England 68 for 3 (Root 19*, Bairstow 1*) path Australia 263 (Marsh 118, Wood 5-34) by 195 runs

Wood, again within the facet after considerations about his health, bowled with sustained tempo and hostility to assert his first five-wicket haul in a house Test, and helped England clear up the Australia innings with alacrity after an unheralded scene-stealing efficiency from Marsh had threatened to take the sport away.

Marsh was a shock choice within the Australia XI, after Cameron Green picked up a minor hamstring pressure, and enjoying his first Test because the remaining match of the 2019 Ashes. He had solely made 4 first-class appearances within the intervening interval, however produced a bullocking, 102-ball hundred – his third in Tests and third in opposition to England – to assist steer Australia away from the rocks at 85 for 4 simply earlier than lunch.

Marsh dominated his stand of 155 with Travis Head, outscoring his accomplice by virtually 4 to at least one, however England hit again to take the final six Australia wickets for 23 runs within the house of 8.4 overs. The recreation continued to rattle alongside thereafter, too, as England misplaced their high three earlier than the shut.

England got here into this match 2-0 behind within the sequence and nursing their grievances after slender defeats at Edgbaston and Lord’s. Only a win in Leeds will suffice if they’re to maintain their makes an attempt to win the Ashes alive – and solely Don Bradman’s 1936-37 Australians have efficiently come again from such a place in opposition to their oldest rivals.

There had been instant indicators of tempo and carry for the seamers, in distinction to the surfaces for the opening two Tests, and England’s reshaped assault had been quickly making additional inroads. Wood had not performed a Test since December or bowled in aggressive match since mid-April on the IPL however hit his straps from the outset, pushing the velocity gun as much as 96.5mph/155kph and leaving Marnus Labuschagne groping for the ball throughout three consecutive maidens.

When Labuschagne managed to get off strike, that left Usman Khawaja within the firing line. Five balls that had been brief or in need of an excellent size had been adopted by a fuller, 95mph/152kph supply that beat Khawaja’s flat-footed drive and left leg stump flat on the bottom. His opening spell of 4-3-2-1 was proof lots that Wood was able to blast off.

Labuschagne had grafted for greater than hour however ultimately fell for a ponderous 21 when Chris Woakes – this was his first Test look since March 2022 – had him edging to slide, and England went in to lunch in buoyant temper when Steven Smith, in his one centesimal Test, fell to a catch on the wicket off Broad regardless of reviewing Kumar Dharmasena’s on-field resolution.

It might have been higher for the hosts, and dropped catches had been a significant blight on England’s day. Jonny Bairstow missed a tricky likelihood off Smith on 4 after which put down a far less complicated likelihood down the leg facet when Head had made 9. The worst aberration was to return at first of the afternoon session, nevertheless, when Woakes discovered Marsh’s outdoors edge just for Joe Root to grass an easy take at first slip.

Marsh was on 12, having smashed Woakes for six earlier within the over, and he absolutely capitalised on his luck in one of many extra extraordinary Ashes lots of of current reminiscence. Strong on the drive by the covers and down the bottom, he showcased his energy with a bludgeoned six off Wood that flew into the Western Terrace, racking up his first Test fifty since March 2018 – from simply 59 balls – to push England again.

But because the day threatened to run away from them, England grabbed on to Marsh’s coattails on the very important second, Woakes discovering an inside edge that ballooned to slide on the point of tea. And though Root put down one other likelihood to reprieve Alex Carey after the interval, he held Head’s outdoors edge from the very subsequent ball and Wood then tore by the tail within the house of 14 deliveries: Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins pinned by tempo, Carey hit on the pinnacle after which holing out, Todd Murphy dragging into his stumps.

There was nonetheless greater than an hour and a half left within the night session, and Australia made use of the circumstances themselves as Cummins struck twice in his opening spell. Ben Duckett was nicely held by the leaping Carey – who clinched an impressive catch by urgent the ball to his lips within the suggestions of his gloves – and Harry Brook’s first outing at No. 3 was short-lived as he edged to second slip.

Marsh then capped his day within the Yorkshire solar by eradicating Zak Crawley in his second over, through one other fiddle to the cordon, earlier than the native pairing of Root and Bairstow throttled right down to see out a high-octane day, with the promise of extra to return.