England revived their Ashes sequence hopes with a dramatic three-wicket win over Australia in the fourth Ashes Test at Headingley as they chased down a goal of 251 on Sunday.
Below AFP Sport appears at three things we learned from a match that left Ben Stokes’s males 2-1 down with two to play towards world Test champions Australia.
Wood reveals the want for velocity
Mark Wood confirmed England what that they had been lacking on his return to the facet as the Durham quick bowler often topped speeds of 90 mph throughout a blistering return of 5-34 in Australia’s first innings.
The quickest England bowler of his era, Wood’s profession has been blighted by accidents, notably a succession of ankle issues.
But as he demonstrated at Headingley, his blistering velocity is a priceless level of distinction.
Player-of-the-match Wood’s clear ball-striking down the order additionally meant the 33-year-old added priceless runs in each innings, along with his uncomplicated however extremely efficient boundary-hitting serving to England win on Sunday with greater than a day to spare.
Woakes proves his value
It is Chris Woakes’ misfortune his Test profession as an England paceman and all-rounder has coincided with that of two excellent skills in James Anderson and Ben Stokes.
Injuries too haven’t helped his trigger with the consequence that, since his debut in 2013, Woakes has appeared in simply 46 Tests — a comparatively small quantity over a decade given England’s quantity of red-ball cricket.
But the 34-year-old has hardly ever complained about his lot and at Headingley — in his first Test in over a yr — he once more confirmed his worth, significantly in English situations.
With Anderson rested and Ollie Robinson struggling a first-innings again spasm, Woakes returned match figures of 6-141 that may have been even higher however for catches dropped off his bowling.
And with England faltering at 171-6 of their run chase, Woakes gave Harry Brook (who made 75) much-needed assist in a partnership of 59 earlier than hitting the successful runs himself as he completed on 32 not out.
Marsh ends exile in model
Australia’s Mitchell Marsh thought his solely function on the tour can be as an understudy to fellow all-rounder Cameron Green.
But as an alternative he ended a four-year absence from the Test area with a exceptional run-a-ball 118 that was the centrepiece of Australia’s first-innings 263 the place the subsequent highest rating was Travis Head’s 39.
Marsh, the son and brother of two Australia internationals in Geoff and Shaun Marsh, additionally took two wickets in the match along with his full of life medium tempo to depart the selectors with an actual headache heading right into a fourth Test at Old Trafford the place Green, the man he changed at Headingley, is anticipated to be match.
The 31-year-old now boasts very good Test averages towards England of over 50 with the bat and underneath 24 with the ball.
But in Leeds he additionally delivered a pleasant line of self-deprecating humour, with Marsh joking that, as a consequence of his back-up function, he was the “first man to score an Ashes hundred on a UK holiday”.
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