Australia close on Ashes as England captain Root falls in third Test

LEEDS, United Kingdom: England captain Joe Root added just two to his overnight score before he was dismissed for 77 to bolster Australia´s chances of completing an Ashes-clinching win on the fourth day of the third Test at Headingley on Sunday.With the new ball available to Australia in two overs, Root went down the pitch to off-spinner Nathan Lyon´s third ball of the day and tried to work it legside.But the ball deflected off his back leg, looped over Australia captain and wicketkeeper Tim Paine, with David Warner taking a superb divng catch at first slip.The end of Root´s 205-ball innings left England 159-4 in the 78th over and still needing a further 200 runs to reach an imposing victory target of 359.Only three sides have made more than 300 to win in the fourth innings of a Test at Headingley -- Australia (404-3 in 1948), England (315-4 against Australia, 2001) and the West Indies with 322-5 two years ago.England were now left looking to all-rounder Ben Stokes and new batsman Jonny Bairstow, like Root playing on his Yorkshire home ground, as they tried to level this five-match series at 1-1.That England had any chance at all of a win, even a remote one, was remarkable given they had been dismissed for just 67 -- their lowest Ashes total since 1948 -- in the first innings.Another sun-drenched day in Leeds saw England resume on 156-3, with Root 75 not out and Stokes two not out after facing 50 balls on Saturday.They had yet to add to their overnight score when Stokes missed an a pull off a Josh Hazlewood bouncer that smashed into his helmet, between the grille and peak, with the stem guard protecting his neck flying off at the back.The all-rounder, who made an unbeaten century in the drawn second Test at Lord´s, was cleared to bat on, however.Eventually Root scored England´s first run of Sunday´s play off the 26th ball of the day only to be dismissed soon afterwards.If Australia win this match they will retain the Ashes at 2-0 up with two to play having thrashed England by 251 runs in the series opener at Edgbaston.

from The News International - Sports https://ift.tt/3405UqX