England captain Heather Knight insists the pressure is all on Australia after the home side’s fightback in the Women’s Ashes.

Australia appeared to be cruising towards a successful Ashes defence after winning the solitary Test and the opening ODI to take a 6-0 lead in the multi-format series.

But England have reduced the deficit to two points after winning back-to-back T20 games and head into the three-match one-day international series with renewed confidence of upsetting the world’s number one women’s side.

“We had to win five games on the trot to win the Ashes so I guess the pressure was on us as we were massive underdogs at that point,” Knight said ahead of Wednesday’s opening ODI in Bristol.

“But the pressure’s all on them now, they’ve only got to win one game (to retain the Ashes). If we can keep doing what we’re doing, keep ramping up that pressure a little bit.

“We’re still the underdogs in the context of the whole series. I feel like the pressure’s not massively on us.”

Test stars Tammy Beaumont and Lauren Filer have returned to the England squad with Knight promising that her side will continue to “disrupt” Australia.

Beaumont became England’s first Test double centurion while Filer touched speeds in excess of 75 miles per hour at Trent Bridge to live up to her reputation as the fastest female bowler in the country.

“We see her (Filer) as someone who can disrupt a bit and bowl in those middle overs and try to take wickets,” Knight said.

“She’s obviously played a lot at Bristol as well, knows the ground well and is really exciting.

“In the past, we might have got a bit down and had the ‘here we go again’ thing against the Aussies, but there’s a real belief in that room that we can match this cricket team.

“We’ve always seen ourselves as the disrupters in this series, having to do things differently to beat this really good team.

“I’m sure they’ll come at us hard but our job is to keep trying to disrupt, keep trying to put them under pressure and bring our best cricket.”

England’s men’s team have kept their own Ashes hopes alive by winning at Headingley since the women’s side wrapped up a 2-1 T20 series win on Saturday.

That feel-good factor in English cricket is something Knight is keen to tap into during the remaining ODI games at Bristol, Southampton and Taunton.

She said: “It was great to see the guys win. I think they have actually been quite parallel series – they obviously lost the first two games which were very close as well.

“There’s a real buzz around the country, which is awesome, that’s what Ashes series can do. We’re buzzing off the amount of people that have come to watch us.

“We’re just trying to keep the momentum going and if the boys can keep doing well and we can keep doing well then maybe we can both have the great escape. Time will tell.”

Australia all-rounder Tahlia McGrath says the visitors are not panicking after successive defeats.

McGrath said: “It was disappointing not to have played the cricket we would have liked, right through the T20 aspect.

“But we’ve had some good discussions and we’re still pretty confident. We’re here to win the Ashes and we’ve still got our noses in front. There’s no panic stations.”

Asked if just retaining the Ashes with an 8-8 draw would be enough for Australia, McGrath said: “I don’t think so. We want to win every game of cricket.

“First and foremost we want to retain the Ashes and doing that eight-all doesn’t sound the same as winning them outright.”

England have moved early to throw their backing behind Jonny Bairstow, retaining the wicketkeeper for next week’s fourth Ashes Test at Emirates Old Trafford.

The selectors have resisted the temptation to send a mid-series call out to Surrey’s Ben Foakes, with Bairstow retained as the only gloveman in an unchanged 14-man squad.

The Yorkshireman has endured a difficult series behind the stumps, missing eight chances of varying difficulty in the first three games, leading to calls for Foakes to be restored.

But England have nipped such talk in the bud at the earliest opportunity by naming the same group for next Wednesday’s clash in Manchester, another must-win for the hosts who are 2-1 down with two to play following their victory over Australia at Headingley.

Foakes has repeatedly been hailed as the best wicketkeeper in the world by captain Ben Stokes, but the 30-year-old was the odd man out at the start of the summer when Bairstow’s return to fitness following a badly broken leg and the rise of Harry Brook left England with a dilemma.

Bairstow’s movement has not looked as sharp since returning from injury, hardly any surprise after he sustained three separate fractures in his left leg, ligament damage and a dislocated ankle, but he retains the backing of a hierarchy who like to stick to their guns when it comes to personnel.

He has only fired once with the bat in the current Ashes series, making a run-a-ball 78 on the first day of the series, but he has shown before just how dangerous he can be when the mood is with him.

