This was a heady opening day at Headingley; a petrol-strength cocktail of fast bowling and fast scoring in an increasingly raucous atmosphere that saw 13 wickets fall and two late entrants into the series – Mark Wood and Mitchell Marsh – shine brightly.
Wood first, who missed England’s defeats in the first two Tests due to that rebellious body and looked keen to make up for lost time. He hit a top speed of 96.5mph on the speed gun but, more crucially for the fate of this third instalment, claimed five for 34 as Australia, inserted at the toss by Stokes, were bowled out for 263 in 60.4 overs.
The tourists slightly squandered a superb fightback from Marsh who, four years on from his last Test outing in the 2019 Ashes, had crashed a run-a-ball 118 during a one-sided afternoon. Dropped by Joe Root at slip on five, Marsh etched his name into Headingley’s all-rounder folklore with 17 fours and four particularly meaty sixes.
But once Chris Woakes, the bowler denied, continued a day for the comeback kids, Marsh edging to slip on the stroke of tea to defuse an increasing sense of English dread, Wood shut down the innings masterfully. The last four of his lightning strikes came as the tourists lost six for 23 in 51 balls, Wood leading England off the field at the change of innings and beaming at what was his first five wicket-haul on home soil.
There was still work for England to do before the close and they did not emerge unscatched. In fact day two already looks pivotal to their hopes of ensuring the series is not lost at the earliest opportunity. The hosts will resume on 69 for three, 195 runs in arrears, with Root unbeaten on 19 and Jonny Bairstow on one not out.
Australia will be confident, having enjoyed the conditions when it was their turn to bowl. There were two wickets for Pat Cummins – Ben Duckett and Harry Brook falling for single figures – and though Zak Crawley appeared to be thriving on 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 good deal more pace and carry.
This was to the liking of Marsh, a cricketer raised on the Waca’s bouncier surfaces. Handed his chance by Cameron Green’s soreness after Lord’s, the all-rounder turned Australia’s 85 for four in the morning into 240 for five by tea, wielding his bat like a blacksmith at the forge and bringing up a memorable third century in Ashes cricket.
But conditions also suited England’s rejigged attack for the first time. 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 a thing to say about this, naturally. But when the last ball of Wood’s initial four-over burst sent Usman Khawaja’s leg stump tumbling, his point of difference was obvious.
It also meant catchers needed to be more alert than ever and yet England’s struggles continued. Two of the three Yorkshiremen were the guilty parties here, Root grassing three chances and Bairstow two – the latter handing Steve Smith a life on eight in his 100th Test match when a wrongfooted by an admittedly tricky inside edge.
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Ollie Robinson was the bowler denied on a personally difficult day, the junior member of a greybeard attack (29) pulling out of his 12th over with a back spasm not seen again. Smith might have cashed in but with Broad tickling his inside edge on 22, and Marnus Labuschagne snuffed out by Woakes on 21, England won the morning session.
Travis Head had already enjoyed a life by this stage, however, dropped by Bairstow when he wafted a short-ball down leg. England were determined to explore this further with a sustained short-ball plan but the left-hander held firm, contributing 30 runs (and 39 overall) to a stand of 155 with the increasingly dominant Marsh.
But once the ever-dependable Woakes sent both set men packing to slip either side of tea – Head caught at slip by Root the ball after putting down Alex Carey – it became the fast show once more, Stokes turning to Wood, whom he had largely rested in the afternoon, and watching his Durham teammate shut down Australia’s lower order.
The West Stand, formerly the Western Terrace, was well-oiled by this stage and the reception for both Carey and Cummins was 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 catch to cover.
