Mark Wood reignited England’s Ashes hopes with a devastating five-wicket haul after Australia took advantage of more dropped catches on day one of the third Ashes Test at Headingley.
In his first match of the series, Wood bowled Usman Khawaja during one of the quickest spells on record before ripping through the tail to finish with 5-34 as Australia collapsed from 240-4 to 263 all out.
Australia had been 85-4 before Mitchell Marsh, who was dropped on 12, clubbed a 102-ball century in his first Test since 2019 and put on 175 in 167 balls with Travis Head.
England, 2-0 down and bidding to keep the Ashes series alive in Leeds, lost Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Harry Brook as they reached 68-3 in reply.
After winning the toss for the third match in a row, England struck in the first over as Stuart Broad dismissed David Warner for the 16th time courtesy of an edge to second slip.
Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne briefly took advantage a rapid Headingley outfield before the former was knocked over by Wood, who was clocked at 96mph during a rapid spell before lunch.
Labuschagne batted patiently for the best part of 19 overs before being removed by Chris Woakes, selected for the first since March 2022 as part of three changes from the 43-run defeat at Lord’s.
Steve Smith, playing his 100th Test, also fell cheaply as Broad found the nick and Bairstow, who earlier offered Smith a reprieve, completed the catch.
Australia were reeling at 85-4 but would have been in even more trouble had Bairstow and Root not put down relatively routine catches when Head was on 9 and Marsh 12.
The momentum began to shift after lunch as Marsh – only playing in replace of the injured Cameron Green – quickly found his touch, hooking Wood and Woakes for sixes and taking down the off-spin of Moeen Ali in a brutal century, his third in 33 Tests.
England’s problems were growing when Ollie Robinson left the field with a back problem, but the hosts were relieved to see the back of Marsh on the stroke of tea, Woakes dismissing the all-rounder for 118.
That sparked a dramatic collapse as Australia lost their final six wickets for 23 runs, Wood picking up from where he left off by removing Head one ball after Root put down Carey.
Wood cleaned up Mitchell Starc and had Pat Cummins trapped lbw two balls later, while Alex Carey – booed for his part in the Lord’s controversy – holed out one ball after being struck in the helmet.
The impressive Wood completed his five-fer when he bowled Todd Murphy, Australia all out for 263.
Wickets continued to tumble as England began their reply as Cummins nicked off Duckett and new No. 3 Brook in successive overs to leave the hosts 22-2.
Crawley and Root added 43 in eight overs before the former edged behind to Australia centurion Marsh, leaving England 68-3 at stumps.
Root, unbeaten on 19, and Bairstow, one not out, will look to eat into England’s deficit of 195 tomorrow after an action-packed start to the third Ashes Test.
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