He was England’s Test player of the year in 2022, setting the tone for the ‘Bazball’ era with four exhilarating hundreds last summer. Head coach Brendon McCullum and Stokes both promised his place would be kept open when he suffered his freak accident on a golf course and have been as good as their word.

He will now be hoping to pay that faith back at Old Trafford. Ollie Robinson also takes his place in the 14 despite back spasms rendering him a peripheral figure in the previous match.

Robinson will join up with the side and is being monitored by the medical team, but is favourite to make way for the return of record wicket-taker James Anderson at his home ground.

England quick Mark Wood is eager to hit Australia with more “thunderbolts” in Manchester next week and aims to prove “lightning strikes twice” after his Headingley heroics.

Wood marked his return to Ashes cricket with a stirring player-of-the-match showing in Leeds, taking match figures of seven for 100 and hitting 40 vital runs from just 16 deliveries.

His efforts helped change the tone of the series, getting England on the board after back-to-back defeats and leaving the path open for the hosts to reclaim the urn against all odds.

Wood’s raw pace provided an X-factor that had been absent at Edgbaston and Lord’s, with his first ball of the match doubling up as England’s fastest of the summer.

He continued cranking it up in his first red-ball outing for seven months, at one stage reaching 96.5mph during a ferocious opening spell, and Australia’s batting looked entirely less assured due to his mere presence on the park.

Wood revealed his England captain and Durham team-mate Ben Stokes had given him one simple instruction when he let him loose.

“Ben just asked me, ‘Are you ready? Are you ready to bowl some thunderbolts?’ I said yes and that was it,” he said.

“He was ready to unleash me. I know him well and he knows me well. Having that relationship with someone makes it easier.”

Asked if he was ready to dish out more of the same at Emirates Old Trafford next Wednesday, Wood replied with a grin: “Absolutely. Lightning strikes twice, eh?”

Wood is arguably the most consistently fast bowler ever to play for England, a crown he likely lacks only due to the absence of accurate historical data.

But the sheer physical exertion the 33-year-old puts himself through means he has had to endure long spells out of the side.

Since debuting in 2015 he has played just 29 of England’s 109 Tests, missing many of those through injury, yet Wood has set his sights on finishing strongly this summer.

There are just three days between the fourth and fifth games of the series, but, with a week to get himself ready, he fully intends to be on parade for both.

“I did four in Australia last time and three of them were in a row. It’s a big ask, but one I’ve done before and I will lean on that experience to try to do it again,” he said.

“I will speak to the physio, but I imagine I will bowl once or twice, do a couple of gym sessions, maybe some running, but it won’t be too drastic. I have to let the body recover.

“This was my first game in a very, very long time, especially in Test cricket. I will let the body recover, get myself in a good space, let the wounds recover and get myself up for the next one.”

Wood wears his heart on his sleeve on and off the field and could not hide his satisfaction at taking up a starring role midway through a contest that has captured the imagination of the public.

“It fills me with great pride to say I can do well against Australia. It’s challenging because they are a top, top side,” he said.

“It’s one of the best feelings I’ve had. Look at facing Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. One, it’s not easy. Two, it’s really intimidating.

“They’re bowling fast, they get good bounce and more often than not they come out on top. Luckily this time it’s the one out of 100 I’ve managed to get through.

“The 2005 Ashes was the absolute pinnacle for me – I was at a great age, a teenager, and my hometown hero (Steve Harmison) was playing.

“I don’t feel like it’s to that magnitude, but it’s great to have the support, which has been amazing everywhere we’ve been. You feel it on the street walking around, people messaging you. It’s amazing as a nation that we can carry this weight of support with us.”

Former England bowler Steve Harmison believes Ollie Robinson’s Ashes series could be over, suggesting the hosts “can’t afford to take the risk” over his fitness.

Robinson has played all three games so far, taking 10 wickets at 28.40, but was sidelined for the majority of the three-wicket victory at Headingley with back spasms.

The 29-year-old, who was restricted to just 11.2 overs, suffered similar issues during the last Ashes series Down Under in 2021-22 and in the subsequent tour of the West Indies.

With record wicket-taker James Anderson raring to return at his home ground of Emirates Old Trafford in the fourth Test, Robinson looks set to step down, but Harmison believes he may also be out of contention for the series finale at the Kia Oval too.

“He’s done for me; I think he’s done in the Ashes,” Harmison told talkSPORT.

