Ashes 2023 | Twitter reacts as England dazzle on Day 3 to set up thrilling series climax
England provided another fascinating display of fast-paced batting in the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval as they danced their way to 389 with a wicket still to spare heading into the penultimate day. Zak Crawley, Joe Root, and Jonny Bairstow all registered fifties while Mitchell Starc scalped four.
Zak Crawley kickstarted the day with an ominous booming cover drive on the very first ball and two more boundaries in the over not only saw Australia's first innings lead of 12 evaporate into thin air but also set the tone for the remainder of Day 3. The two openers struck boundaries almost at will and the team score raced past 50 in no time. Mitchell Starc finally broke the opening stand for 79 as an out-swinging beauty saw Duckett get a faint edge, beckoning him to depart for a 55-ball 42. Ben Stokes promoted himself up the order with Moeen Ali only allowed to bat after Lunch owing to his two-day absence from the field due to an injury and while the skipper took time to settle in, Crawley registered his third half-century of the series. The duo saw England through to Lunch at a formidable 130/1, tallying the runs in just 25 overs.
The second-wicket partnership grew to 61 after the break before Pat Cummins finally helped Australia see the back of Crawley for a nearly run-a-ball 73. Joe Root picked up exactly from where the opener had left as he dealt in boundaries and built a rapid 72-run partnership with his skipper. The batter maintained his tempo even as Stokes (42) and Harry Brook (7) fell in quick succession at the other end, getting to his 50 in just 42 balls. Fellow Yorkshireman Jonny Bairstow seemed to join him in batting with purpose and took over the partnership as soon as he walked in, the two eventually getting to Tea unbeaten with the score reading 265/4.
Root and Bairstow continued to bat with utter dominance after the break, registering the first-century stand of the innings before the former fell just nine runs short of a century to leave England in a strong position of 332/5. His partner-in-crime could not get to three figures either, as he succumbed to Starc for 78. Thereon, England crumbled from 360/6 to 378/9 but James Anderson and Stuart Broad ensured England still had life left in them as the former struck two handsome boundaries off Todd Murphy to help England end the day with a lead of 377. Broad, meanwhile, announced an end to his illustrious 17-year career after the play's end and is set for one final hurrah come Sunday.
Shot of the Ashes
— Hitler Mishra (@HitlerMish5814) July 29, 2023
The Dawg
Jimmy The Dog Anderson is ready to rock it! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/9jy1oQmVpt
— Roberta Moretti Avery (@MorettiAvery) July 29, 2023
Nope
No way broad and Anderson come out and face the new ball in the morning #Ashes
— Daniel Edmunds 🇦🇺 (@DanielE64141682) July 29, 2023
Hang it
HANG IN IN THE LOURVE #Ashes #Englandcricket pic.twitter.com/SvlYzH1nJk
— AXY ( Taylors Version ) 🏴🇰🇷 (@chaennieXcheeks) July 29, 2023
Another one
Another brilliants day’s #cricket. One daft Labuschagne innings aside, this #Ashes has been a fantastic Test series to watch. The only below par bit, for me, has been the umpiring. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many decisions overturned by DRS. Please don’t rain tomorrow. ☀️
— Mike Bubbins (@MikeBubbins) July 29, 2023
Still in the chase
#ashes, Still in with a chance. England still has one wicket in hand, and have a lead of 380 odd.
— Peter FitzSimons (@Peter_Fitz) July 29, 2023
We need Warner, Labuschagne, and Smith to fire as never before!
Khawaja and Mitch Marsh, I am taking for granted, WILL fire! Starc, Murphy and Cummins to all dig in for 30 each!
Unreal
Unreal batting performance from England tbh👺 #Ashes
— Garvika (@dvincentstrange) July 29, 2023
Clueless
The aussies are just clueless right now they had zero plams for baistow and root while they wasted 5 mins on making field placements for jimmy anderson😂 Even for wasting time that's just too dumb and gets even worse when he hits 2 boundaries after that 🤣🤣🤣#Ashes2023 #Ashes
— The Big Lord (@TheBiglord09) July 29, 2023
True
A grand total of 80 overs were bowled in 6 and a half hours at an appalling over rate of 12.2 per hour. The cricket might have been entertaining but we could have had 10 more overs of it. #Ashes
— Sportyguy (@nikcriclover) July 29, 2023
Great day
Great days play in all fairness.#Ashes
— The Carbz 🏴 (@TheCarbz87) July 29, 2023
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