Steadfast Root revives England

England captain Joe Root restored a measure of batting pride for his side with an unbeaten 75 in the third Test at Headingley as Australia were denied an Ashes-clinching win inside three days on Saturday.

At stumps, England were 156-3, still needing a further 203 runs to reach a target of 359 made all the more imposing after they had collapsed to a woeful 67 all out in the first innings -- their worst Ashes total for 71 years.

Their second innings threatened to go the same way at 15-2.

But Root, out for ducks in his previous two knocks, was still there at the close after a third-wicket stand of 126 in 53 overs with Joe Denly (50). Ben Stokes was two not out from 50 deliveries.

An Australia victory would see the holders retain the Ashes at 2-0 up with two to play in a five-match series. The odds were still in their favour but England now have an outside shot at a win that would rival their celebrated ‘500/1’ success of 1981 when they beat Australia at Headingley after following-on.

Only three sides, however, have made more than 300 to win in the fourth innings of a Test at Headingley -- Australia (404-3 in 1948), England (315-4 against Australia, 2001) and the West Indies with 322-5 two years ago.

No one was consulting that page in the record books, though, when England slumped to 15-2.

Left-hander Rory Burns edged Pat Cummins to David Warner at first slip before Surrey team-mate Jason Roy was bowled playing down the wrong line to Josh Hazlewood, who took 5-30 in the first innings.

Denly, the only England batsman to reach double figures in the first innings with 12, repeatedly played and missed either side of being hit on the head by a Cummins bouncer but hung on in there.

The more-assured Root cover-drove off-spinner Nathan Lyon for four to complete a 120-ball fifty acclaimed by the Yorkshireman’s adoring public.

Root had a brief scare on 59 when given out lbw to Hazlewood but his immediate review revealed a clear edge which had somehow escaped the attention of New Zealand umpire Chris Gaffaney.

Earlier, Marnus Labuschagne missed out on a maiden Test hundred as he top-scored with 80 in Australia’s second-innings 246.

It was his third successive fifty since becoming world cricket’s inaugural concussion substitute in place of star batsman Steve Smith in the drawn second Test at Lord’s.

Labuschagne had moved on to 70 when, as happened with his second ball at Lord’s, he was hit on the helmet grille by a Jofra Archer bouncer. But he was cleared to bat on by Australia’s team doctor.

There was now a risk that wickets at the other end might deprive Labuschagne of a hundred but he ran himself out instead.

SCORES IN BRIEF

AUSTRALIA: First innings 179 and second innings 246 (Labuschagne 80, Wade 33; Stokes 3-56, Archer 2-40)

ENGLAND: First innings 67 and second innings 156 for 3 (Root 75 not out, Denly 50; Hazlewood 2-35)