“I think history has repeated itself. He came into the last Ashes and wasn’t able to bowl the overs he could do because of his body. I’m not going to speculate on where he is from a fitness point of view or whether it’s just unfortunate that these injuries have come.

“But England can’t afford to take the risk. With two games left in the series that we have to win, we have to pick the best bowlers. Ollie is one of them but he’s got to be fit to be one of them.

“He started the last couple of Tests at 78mph…and you’re starting to drop to 76, 75mph. As great a record as he’s got in Test cricket, unfortunately he needs to get his fitness and his body up before he starts playing Test cricket again.”

Robinson riled Australia with his fiery send-off of Usman Khawaja in the first Test, with the likes of Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden queuing up to criticise the seamer.

Hayden did so in particularly colourful fashion, taking aim at his pace by accusing him of bowling “124kph nude nuts”.

England sparked the men’s Ashes back into life at Headingley, claiming a three-wicket win that leaves them 2-1 down with two Tests to play.

Here, the PA news agency looks at how the series is set and the key issues affecting each side.

How important was England’s win in the third Test?

After losing narrowly at Edgbaston and Lord’s, it was do or die in Leeds. By getting over the line they stopped the Australian juggernaut in its tracks and kept the intrigue of a gripping series burning. England have played some compelling cricket but would have found it hard to talk their way out of a 3-0 scoreline that would have ended their hopes of regaining the urn. Now the country’s cricket fans can enjoy another week of hype and expectation.

Who has the momentum?

Ever since Jonny Bairstow’s controversial stumping on the final day at Lord’s, England have played their cricket with greater edge and steel. They may not admit it, but the controversial incident appeared to awaken an extra level of competitive edge that had yet to surface. Deep down, the tourists may already be regretting riling up their opponents with an opportunistic dismissal that raised their hackles. But when it was put to Australia captain Pat Cummins that England may have the elusive ‘momentum’ he rejected the notion, explaining his position in the simplest terms: by reciting the series scoreline.

Have England belatedly found their best XI?

Both Chris Woakes and Mark Wood had to wait for their chance to make an impression this summer, but the pair made up for lost time at Headingley. They shared 13 of the 20 Australia wickets to fall, with Wood’s raw pace and Woakes’ reliability elevating the attack to its best performance yet. They then saw their side home with bat on day four and it is already hard to imagine either man making way at Emirates Old Trafford or The Kia Oval. One change does look certain for the fourth Test, with record wicket-taker James Anderson all but guaranteed his place at his home ground and Ollie Robinson in line for a rest following his fitness issues last week.

Will Bairstow keep the gloves?

England made a tough selection call at the start of the campaign when they axed Ben Foakes, a man they repeatedly trumpeted as the best wicketkeeper in the world, to make room for the returning Bairstow. The Yorkshireman was the standout player of last year’s ‘Bazball’ bonanza but his return behind the stumps has been troubling. He has put down seven catches and a stumping so far, with his movement behind the stumps apparently affected by the horror leg-break that forced him out of the game for nine months. But there is nothing in the mood music to suggest England are about to make a U-turn on Foakes and ditch a player with Bairstow’s seniority. It is clearly a gamble, but one they seem committed to.

How fit is Ben Stokes

The England captain is very clearly, very visibly close to breaking point. He was desperate to play as an all-action all-rounder but has chipped in just 29 overs across six innings and did not bowl at all at Headingley. Even batting is putting him through the ringer due to his longstanding left knee problem. Watching Stokes grimace, wince and hobble his way through an innings has become par for the course but he has somehow retained his effectiveness and is the second highest run-scorer on either side. Stokes may well require a long break soon, but while the Ashes is alive he is surely going nowhere.

What does Old Trafford hold

First and foremost, England will be hoping for another sporty pitch with enough pace, carry and sideways movement to keep their bowlers interested. The Lancashire ground staff have typically done a good job of delivering surfaces that fit the bill and the home side rounded up South Africa cheaply twice last summer en route to an innings victory. But the last Ashes clash in Manchester also offers a possible warning. England were fresh from Stokes’ 2019 miracle when they pitched up in Lancashire and lost by 185 runs, guaranteeing the tourists would retain the urn. Australia will be eager to recreate their celebrations four years on, while England know all too well how it feels to see their surge fall flat.

Test stars Tammy Beaumont and Lauren Filer return for England ahead of the decisive three ODIs in the multi-format Women’s Ashes after being overlooked for the T20s.

