LEEDS, England (AP) — England limited the damage in the third Ashes test as Ben Stokes and even pacer Mark Wood went on the attack to eventually concede a 26-run advantage to Australia on Friday.
The hosts were all out for 237 in reply to Australia’s first innings of 263 with Australia captain Pat Cummins taking 6-91 in 18 overs.
England had started after lunch on 147-2, still 121 runs behind. That deficit was quickly reduced as Stokes advanced in the afternoon session from 27 not out to top-score with 80, which included five sixes and six fours. He was caught by Steve Smith off Todd Murphy as the last man out.
Wood, who took a five-for in his day job, smashed an eight-ball 24 which included three sixes and a four.
Stokes and Ollie Robinson added 38 for the final wicket, with Robinson ending 5 not out.
Earlier, England key batter Joe Root had been dismissed on the second ball of the day and Jonny Bairstow departed in the opening half-hour as Australia gave the hosts a lesson in slip fielding.
All-rounders Moeen Ali (21) and Chris Woakes (10) were dismissed before lunch with Ali’s attempted pull shot costing him his wicket.
Stokes shared a partnership of 44 with Ali for the sixth wicket.
Root was caught by first slip David Warner off the bowling of Cummins without adding to his overnight score of 19.
Bairstow was caught by second slip Steve Smith for 12 against Mitchell Starc (2-59).
Both Root in the slips and Bairstow as wicketkeeper dropped chances on the first day in front of their home crowd.
Bairstow dropped Travis Head and Smith in another poor display of keeping. Root crucially spilled Mitch Marsh in the slips on 12 and dropped Alex Carey on 4. Marsh went on to celebrate his test comeback by smashing a run-a-ball 118. Root and Bairstow missed five chances on the day.
England had resumed the day on 68-3.
Australia leads the five-match series 2-0 and will retain the Ashes if it avoids defeat in Leeds. England’s afternoon attack has kept the latest match of a thrilling test series competitive.
___
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
