With so much ill-feeling swirling around before this pivotal third Ashes Test, perhaps it was to be expected that new faces and clear minds would dominate the opening day. It was a heady old affair at Headingley too; a petrol-strength cocktail of fast bowling and fast scoring that saw 13 wickets fall and the pendulum swing throughout.
By stumps, Australia were just about in the ascendancy and with Mitchell Marsh to thank for it. Entering a match dominated in its buildup by events at Lord’s last Sunday – Alex Carey’s stumping of Jonny Bairstow et al – the all-rounder crunched a run-a-ball 118 in his side’s 263 all out and then helped reduce England to 68 for three in reply.
On the other side of the divide came a truly electric display from Mark Wood, who after missing the defeats in the first two Tests was keen to make up for lost time. Wood averaged 90.5mph on the speed gun and hit a high of 96.5mph, offering Ben Stokes the threat he so craves. But more crucially for the captain’s hopes of overturning a 2-0 deficit, his figures of five for 34 meant Australia squandering Marsh’s good work.
Arriving at 85 for four before lunch, and dropped at slip on 12 by Joe Root, Marsh had dominated the afternoon in a 155-run stand with Travis Head. Four years on from his last Test outing at the end of the 2019 Ashes, and handed this surprise recall by Cameron Green’s soreness, he also etched his name into Headingley’s all-rounder folklore with 17 fours and four sixes, wielding his bat like a blacksmith at the forge.
But once Chris Woakes, the bowler earlier denied, continued this day for the new arrivals by nicking off Marsh on the stroke of tea, Wood shut things down masterfully. The last four of his lightning strikes came as the tourists lost six for 23 in 51 balls – no cheer greater than Pat Cummins pinned lbw for a duck – and he led England off the field positively beaming at a first five-wicket haul in a home Test.
There was still work for England to do before the close, however, and they did not emerge unscathed. Day two will now be key to ensuring this Ashes series is not lost at the earliest opportunity, with Root unbeaten on 19 and Bairstow on one – the pair earlier culprits during another shoddy display by England in the field.
Australia will be confident, having enjoyed the conditions when it was their turn to bowl. There were two wickets for the heavily booed Cummins – Ben Duckett and Harry Brook falling for single figure scores – and though Zak Crawley appeared to be thriving on his way to 33, that man Marsh could not be kept out of the contest and an edge flew to slip.
Credit should go to Richard Robinson, stalwart of the Bradford League, for making his first Test pitch as head groundsman at Headingley so different to the turgid affairs witnessed at Edgbaston and Lord’s. There was lateral movement from the smattering of live grass he left on but, more importantly, a great deal more pace and carry.
This was to the liking of Marsh, a cricketer raised on Western Australia’s bouncier surfaces, but also finally suited England’s re-jigged attack. As Stuart Broad continued his dominance over David Warner with the fifth ball of the morning, an edge flying to Crawley at second slip, you could practically hear the previously neutered Jimmy Anderson chuntering about missing out from the sidelines.
The true eye-opener was Wood’s opening burst, England’s human cannonball unleashing some of the fastest bowling seen in these parts. Fred Trueman would have had something to say about this, naturally. But when the last ball of Wood’s four-over spell sent Usman Khawaja’s leg stump tumbling, the point of difference was clear.
It also meant catchers needed to be more alert than ever and yet England’s struggles continued. Two of the three Yorkshiremen on show were to blame here, Root grassing three chances and Bairstow two – the keeper handing Steve Smith a life on eight in his 100th Test match when wrong-footed by an admittedly tricky inside edge.
Ollie Robinson was the man denied on a personally difficult day, the junior member of a greybeard attack (29) pulling out of his 12th over with a back spasm and not seen again. Smith might have cashed in but with Broad tickling his inside edge on 22, and Marnus Labuschagne undone by Woakes on 21, England won the morning session.
Head had already enjoyed a life by this stage, however, dropped by Bairstow on eight when he wafted Wood down leg. But while England’s short-ball plans kept the typically quick-scoring left-hander quiet, no Robinson meant more work for Moeen Ali and Marsh, already crashing the seamers to all parts, cashed in. Indeed, along with a century, brought up off a misfield, he scored 113 runs in the session.
Wood bowled just three overs during this spell of one-way traffic. But once the ever-dependable Woakes sent both set men packing either side of tea – Head caught at slip by Root for 39 the ball after putting down Carey – it became the fast show again, Australia’s lower order visibly perturbed by Wood’s speeds and unable to cope.
The West Stand, once the notorious Western Terrace, was well-oiled and the reception for both Carey and Cummins was particularly hostile. As was the vicious Wood short-ball that clanged into Carey’s helmet; the precursor to Australia’s wicketkeeper backing away on eight and spooning a tame catch to cover.
England, the team espousing the Spirit of Cricket these past few days, could have shown a bit more concern here but the battle lines have seemingly been redrawn.