Beaumont became England’s first Test double centurion while Filer’s burst of speed on debut troubled Australia in the defeat at Trent Bridge but both were deemed surplus to requirements for the three T20s.

England lost the opener at Edgbaston but won twice in London at the Kia Oval and Lord’s in front of record crowds to breathe fresh life into their bid to beat Australia for the first time since 2013-14.

And Beaumont, an ODI regular after losing her T20 spot ahead of the Commonwealth Games last year, comes back into the reckoning as does Filer, who could make her debut in the format on Wednesday at Bristol.

Alternatively she could come in at the Ageas Bowl on Sunday or Taunton next Tuesday, with all three matches sold out and England needing a clean sweep – or two wins if there is a washout – to prevail.

“We were delighted with our T20 series win and look forward to the next stage of the Ashes with everything to play for,” said England head coach Jon Lewis, whose side currently trail 6-4 on points.

“We’re pleased to welcome Tammy and Lauren back into the group. Tammy showed her quality during the Test match with her double-hundred while Lauren offers us real pace in our bowling.

“The support the team have received throughout the series so far has been incredible and it is fitting to finish with this deciding ODI campaign as the first sell-out series in England Women’s history.

“We respect Australia and know that this part of the Ashes series will again be a big challenge.

“However, we take a great deal of confidence and belief from our recent T20 victories and will, as always, be trying to put on a great showing for our fans.”

Maia Bouchier, Freya Davies and Lauren Winfield-Hill drop out of the reckoning but all-rounder Danielle Gibson, who made her England bow in the T20 series, keeps her spot in a 15-strong squad.

England squad for three ODIs against Australia in multi-format Women’s Ashes: H Knight (captain), T Beaumont, L Bell, A Capsey, K Cross, C Dean, S Dunkley, S Ecclestone, L Filer, D Gibson, S Glenn, A Jones, N Sciver-Brunt, I Wong, D Wyatt.

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.

Ben Stokes revelled in England seizing an Ashes lifeline at Headingley again but he admitted being a hostage to fortune this time as he was a bundle of nerves four years on from his virtuoso heroics.

Stokes produced an innings for the ages at this ground in 2019 in one of the tensest finishes to a Test but any prospect of a repeat on Sunday was extinguished when he was strangled down the leg side on 13.

England still needed 90 to reach a 251 target with five wickets left on the penultimate day, but Harry Brook put himself on the map in the Ashes with an assertive 75 that broke the back of the chase.

Brook was seventh man out with 21 still required but while Chris Woakes and Mark Wood got them home with three wickets to spare, Stokes was pacing the changing room unable to bring himself to look.

“Headingley, day four yet again,” said the England captain after his side narrowed their deficit in the series to 2-1 with two Tests to play. “It’s some place to play cricket.

“I don’t know what it is about the place but it seems to bring out great games and unforgettable moments. I’m not going to lie, I was a bit nervous at the end.

“I walked about two kilometres around the Headingley dressing room in the last half hour, I didn’t actually watch the last 20 runs being scored.

“It’s a completely different place when you can’t do anything, you can’t influence the game any more, you’re left watching and hoping things are going to go your way.”

Brook was the last recognised batter when joined by Woakes but the 24-year-old defied the magnitude of the occasion – falling short of the target meant England would lose the series at the earliest possible opportunity – and nudged the hosts to the brink of victory before top-edging Mitchell Starc to mid-off.

Woakes (32 not out) and Wood (16no), who had taken six and seven wickets in the match respectively on their returns to the Test side, then made sure England got over the line in slightly less dramatic fashion than four years ago.

“It was just an unbelievable effort from everybody,” Stokes said. “There’s been little moments when people have stood up and swung the game back towards us.

“The way Brooky controlled the game from ball one with the bat was amazing. he went out there and put the pressure straight back on to them.

“The way he played with Woakesy in that partnership was high class. For such a young lad in a high-pressure situation in the Ashes was incredible.

“We’ve all seen what he can do with the bat, he’s an incredibly gifted player, and I think he’s only going to get better and better the more pressure situations he’s put in.”

Wood made a breathtaking impact in his first outing of the series, touching a breakneck 96.5mph with the ball while he contributed 40 entertaining runs with the bat off just 16 deliveries.

