Ashes 2021 AUS vs ENG 1st Test, Day 3 Highlights: England 220/2, trail by 58 runs at Stumps 

Australia vs England 1st Ashes Test, Day 3, 3rd session

Joe Root set a record for most runs in a calendar year by an England test batter and shared an unbroken 159-run stand with Dawid Malan on Friday to lead a rally in the Ashes series opener against Australia.

Root was unbeaten on 86 and Malan was 80 not out when England reached 220-2 at stumps on Day 3. (AP)

STUMPS on Day 3 in Brisbane! England 220/2, trail by 58 runs

England 212/2 in 66 overs in 2nd innings: Australia trying bowling combinations with the aim to break the mammoth partnership and get the breakthrough. The match, however, looks poised in England's favour as of now. Will England wash off Australia's lead before today's play?

England 198/2 in 61 overs in 2nd innings: Root and Malan look unstoppable. Australia running errands but are unable to find a wicket. The duo gathered 17 runs from the last five overs. 

England 181/2 in 56 overs in 2nd innings: The play is turning out to be an exciting watch with Root and Malan taking the game quite deep. The two have compressed Australia's lead to less than 100 runs now and are keeping the scoreboard ticking. 22 runs amassed from the last five overs. 

England 159/2 in 51 overs in 2nd innings: After skipper Root, Malan smashes his fifty. The duo has become a thorn in the flesh for Australia as they stitched a 100-run stand between them. The hosts are deploying different bowling combinations but to no avail. 13 runs from the last five overs and Australia's hunt for a breakthrough continues. 

England 146/2 in 46 overs in 2nd innings: Root and Malan have been pressing the run throttle and accelerating England's scoreboard. England skipper Joe Root smashes 50 and brings it in style with a four. Australia is in desperate search of a wicket. 

England 122/2 in 41 overs in 2nd innings: Root and Malan consolidating well after losing their openers early. 50+ run partnership between the two and are trying to compress Australia's lead. Australia, however, is looking for a wicket. 

Tea Break 

England 107/2 in 36 overs in 2nd innings: England captain Joe Root and number three batsman Dawid Malan helped the host get past 100 in the second innings with two wickets down. Both the English openers are back in the dugout with Starc and Cummins claiming one wicket each. 

England 98/2 in 33 overs in 2nd innings: Joe Root and Dawid Mala are building an important partnership for England as we are inching towards Tea on Day 3. Lyon and Cummins are back into the attack for Australia. Lyon has placed a short leg with a slip who is standing very close to the wicket-keeper. 

England 71/2 in 28 overs in 2nd innings: Pat Cummins has removed himself from the attack as Lyon comes back. Root is trying to counter the Lyon threat with the sweep shot. Lyon pitches one just outside off, Root tries to play a premeditated sweep and the off-spinner finds his pad. Loud appeal by the Australian side but the impact is outside off. Root survives. 

England 66/2 in 24 overs in 2nd innings: Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are back into the attack for Australia. Malan hasn't looked in good touch so far thus the pressure will be on England captain Joe Root to take hosts out of danger. Lyon who was searching for his 400th Test wicket is off the attack. 

England 61/2 in 21 overs in 2nd innings: Starc removes Hameed on 27. Against the run of play, Haseeb Hameed strangles down the leg. Short of a length delivery down leg, Hameed works it fine to Carey. Australian team appeals and the umpire raise the finger. Root is the next batsman to walk in. England are two down and 217 runs behind. 

England 52/1 in 19 overs in 2nd innings: Dawid Malan and Haseeb Hameed are building a much-needed partnership for England while Pat Cummins is bowling Nathan Lyon from one end and Mitchell Starc from the other. Starc is bowling at an average pace of 140. Lyon is trageting the wicket of Malan. 

England 27/1 in 14 overs in 2nd innings: Australia captain Pat Cummins drew first blood in the second innings as he removes England opener Rory Burns on 13. Fantastic 135kph delivery by Cummins short and across Burns, it bounces from that length and catches Burns unexpectedly, catches the glove as Burns shapes to cut and flies to Carey. England are still 251 runs behind in the 2nd innings. Dawid Malan and Haseeb Hameed are at the crease for visitors. 

