Harry Brook announced himself on the Ashes stage with a match-winning knock for England that kept the series alive and delivered another memorable Headingley climax.
Brook batted with great maturity as he made a steely 75, taking a decisive chunk out of the 251-run target and set a fire under this summer’s rivalry, leaving Australia 2-1 ahead with two to play.
The Yorkshireman fell with 21 still needed as the third Test descended into nerve-shredding tension, but Mark Wood cut through the anxiety with a feisty 16 not out and Chris Woakes completed a remarkable return to the Test arena by crunching the winning runs towards the delirious Western Terrace to finish unbeaten on 32.
England’s three-wicket win was achieved despite Ben Stokes’ dismissal for just 13, a soft nick down the leg-side robbing the hosts of their inspirational captain and the architect of their 2019 Ashes miracle here at the start of the decisive final session.
Mastering the chase
Under the leadership of Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, England have now successfully chased down five 250-plus totals in the last 13 months. Hauling down 378 against India last summer is their highest-ever chase while Stokes has admitted in the past he would cheerily see England set totals above 400 to test their limits.
What they said
Stokes was succinct after being quizzed whether this was his most satisfying win as England’s Test captain.
Neser up
Are Australia planning on freshening up their attack for Emirates Old Trafford? Michael Neser has been released from the squad to rejoin Glamorgan for their County Championship match against Leicestershire, starting on Monday. He will then rejoin Australia ahead of the fourth Test with the school of thought being the move allows Neser to regain some match sharpness, having last played competitively on May 21. He had a stint at the start of the season with Glamorgan, taking 19 wickets in five matches at an average of 25.63. His most telling contribution there, though, was a hat-trick…at Headingley.
The magic numberRooted out
Root’s record against Cummins is not quite the stranglehold Stuart Broad has over David Warner. But the Australia captain has had the Yorkshireman’s number in three successive innings now. This was the most innocuous of the lot as a miscued pull from a shorter ball down leg-side tickled the glove on the way through to Alex Carey. Since a century at Edgbaston, Root’s returns have been diminishing.
Record-Brooking HarryWood fires – again
There was no keeping Wood out of the game. The Durham quick has made an impact every time he has been called upon with ball in hand – when he touched 96.5mph and averaged 90mph in the first innings. But his runs also proved crucial to England’s success. A cameo of 24 from just eight balls in the first innings lit the fuse for England to get somewhere near Australia’s total. He also faced just eight balls second time around but flayed an unbeaten 16 to help get England over the line. Seven wickets in the match and 40 runs from just 16 deliveries deservedly earned Wood his first man of the match award on home soil in Tests.
What’s next?
The teams will have a week’s rest before reconvening for a crucial fourth Test, starting on July 19 at Emirates Old Trafford.
Marsh: Australia have 'moved on' from Ashes drama ahead of Lord's return
Mitchell Marsh insists Australia have moved on from the "drama" that marred last year's Ashes Test with England, ahead of their return to Lord's.
The Baggy Greens lead England 2-1 in the ongoing ODI series heading into the fourth instalment on Friday.
It will be Australia's first visit to Lord's since unsavoury scenes involving their players and spectators ensued during the notorious Ashes Test, following Alex Carey's controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow.
The incident culminated in an MCC member receiving a lifetime ban, while two others were suspended for directing "abusive, offensive or inappropriate behaviour or language" towards Australia's players.
Carey has enjoyed an impressive series, hitting 74 in the second ODI at Headingley and 77 in the third in Durham, and Marsh insists his team-mates are motivated by last year's events.
When asked if there had been any discussions ahead of their return, he told reporters: "No, there hasn't. We've really moved on from that.
"I think there's always excitement playing at Lord's. It's the greatest ground in the world, bar the WACA, of course - the history and the tradition here, it's always a fantastic place to play.
"Obviously, these things happen in Ashes Test matches. There's not a series that goes by that doesn't have some sort of drama."
On Carey, he added: "I don't think [being motivated by last year's events is] in his character. But Alex certainly loves playing in England. We all do.
"The fans are always incredible, and it's always a tough challenge playing against England, so I think he's just wrapped to be back here playing for Australia."