Stokes acknowledged having such a vibrant ace up his sleeve, one he has known for the better part of two decades having come through the youth ranks together at Durham, is invaluable.

“I’ve known Woody for 16 years now,” Stokes said. “He’s never changed since he was a kid. He just loves playing for England and playing cricket fullstop.

“Whenever he has the ball in his hand, he will give everything he can, whether he’s fresh or tired, he will just keep running in and running in. Even with the bat, he is willing to take it on.

“Having players like that is great, not only for me but for the team. He brings energy and excitement. Everyone watches him bowl because of what he can do. He’s a special talent and we are lucky to have him.”

There was a surprise on Sunday morning as Moeen Ali was catapulted to number three and while the gamble did not pay off as he was dismissed for five, Stokes was impressed by his team-mate’s idea to move up.

“When I took the role on I asked for 10 other selfless cricketers, and that little moment of Mo going to Baz (head coach Brendon McCullum) and saying, ‘I want the opportunity’ is everything that we’re about as a team,” Stokes said.

Stokes feels England are yet to hit their ceiling this summer but was pleased this result has kept the series alive, with a week’s break before they reconvene for the fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford, starting on July 19.

“I still think we can be better,” he added. “Obviously this is really big in the context of the series. We knew we needed to win this one to keep alive our hopes of winning the Ashes. So a good win.”

Australia captain Pat Cummins refused to rule out axing David Warner for the Ashes run-in after the opener’s struggles against Stuart Broad continued at Headingley.

Warner is coming to the end of the road in Test cricket, having flagged his intention to retire in January after a final homecoming game against Pakistan in Sydney, but he may not get the chance to bow out on his own terms.

The 36-year-old was dismissed for one and four in England’s three-wicket victory in the third Test, with his old nemesis Broad making short work of the left-hander on both occasions.

Warner now averages 23.50 in the series with a solitary half-century and, having fallen 17 times to Broad over the course of his career, Australia could find themselves pondering a difficult decision in the nine-day gap before battle resumes at Emirates Old Trafford.

Mitch Marsh made a major impact as an injury stand-in for Cameron Green, scoring a powerful first-innings century and taking two wickets, but both all-rounders are expected to be fit for the next Test.

Asked if Warner could be sacrificed to fit them both in, Cummins said: “We’ll keep all our options open. We’ve got nine or 10 days now, so we’ll take a deep breath.

“We’ll go away for a few days but everyone comes back into it. Greeny should be fit for Manchester, we should have a full roster. So we’ll have a look at the wicket, have a chat and work out the best XI.”

While there was precious little for for Warner to cling on to in those words, Cummins seemed more robust when the idea of Marsh dropping out again was raised.

“It’s possible, but it was a pretty impressive week wasn’t it?”

For Cummins, seeing England chase down 251 to get get themselves back in the series at 2-1 down with two to play was a rare negative experience in a summer of successes.

He led his team to the World Test Championship title against India last month, played the innings that got them over the line at Edgbaston and then claimed victory at Lord’s. All three games against England have been see-saw affairs, with chances for both sides to come through and tight finishes across the board.

“It seems like a series where each session swings in one team’s favour and then the next session the other team picks it up. I was just chatting to Stokesy, saying I wouldn’t mind a stress-free one.

“It’s not my preference but they’ve been great viewing. It’s just tense out there. I actually really enjoy being out there and feeling you’ve got some kind of control of the situation when you’re in the middle of it. It’s 100 times worse when you’re in the changing room and you wish you could do something about it but you can’t.

“I’ll have another look at it and see if there’s anything we might do differently, but it felt like we made some decent decisions out there.”

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 at the start of the decisive final session.

But in Brook they had a new hero, ready to carry the burden all the way to final furlong before passing it over to Woakes and Wood – making an emphatic first impression on their belated introductions to the series.

England moved to within 98 runs of another memorable Ashes victory at Headingley, with Ben Stokes back on centre stage alongside Harry Brook.

Four years on from a famous Stokes-inspired victory at the same venue, England made themselves favourites to claim a gripping third Test after another tightly-fought morning on day four.

Needing 251 to win the match and keep the series alive at 2-1, the hosts reached 153 for four at lunch. Brook was playing forcefully on 40 not out, having swapped his spot at number three for his favoured position of five, with Stokes new to the crease on seven.

The mere presence of the England captain is a major factor, with memories of his match-winning 2019 century here and last week’s 155 in a losing cause both adding weight.

