ENG VS AUS - 3rd Test, The Ashes, 2023

The English were fired up after the Bairstow stumping. The newspapers of both countries were taking potshots at each other as well. England had to script a turnaround and so they have. They shuffled their pack a little and have managed to get the results. Bazball wasn't on show much but they did score their runs pretty quickly in the final innings. Baz and Ben are a pair which feasts on the confidence of the opponents. Australia have close to 9 days to tighten all the loose ends before we start another exhibition. The jamboree now moves to Manchester. Test cricket is truly in good hands with Tests like these. We will look to market it maybe in a better and grander way at Manchester. Till then, mark your calendars and finish up most of your chores. This is Kumar Abhisekh Das and Vinod signing off! We had a blast covering this and am sure you guys too had a good time following this roller-coaster of a game.

Ben Stokes | England captain: Another down to the wire game. Nice to get over the line and keep our hopes alive. Won the toss, we could have batted and bowled. Looked a good wicket. Saw the way Mitch Marsh batted. Came in and took the game on. The outfield was on the quick side. We had Woody and Woakesy back in and they did well. We picked teams and look how they can impact us in the game. We try to see how they can be influential in the game. I didn't realise that Woakes hasn't played a Test for so long, he is Mr. Consistent. Having someone who can bat like him batting at 8 helps us. Hope he can do something similar when he plays next. [on Mark Wood] Having someone who can bowl at 95 mph is amazing. With the bat, he is just a free spirit. Goes back to the clarity. 24 off 8 balls was a massive swing in the game. Doesn't always come off, but gives you a better chance to succeed. I think about Mo, he always wants to impact the game. He went to Brendon last night and said he wanted to take them on and have a crack at No. 3. Me and Baz just go with the flow. Great for both the teams. The next game is very vital. Everyone wants to see good cricket. This nine-day break will help the bodies a world of good. We love to come here and play cricket for England. [on the Headingley crowd] Absolutely sensational. The Western Terrace is always amazing. This place has memories that people will always remember and we love playing here.

Pat Cummins | Australian captain: There were a moments that went back and forth on each day. We lost 6 wickets for 20 odd on day 1. Each session has swung in one team's favour. We could have kept going. 250 was competitive to bowl at. But wasn't enough in the end. I thought Warner was fantastic at Lord's. A good problem with Mitch. He has had ankle surgery trying to play red-ball cricket. Doesn't hurt to have a few days off and recharge our batteries. We will come back all excited for Manchester.

Mark Wood | Player of the Match: Delighted to be here to stand as the Man of the Match. The lads will tell you there are sweaty palms. Was tough against some of the best bowlers in the world, it's the first time I've got England over the line with the bat so I'm delighted. If I bat any higher, will get a nosebleed, so definitely not higher than 9. I felt in good rhythm. Tried to run in as hard as I can. Stokesy told me to bowl as fast as I could. Things still to work on going into the next game. I was pleased with my 24 off 8. Would be tough going into the next game. The support everywhere we go is amazing, but it's always better in the north, isn't it? Will see I how pull up but will do everything I can to be ready.

And on day 5, England had to adhere to the methods that they have practiced over the last couple of years and they managed to get over the line with three wickets in hand. Aggressive brand of cricket needs a slice of luck and they got the rub of the green on some occasions.

Warner lost his wicket early to Broad, 17th time he was dismissed by his nemesis. Marnus played a laborious knock before falling to Mo Ali. Smith played an outrageous shot to get out to Ali as well. Khawaja fell for 43 and Australia were looking down the barrel. Day 3 saw rain taking the honour for the first two sessions. But the last session under overcast conditions were suitable for England. Woakes, Wood and Broad shared the ruins and Australia managed a lead worth 250. It was majorly possible because of a counter assault from Head. His 77 runs came at a time when his team needed him the most.

England lost three before stumps on day 1 by again handing over the momentum to Australia. Day 2 saw England losing wickets at crucial moments and were reduced to 142 for 7. But then Stokes took charge and went ballistic. He struck some towering sixes off Murphy who in the end removed him for 80. England handed a measly lead of 26. Australia now were in the ascendancy but they faltered.