Australia vs England 1st Ashes Test, Day 3, 1st session:  Continuing on their overnight score of 343 runs, Australia's Travis Head's 150 alongside the contributions from Australia's tail-enders enabled the hosts to register a handsome total of 425 runs on the board. 

England openers- Burns and Hameed look not that confident even in the 2nd innings and the duo was seen enduring some nervous moments. It is worth watching how England washes off the total 278 run-lead that is piled up and how far they can go to give Australia a good target in their second innings. Australian pacers, much like the first innings look dominant even on Day 3. 

LUNCH BEAK! 

England 18/0 in 6 overs in 2nd innings: Burns and Hameed are wary while facing Australia's pace battery- Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood. The pressure of the heavy lead is evident on the English batters' expressions. The duo is settling to the conditions and taking good time to acclimatize to the bowling. Pat Cummins is yet to introduce himself with the ball. 15 runs gathered from the last five overs. 

England 3/0 in 1 over in 2nd innings: England batters feeling the nerves as they face Mitchell Starc with the new ball. Initially, the ball hits Hameed hard on the arm-guard and then comes a very close lbw call for Rory Burns. Review gets Burns a life as the ball goes past over the top of the stumps in the DRS. 

Haseeb Hameed and Rory Burns are at the crease. Haseeb Hameed is on strike. Starc will open the attack

INNINGS BREAK! 

Australia 427 /10 in 104.3 overs in 1st innings: WICKET, out BOWLED! Wood sets Travis Head's way to the pavilion. Wood takes the last moment opportunity to bowl a yorker to Mark Wood who made a lot of room and hits the middle timber. A fantastic 152 run-knock comes to an end which also wraps up Australia's first innings. 

Travis Head smashes 150

Australia 420/9 in 102.3 overs in 1st innings: WICKET! Mark Wood sends Lyon to the pavilion. A short ball from Wood rushes into Lyon's body. Lyon, who tries to play it finds Robinson coming in from square leg and takes an easy catch. Hard yards put by Wood finally pay off. Australia are nine down!

Australia 403/8 in 100 overs in 1st innings: 400 come up for Australia and they are still on to gather runs on the board. The hosts now have a decent 250+ run lead in their bag. Lucky Travis Head, who is on his way to smash 150 runs, always gets some consolidation from the other end. Nathan Lyon it is this time who is supporting the left-handed England cricketer. The Aussies gathered 12 runs from the previous five over. 

Australia 391/8 in 96 overs in 1st innings: WICKET! Chris Woakes strikes and removes Mitchell Starc and breaks the 85-run partnership between the latter and Travis Head. The left-handed batsman becomes prey to slow and full delivery, smashes an aerial flick but finds Rory Burns at deep square leg who easily pockets the catch. 
Hardly any celebration from the England side. They can feel the pressure of the ascending lead. 

Australia 386/7 in 95 overs in 1st innings: Travis Head is brimming with confidence. Playing the ball purely on the basis of merit, the centurion is rotating strikes and smashing boundaries. Mitchell Starc is providing good solid support from the other end. England are in desperate need of wickets. Overall 22 runs smashed from the last five overs. 

Australia 364/7 in 90 overs in 1st innings: Robinson and Wood are bowling hard in the incessant spell to get some purchase from the turf and get England an early breakthrough. The Partnership between Head and Starc goes past 50. Australia's lead swells up to 200 runs. Can the hosts go further big on the lead? 

Australia 347/7 in 85 overs in 1st innings: A total of four runs from the opening over on Day 3 of the play at the Gabba, Brisbane. The turf is offering great bounce and carry. Can centurion Travis Head reach his 150? 

Chris Woakes in the attack with the ball. Travis Head takes the strike. 

Day 3 play begins in Brisbane. 

Have a look at the Gabba's turf before the play on Day 3

Day 2 Report - Australia vs England 1st Ashes Test, Day 2: Head, Warner guide Australia to 196-run lead in opening Test

Australia batter Travis Head's rollicking unbeaten century in the final session of Day Two of the first Ashes Test and a 94 by opener David Warner has put Australia in a position of ascendancy here. At stumps, Australia are 343/7 in 84 overs and lead by 196 runs with Head (112 not out) and Mitchell Starc (10 not out) at the crease. It was a day of Test cricket when Australia made the most of their chances while England were left to rue the opportunities they missed on the field.

Playing XI

Australia - David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

England - Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (wk), Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Jack Leach