Australia will still fancy their own chances of a late surge though, having picked up each of the top four in a session that would not allow either side to fully take control.

England’s openers came out in cautious mood at 27 without loss, adding 15 careful runs to the score before Ben Duckett was trapped in the crease by Mitchell Starc, lbw to a ball destined for leg stump.

Moeen Ali was the man to replace Duckett at three, a surprise switch with Brook and a hefty promotion from number seven. The all-rounder has done the job before, but last appeared at first drop in November 2018.

It was a typically bold gambit from the Brendon McCullum regime but one that did not pay off.

Moeen made five from 15 deliveries and had no answer for a 90mph rocket from Starc, forcing its way through a modest drive and pounding the stumps.

If that dismissal raised any nerves around the ground, the arrival of their primary insurance policy, Root, should have settled them. Instead, he made an unusually skittish start.

He chased his first ball well wide of off stump on a hiding to nothing and was fortunate to hit fresh air.

Moments later he demanded a quick two off Zak Crawley’s bat and almost opened up a run out chance having yet to open his account.

When he did get off the mark it was in classical fashion, stroking a cover drive to the ropes to offer the crowd a much-needed release after one boundary in the first 45 minutes.

That stroke, combined with a change of bowling, appeared to break the rhythm and the runs began to flow.

Not all of them were intentional, Crawley carving Scott Boland over the cordon and Root nicking four low past second slip, but Crawley also pinged Mitch Marsh for a pair of authoritative blows through point.

Crawley’s growing confidence cost him his wicket on 44, throwing himself into a drive off Marsh and feeding the edge through to Alex Carey.

At 93 for three, both teams were moving towards their destinations and the balance of power was impossible to tell.

Brook set about nudging things in England’s favour, taking on Boland’s natural length and collecting three quick boundaries out the middle of the bat.

A stand of 38 with Root was beginning to give the chase a sense of security, but the latter was undone unexpectedly with the lunch break in sight.

Swivelling into a pull as the returning Cummins dragged one down, he gloved it through to the keeper for a tame end on 21.

Hayley Matthews produced a spell of magic with bat and ball on Saturday to lead the West Indies Women to an eight-wicket win over Ireland Women in the third T20 international to sweep the series 3-0 at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.

Batting first, Ireland looked intent on posting their highest total of the series with beautiful stroke play from Amy Hunter and Orla Prendergast. The pair shared in a 66-run partnership for the second wicket when Hunter was runout for 44 off a deflection of Ashmini Munisar’s fingers.

Prendergast was caught in the deep by Shabika Gajnabi off the bowling of Afy Fletcher for 40.

Rain interrupted Ireland’s innings twice before they finished on 116-9 from their 20 overs.

Matthews saved her best bowling performance of the series for her final over when she took the wickets of Rebecca Stokell 0, Arlene Kelly 0 and Ava Canning 0 in consecutive deliveries to become only the third West Indies Women’s player to take a T20I hat-trick.

She finished with figures of 4-14 while Cherry-Ann Fraser took 2-19.

During the chase, Djenaba Joseph was caught behind for two in the second over, then Matthews and Aaliyah Alleyne took over the run-chase.

The pair smashed 12 boundaries between them as they raced to the 117-run target. Matthews was closing in on her second consecutive half-century when she was bowled by Georgina Dempsey for 48 off 34 deliveries.

Chinelle Henry joined Alleyne in the middle and the pair took the West Indies Women to victory in 18.1 overs. Allyene and Henry were unbeaten on 49 and 13, respectively, as West Indies Women finished on 120-2 for an emphatic victory that pleased the team’s captain.

“I am pretty pleased. Coming into the series, anytime I put on my West Indies shirt I try to go out there and do really well, whether that be batting, bowling or fielding,” said Matthews who was voted Player of the Match and Player of the Series after taking eight wickets and scoring 135 runs for the series.

“I’m just happy I was able to contribute to the team win. It was great to see some of the younger players getting the opportunity this series and coming into their own. We’ve had debutant players perform really well. We’ve had Chinelle Henry get her maiden ODI half-century then back it up with a second one (in the series), then two not outs in the T20 series.”

Looking ahead, Matthews thanked the women she leads for their support.

“I just want to thank all the girls who have supported me since I’ve become captain. Thank you for backing me up out on the field, we have bigger challenges ahead and I look forward to their support.”

