Ashes 2019: England chasing record 359 to beat Australia at Headingley

England battled their way to 90-2 by tea on day three of the third Ashes Test at Headingley after being set 359 to win by Australia.

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England lost openers Rory Burns (7) and Jason Roy (8) in the second and third overs after lunch, prompting fears of another England collapse following their first-innings 67, but captain Joe Root (41no) and Joe Denly (30no) bravely blunted the Australian attack with an unbroken 75-run stand that maintains hope of a famous victory to keep the series alive.

Earlier, with Australia resuming on 171-6, England laboured somewhat in taking their final four second-innings wickets before finally bowling them out for 246 late on in the morning session.

Marnus Labuschagne frustrated the hosts once more as he was dropped for a third time in his innings – to go with a further dismissal off a no-ball yesterday – on his way to a top-score of 80.

Jonny Bairstow was the guilty party for the second time as Labuschagne, on 60, prodded a Stuart Broad delivery towards Root at first slip, only for the wicketkeeper to dive into view and grass the opportunity.

Root would finally register his 100th Test catch to see off James Pattinson (20), with Jofra Archer (2-40) returning to the attack and producing the kind of ferociously fast spell that is becoming his trademark.

Labuschagne took another brutal blow to the helmet – nearly identical to the one he wore second-ball at Lord’s – but, as is becoming the gutsy Australian batsman’s own trademark, he was unruffled and quickly refocused.

However, after Ben Stokes (3-56) did for Pat Cummins (6) with a sharp bouncer of his own fended to gully, Labuschagne finally fell, run out off a fast, flat throw from Denly at third man following an initial misfield that prompted the batsman’s push for two.

Nathan Lyon (9) was the last man to fall, chopping Archer onto his stumps, as England were set what would be their record-highest run chase in Test cricket.

England’s openers survived a tricky 20-minute spell before lunch, but swiftly departed after the interval, Burns falling foul of a sharp-bouncing Hazlewood delivery that took his shoulder edge through to David Warner at first slip and Roy being bowled by a beauty from Cummins that clipped his off stump.

But Root, out first ball in the first innings, led from the front against some high-quality bowling and though Denly battled with his technique at times at the other end – playing and missing on numerous occasions as well as taking a blow to the helmet off Cummins – he stuck it out with his skipper.

Watch continued coverage of the third Test between England and Australia at Headingley, live on Sky Sports The Ashes.

(c) Sky Sports 2019: Ashes 2019: England chasing record 359 to beat Australia at Headingley