Both England and Australia made 3 changes each to their line-ups from the Test at Lord’s for the third Ashes 2023 Test, at Headingley, Leeds. Some of the changes are forced due to injuries, while some are due to the resting of pacers. England skipper Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bowl first on a pitch that had plenty of green and under overcast skies.
Teams:
Australia (Playing XI): David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Todd Murphy, Scott Boland
England (Playing XI): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow(w), Ben Stokes(c), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad
Mark Wood clatters Usman Khawaja’s leg-stump with a 95mph corker, VIDEO
One of the changes, for England, Mark Wood, who was rested from the first two matches, and came in for James Anderson, struck immediately in his first spell. And what a fiery first spell he bowled to send shivers down the Aussie batting line-up, culminating in the wicket of Aussie top-order rock, Usman Khawaja, who has troubled the English in the previous two Tests.
In one of his overs, all 6 balls were of speed over 90 mph and made up for the fastest over in Leeds since 2006. It would be fair to say that not just the in-form Khawaja, but perhaps any batsman in the world would have had to do incredibly well to keep that out that delivery from Mark Wood, which clocked at 95 mph.
It was on length, swinging and seaming a bit into Khawaja who, despite being wary of Mark Wood’s extra pace, went for an on-drive. The ball bowled at a breathtaking speed took Khawaja’s inside edge and clattered into the leg-stump, uprooting the stick out of the ground.
Here, watch the video as Mark Wood lays Khawaja’s leg stump flat on the ground:
It's full and straight and far too quick for Usman Khawaja 🌪️
Australia are 2 down and Mark Wood is on fire! 🔥 #EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/y5MAB1rWxd
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 6, 2023
Mark Wood is BACK!
🔥 0.1 – 91mph
🔥 0.2 – 93mph
🔥 0.3 – 95mph
🔥 0.4 – 93mph
🔥 0.5 – 94mph
🔥 0.6 – 93mphThe fastest over ever at Headingley since records began! 🌪️#EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/KYsg6gGnFr
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 6, 2023
Australia are 91/4 in at the end of the first session in Leeds. David Warner was first dismissed by Stuart Broad, who dismissed the left-hander for the 16th time in Test cricket. Khawaja was the next to go, and Labuschagne followed, edging Woakes to slip. The big wicket came at the stroke of Lunch, as Broad found the outside edge of Steve Smith, who is playing in his 100th Test match.