England need another 224 runs at Headingley to keep the Ashes series alive – and Chris Woakes hopes they can summon the spirit of 2019 to get them over the line on Sunday.

The hosts closed on 27 without loss in pursuit of 251 – a tricky ask as they have to better a first-innings 237 – after Australia were skittled for 224 on a truncated day three of the third Test.

Adding to the tension is the knowledge they will lose the series at the earliest possible opportunity if they fall short in the chase as they currently trail 2-0, although the target is some way below the 359 they were set by Australia four years ago.

On that occasion, England sealed a nerve-shredding one-wicket win to breathe fresh life into their campaign and Woakes recognises there will be similar momentum shifts and anxious spells on Sunday.

“I hope so, because that means we win the Test match,” said Woakes, when asked if they can channel the 2019 win over their arch rivals. “It would be nice to do it a little bit easier this time.

“There’s a full day ahead of us and we know what we’ve got to get. To chalk a few off is really nice and to finish the day none down is a real positive for us.

“We know we can chase scores as a team. It certainly suits us which is a good thing. The scores haven’t been overly high in this game, so you don’t just walk into it thinking it’s going to be a doddle.

“Naturally in a run chase there’s always nerves. But they are good nerves. The thought of winning the Test, chasing down a score and keeping yourself in the series. It’s more excitement than nerves.”

Woakes and Stuart Broad finished with three wickets apiece on Saturday, while Australia added 108 to their total in just 20.1 overs, largely due to Travis Head’s fine 77, which included three sixes.

There are certain to be some nerves on Sunday, but the total England have been asked to get does not crack the top five at this ground. Indeed, England have overhauled more twice in the last four years.

The magic numberCarey kept quiet

Alex Carey had been a stubborn presence at seven with the bat, passing double figures both times at Edgbaston and Lord’s and making a crucial half-century at the former. His controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow made him a pantomime villain, but, while his glove work remains immaculate, he has been dismissed in Leeds for single figures twice. Carey came to the crease on Saturday after Cricket Australia had refuted a bizarre story about him failing to pay for a haircut, but there was no close shave for the wicketkeeper as an attempted leave off Woakes thudded into his gloves and then, a little unfortunately, clipped his stumps.

Tweet of the day

Fans were left to their own devices for a large chunk of the day because of intermittent showers leading to a near six-hour delay, with only 25.1 overs sent down when play started at 4.45pm. And when you cannot watch the Ashes, what better way to entertain yourself than by playing concourse cricket pretending you are in them? Walking around the ground, there were multiple games that had broken out at the back of the sheltered stands. The size of the bat varied, from regulation to miniature, tennis balls were used and supporters got imaginative with stumps. But those participating – young and old and for a brief period including a policeman batting – at least found a way to pass the time.

Moeen’s economy class

Moeen Ali’s most tangible contribution of the day was not an elegant drive or a ripping delivery through the gate, but a football-style sliding tackle to prevent a boundary. The renowned Liverpool fan was not called upon to bowl as Woakes, Stuart Broad and Mark Wood took care of Australia, meaning Moeen finished the second innings with figures of 17-3-34-2. Going at exactly two an over is his best economy rate in an innings since December 2015 and second best in his Test career (with a minimum of six overs bowled).

On a rainy Saturday in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Jamaica and Guyana secured wins in the third round of the CWI Men’s Rising Stars Under-19 50-Over tournament.

Jamaica secured their third win in as many games with a six-wicket win over the Leeward Islands via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method at Sion Hill.

The match was initially reduced to 41 overs per-side after a rain delay at the start. The Leewards were reduced to 157 all out off 40.3 overs batting first.

Michael Greaves top-scored for the Leewards with 60 while Carlon Bowen-Tuckett added 26 against 4-24 off eight overs from Tamarie Redwood and 3-22 off nine overs from Alex Hinds.

Jamaica were cruising at 86-4 off 16 overs during their reply before another rain delay meant their new target was 144 off 33 overs.

Play resumed before, only four overs later, the heavens opened up once again with Jamaica ending up 121-4 off 20 overs. Jordan Johnson led the way with his second consecutive half century, ending 59* off just 52 balls.

Guyana beat Barbados by 54 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method at Arnos Vale for their first win.