England would be relieved having finally won the game of passing the momentum baton. This game see-sawed almost every session till today. England put Australia in under overcast conditions and had them four-down as well in the first session. Buoyed by the Bairstow ‘stumping’ from the previous game, England looked good. But Marsh who was replacing Green disturbed the applecart as he struck a majestic ton at a strike-rate of almost a 100. England went on the back foot in the middle session on day 1. But Marsh fell and the rest fell like a pack of cards as Wood celebrated his return with a fifer. Sheer pace from him did trouble the Aussies on a deck which had true bounce.

Most sixes hit in an Ashes Test
21 at Adelaide Oval 2013/14
19 at WACA Perth 2013/14
18 at Edgbaston 2005
18 at Edgbaston 2023
18 at Headingley 2023

Each of the first 17 Tests ending in a decisive result under a captain
Waqar Younis (10 X wins, 7 X defeats)
Shakib Al Hasan (3 X wins, 14 X defeats)
Ben Stokes (12 X wins, 5 X defeats)

Fifth successive win for England at Headingley starting since 2018. There are two other sequences of more consecutive wins at a venue for them - six each at Chester-le-Street (2003-16) and at Headingley (1956-62)

Most successful 250+ chases under Stokes
5 Ben Stokes
4 MS Dhoni
3 B Lara & R Ponting
Four of the five successful 250+ chases under have come at a scoring rate of 4.50 or more.

Most successful 250+ chases at a venue
7 at MCG
6 at Headingley
4 at SCG
3 each at Kingsmead, Queen's Park Oval, Lord's, Edgbaston

Fewest balls to 1000 Test runs
1058 Harry Brook
1140 Colin de Grandhomme
1167 Tim Southee
1168 Ben Duckett

A few stats from our statsguys:

Fewest inngs to 1000 Test runs for England
12 Herbert Sutcliffe
16 Len Hutton
17 Gary Ballance/ Harry Brook
18 Wally Hammond

Test cricket can't have a better advertisement than these two teams going against each other. In the end, the difference was made by the new personnel coming in for England. Woakes and Wood came in and took 13 wickets between them. And scored almost 80-odd runs between them. Mo Ali also broke the back with wickets of Marnus and Smith. Australia on the other hand couldn't really squeeze a lot out of Murphy and Boland. Marsh scored and picked wickets but that wasn't going to be enough.

Have you ever been on a roller-coaster? If you have an aversion for it, then stay away from this game and this series in particular. The ebbs and flows of this Test has mimicked an Agatha Christie classic. Till the penny dropped, one couldn't wrap their heads around the sheer turnarounds in this game. But finally the uber-talented Harry Brook back batting at number 5 vindicating his prowess and justifying the skipper's backing. He got out with 21 still needed. Chris Woakes also played a very solid hand. They had close escapes along the way but did enough and England have made it 1-2 and that should be the headlines across the United Kingdom. Headingley continues to haunt the Aussies. This wasn't a classic game of cricket as there were mistakes and dropped catches which allowed the momentum to change hands frivolously. But in the end England are alive. Baz McCullum with those dark glasses would have some hidden smiles for sure. They needed this and they have gotten this. The day started with 226 still required. The momentum game wrestled on both sides and finally it has been brought to rest in England's corner. Mitch Starc produced a superb spell picking up five wickets as skipper Cummins had a rare off-day. But Starc pulled his weight into the game but they had a little too less to defend against an England side which has been making mockery of chases in the last year or so.

15:40 Local Time, 14:40 GMT, 20:10 IST: Woakes and Mark Wood walk off with smiles on their faces. The customary handshakes follow. Another absolutely rivetting Test and this time England come out on top and keep the series alive. This Ashes series keeping Test cricket as the pinnacle of the game and further raising its standard by a few levels.

Starc to Woakes, FOUR, England win! It's the comeback men - Woakes and Mark Wood who have won the Headingley Test. It's 1-2 to Australia now and the Ashes is alive still. Full on the stumps, Woakes as he does always, stays leg-side of the ball, opens the off-side field up, drives firmly and beautifully through point, a dive from the fielder but it was wide of him and races away. The crowd let out a collective roar - not too dissimilar to the one we saw in 2019 on the same ground

The field is in. Boland is back at third man and a deep square leg halfway in. Starc over the wicket.