Dwayne Bravo officially retires after storied career
West Indies and T20 cricket legend Dwayne Bravo has officially announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, bringing an end to a storied 18-year career that spanned the globe. The 40-year-old, who turns 41 next month, made the announcement via an emotional post on Instagram, citing the toll that injuries have taken on his body.
"My mind wants to keep going, but my body can no longer endure the pain, the breakdowns, and the strain," Bravo shared. "I can't put myself in a position where I might let down my teammates, my fans, or the teams I represent. So, with a heavy heart, I officially announce my retirement from the sport. Today, the Champion bids farewell."
Bravo's final season in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) was cut short by a groin injury while playing for the Trinbago Knight Riders against the St. Lucia Kings in Tarouba. Despite the abrupt end to his CPL campaign, Bravo was given a guard of honour by his teammates during his final appearance for the Trinbago Knight Riders in Port of Spain against the Guyana Amazon Warriors on September 18, 2024.
Bravo, who is the leading T20 wicket-taker in history with 631 wickets from 582 appearances, has been a trailblazer in the format. Known for his variations and impeccable death bowling, he helped revolutionize T20 cricket, setting a high standard for bowlers around the world. In his illustrious career, Bravo won titles across the globe, including in the IPL, PSL, and Big Bash League. He also played a pivotal role in the West Indies' two T20 World Cup triumphs in 2012 and 2016.
Before the start of the 2024 CPL season, Bravo had announced that it would be his last. He had been scheduled to play in the third season of the UAE's ILT20, having been retained by MI Emirates, but decided to call time on his career after his latest injury.
Bravo had already retired from international cricket in 2021 and stepped away from the IPL in 2022, transitioning into coaching roles with Chennai Super Kings and the Afghanistan men's national team.
The Trinidadian leaves behind an unmatched legacy in the CPL, where he became the most decorated player in the tournament's history, winning five titles, including three with the Trinbago Knight Riders. Bravo captained the Knight Riders to back-to-back CPL titles in 2017 and 2018 before leading the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots to their first championship in 2021.
Despite his retirement from playing, Bravo’s influence on the game is expected to continue through his coaching roles and the mentorship he has provided to countless cricketers throughout his career.
Known affectionately as "Champion," a nickname derived from his hit song of the same name, Dwayne Bravo leaves behind a T20 career that will be hard to match, not just in terms of statistics, but in the energy, flair, and joy he brought to the game.
As Bravo said in his farewell message, "The Champion bids farewell," but his legacy will undoubtedly live on.
Chandimal century sets the stage for big Sri Lanka score
Sri Lanka are well placed to mount a huge first-innings score after Dinesh Chandimal's century propelled them to 306-3 on day one against New Zealand.
After claiming a convincing win in the first Test, hosts Sri Lanka picked up where they left off in Galle.
Chandimal was the star of the show, trundling his way along to 116 from 208 deliveries before he was bowled by Glenn Phillips (1-33).
New Zealand's day started well, with Tim Southee dismissing Pathum Nissanka in the first over, yet Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne (46) put on a second-wicket partnership of 122.
But it was not just that duo who did the damage for Sri Lanka, with Angelo Mathews clipping his way to 78 not-out and Kamindu Mendis helping himself to an unbeaten half-century before stumps, which brought up a record of eight successive fifties since he made his Test debut.
Sri Lanka got lucky at times, with Daryl Mitchell putting down two catches in the slips while Tom Blundell squandered a great chance to stump Karunaratne, but the Black Caps must now look to recover with a better showing in the field on day two.
Data Debrief: Blundell's century a rare bright spot
While Blundell was left red-faced when he failed to stump Karunaratne, the New Zealand wicketkeeper did have something to smile about on Thursday.
When he caught out Nissanka early on, Blundell became the fifth wicketkeeper to record 100 dismissals for the Black Caps in the longest format (86 catches, 14 stumpings).
Indeed, his tally of stumpings is the most in Test history for New Zealand, which is why his blunder later on was such a bad miss.
For Sri Lanka, meanwhile, Mendis ticked over 900 Test runs across 2024, the second-most of any player this year, behind England's Joe Root (986).
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