Guyana batted first and posted 178-9 from their 50 overs thanks to a top-score of 35 from Rampertab Ramnauth. Jonathan Rampersaud (31) and Zachary Jodah (28) also provided good contributions against two wickets, each, from Nathan Sealy, Saurav Worrell and Isaiah Folkes.

Barbados’ reply never really got off the ground. They eventually reached 104-8 off 27.2 overs before rain prevented any further play.

Rampersaud took 3-20 off six overs and was well supported by Isai Thorne who claimed 2-25 from 6.2 overs.

The match between Trinidad & Tobago and the Windward Islands at the Cumberland Playing Field ended in a no result.

The Windwards were cruising at 62-1 off 9.2 overs before rain prevented any further play.

Earlier, they bowled T&T out for 124 in just 24.4 overs. Kerwin Gassie led the way with 4-32 from 4.4 overs.

Alice Capsey found her form with a fine 46 as England kept alive their hopes of regaining the Ashes with a five-wicket victory over Australia in a rain-hit final T20 international at Lord’s.

England had responded from defeat in the Test at Trent Bridge and losing the opening T20 at Edgbaston to pull off a three-run win in a thrilling finale at the Oval on Wednesday.

Heather Knight’s side continued that momentum to restrict Australia to 155 for seven and then Capsey led the chase of a Duckworth–Lewis–Stern revised target of 119 in 14 overs to win the T20 series and reduce the multi-format deficit to 6-4 ahead of the deciding one-day internationals.

Australia, put into bat after Knight had won the toss for the first time in this Ashes, made a swift start in front a crowd of 21,610, another record attendance.

Captain Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney hit 10 off the first over from Charlie Dean and Healy was then dropped when on 13 off Nat Sciver-Brunt, the all-rounder unable to take a caught-and-bowled chance down to her left.

Dean made the breakthrough with the first delivery of the fourth over to trap Healy lbw for 16 with a length ball.

England took another wicket in the seventh over when Tahlia McGrath (10) sent a short ball from Danielle Gibson to Capsey at mid-off, leaving Australia at 37 for two.

Mooney sent Sarah Glenn for three consecutive boundaries in the eighth over, but was then bowled by Sciver-Brunt for 32 when attempting a ramp shot.

Ash Gardner hit Gibson for the first six of the match in the 11th over before Sciver-Brunt failed to hold a testing diving catch chance.

Sciver-Brunt then had Gardner (32) caught behind off a top edge from a short ball.

Australia pushed on past 100 before rain took the players off during the 15th over, but it proved only to be a short delay.

Ellyse Perry again set about the England bowlers, racing to 27 off 21 deliveries. Lauren Bell eventually had her lbw for 34 in front of middle, which was not able to be reviewed because of a technical problem with the DRS.

Grace Harris was dropped by Bell in the last over before Gibson put down Annabel Sutherland, with Ecclestone eventually getting her wicket when taking out leg-stump.

Harris (25) was run out going for a second run off the final delivery, as Australia finished 155 for seven.

During the interval, the covers came out as rain again set in which delayed the restart until just after 9pm. As a result, England’s run chase was revised to 119 from 14 overs, with four of those comprising the powerplay.

Danni Wyatt – who hit 76 at the Oval – and Sophia Dunkley put on 17 in the opening two overs.

England’s momentum was halted at the end of the fourth over when, after a run of boundaries, Wyatt edged Megan Schutt behind to depart for 26 off 15 balls.

Australia struck again with the next delivery when Dunkley (nine) sent Darcie Brown’s opening delivery straight up and was caught by Jess Jonassen at backward point to leave England reeling at 39 for two.

Capsey, who had made just 17 runs in her last five England innings, sent Jonassen over deep midwicket for a huge six as England passed the half-century mark.

Sciver-Brunt hit Sutherland for another boundary, before Capsey had a let-off when Georgia Wareham failed to hold a diving catch in an expensive ninth over from Gardner.

Capsey’s onslaught continued as she smashed Schutt for a huge six and then a four – but was then out to a fine catch from Gardner from a shot over deep square leg to fall just short of her half-century.

Just when England looked to be cruising to victory, Sciver-Brunt was bowled by a flatter delivery from Wareham for a run-a-ball 25.

England were left needing two off the final over from Jonassen – who promptly trapped Knight (six) lbw with the first delivery.

Gibson, in just her third game for England, showed nerves of steel to reverse sweep Jonassen for a boundary and secure another dramatic victory.