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England chip into big Aussie lead in Ashes

Dawid Malan of England bats during day three of the First Test Match in the Ashes series.

Dawid Malan of England bats during day three of the First Test Match in the Ashes series. Photo: Getty

For the first time in the opening Ashes Test, England have shown some defiance to halt Australia’s charge towards victory at the Gabba.

At tea on day three, England had battled their way to 2-107 with captain Joe Root unbeaten on 26 and Dawid Malan on 35 providing some much-needed resistance for the tourists.

Despite the visitor’s efforts, Australia were still in a strong position holding a 171-run lead with eight English wickets remaining.

That advantage was created after Travis Head top-scored with 152 before being the last man out in Australia’s first innings of 425 earlier on Friday.

Having survived a testing half-hour before the lunch break, England made a bad start to the second session when opener Rory Burns (12) was caught behind off the bowling of Pat Cummins (1-29) in the first over after the break.

Fellow opener Haseeb Hameed then added a patient 38 runs with Malan but just as he appeared to be settling in for a long knock, the 24-year-old was also out caught behind off Mitch Starc (1-34).

Australia felt they had Malan caught behind off Hazlewood (0-13) but their review was unsuccessful when hot spot didn’t show any evidence of an edge.

Due to a technical issue earlier in the match, there was no real-time snicko in use and Malan survived the appeal.

Earlier, Australia resumed on 7-343 and quickly pushed their lead past 200 as Head continued on from his rampaging ways on Thursday when he belted the third-fastest hundred in Ashes history.

He reached 150 with a boundary off under-fire English spinner Jack Leach, in the process pushing the left-armer into triple figures as he ended the innings with 1-102 off 13 overs.

Head’s knock came off just 148 balls and featured 14 fours and four sixes.

The South Australian received plenty of support from his tail enders with Starc (35) and Nathan Lyon (15) helping Head pass the 150-mark.

Ollie Robinson (3-58) and Mark Wood (3-85) were the pick of the English bowlers, with Chris Woakes taking 2-76.

Talismanic English allrounder Ben Stokes, battling a jarred knee suffered in the field on Thursday, got through a three-over spell on Friday but caused the Australian batters few issues, finishing with 0-65 off 12 overs.

There’s an injury concern for Australia as well, with opener David Warner yet to field due to bruised ribs although scans have cleared him of a fracture.

-AAP

Topics: Ashes
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