gave his wicket away when he flat-footedly carved at a wide half-volley from recalled fast bowler James Pattinson he could barely reach, with Warner holding a fast edge high above his shoulder.
Stokes was out for eight and England were 34-4.
Denly fought hard for 12, the top score of the innings so far.
But having done so, his 49-ball stay ended when he was caught behind following an inexplicably extravagant drive off Pattinson.
And 45-5 became 45-6 when Jonny Bairstow, like Root playing at his Yorkshire home ground, was drawn into edging a good-length Hazlewood ball with Warner holding another excellent catch.
Brief scores: Australia (1st inngs) 179 vs England (1st inngs) overnight 54-6 (67 all out) (J Denly 12, B Stokes 8, P Cummins 3-23, J Hazlewood 5-30, J Pattinson 2-9)