Ashes Third Test, Headingley

Australia lead the series 1-0 after winning the first Test at Edgbaston and drawing at Lord's.

The Aussies will be without former captain and the best batsman in the world after Steve Smith was ruled out with concussion following a Jofra Archer bouncer that struck him on the neck in his first innings at Lord's.

Marnus Labuschagne is expected to fill Smith's spot like he did at Lord's when he entered the fray as Test cricket's first ever concussion substitute where he scored an admirable 59 runs, helping to steer Australia to a draw on the final day.

It's expected that Peter Siddle will drop out of the side to allow for the return of James Pattinson who was rested for the second Test. Mitchell Starc seems destined to remain on drinks duty.

England meanwhile are expected to name an unchanged 11 although they may tinker with the make up of the batting order. Joe Root has struggled at first drop, while Jason Roy has failed to make the switch from opening in the ODI team to becoming a Test opener. Root is expected to move down to four with Joe Denly jumping into the number three position.

Many are talking about the effect of Jofra Archer's entry into Test cricket. Interestingly, his debut performance lands him as just the 312th best bowler on debut with overall figures of 5/91. He need only look across at his opponents in Pat Cummins (7/117) and Josh Hazlewood (7/142) who had better debut figures.

The Headingley pitch is rumoured to be a slow deck that will crumble and break up towards the end of the match. An interesting decision by the ground staff there given Australia's Nathan Lyon has been collecting wickets for fun and spun the English into knots in the first Test.

As always the toss will be important and Tim Paine will be hoping his luck continues. This will likely be a bat first pitch because no one will be looking to bat last on a decaying deck.

Play starts at 8pm AEST tonight so get your picture-in-picture going or set up a second screen to make sure you don't miss the first ball while watching the Eels belt the Dogs.

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Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin replied to Hell On Eels's discussion R11 Game Day Blog, Magic Round v Storm: Trauma and Redemption (L34-8)
"I suppose Ryles hired the head of physical performance from the spoon winning Newcastle did he.  
If we're so weak and unfit as you say, why did O'neill recruit the Newcastle spoon winning trainer??
 "
1 minute ago
Pork Rind replied to Hell On Eels's discussion R11 Game Day Blog, Magic Round v Storm: Trauma and Redemption (L34-8)
"Stats show past couple years we even have lost games coming out of a bye."
9 minutes ago
LB replied to Snottie Pimpin's discussion Charles Guymer
"Yes Sanders who has had 2 good games all year with an underachieving Canberra team. Considering many here abuse Pezet that he is a 7 not a 6, guess what Sanders is the same and would have same issues if he played now for us.
Keep it in back pocket…"
12 minutes ago
LB replied to Hell On Eels's discussion R11 Game Day Blog, Magic Round v Storm: Trauma and Redemption (L34-8)
"Oh Chief, you are insufferable at times. If it is all MON why did you blame Arthur? You might say he had an alright roster, guess what MON got that team. Crazy isn't it.
MON is not doing a good job but getting rid of him only fixes some of what is…"
24 minutes ago
Blue Eel replied to Snottie Pimpin's discussion Charles Guymer
"I don't think they would be laughing, but a quite inner satisfaction with their choice is very much on the cards."
32 minutes ago
Randy Handlinger replied to Snottie Pimpin's discussion Charles Guymer
"When rats leave a listing ship they often get a wry chuckle from watching it sink without them onboard
 "
36 minutes ago
Poppa replied to Snottie Pimpin's discussion Charles Guymer
"Why? Alfred.... that comment probably tells us more about you and how you think than anything else!"
56 minutes ago
Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin replied to Hell On Eels's discussion R11 Game Day Blog, Magic Round v Storm: Trauma and Redemption (L34-8)
"Whys that. You expect Ryles to win games with a bunch of reserve grade standard players that o'neill has provided him? But wait we just bought another reserve grade Edwards. 
So you're giving Ryles until the end of 26 and not even mention mark…"
1 hour ago
LB replied to Hell On Eels's discussion R11 Game Day Blog, Magic Round v Storm: Trauma and Redemption (L34-8)
"Fair response Coryn, can't disagree with any of it to be fair. I wonder if Moa is a scapegoat for the season? 2027 is the year where Ryles' honeymoon is officially over. If we are in same spot in 2027, he is talked about as being sacked. 
Where was…"
1 hour ago
LB replied to Hell On Eels's discussion R11 Game Day Blog, Magic Round v Storm: Trauma and Redemption (L34-8)
"Will you can tell when players try and when they don't. Gold Coast case in point. That effort last night was not Gold Coast level.
Yeah he was more positive then he should have been but not sure what you expect him to say? You don't throw players…"
1 hour ago
LB replied to Hell On Eels's discussion R11 Game Day Blog, Magic Round v Storm: Trauma and Redemption (L34-8)
"I'll give him to end this year before I jump on the bandwagon of if he is right for us or not."
1 hour ago
LB replied to Hell On Eels's discussion R11 Game Day Blog, Magic Round v Storm: Trauma and Redemption (L34-8)
"We made more runs and 300m less. Lomax would help but that would only makes it 250m less if he played as there were backs who made 150m last night. That's the problem. Every run we make 8m before contact and lose 10m dragged back. It happened…"
1 hour ago
LB replied to Roy tannous's discussion Fmd
"Well though we prepared our team to be mobile and quick in the middle to suit the style of game. Then weeks out the style changed, leaning on strength and speed in the backfield. But on top of that we are weak and unfit. Defensively we are poorly…"
1 hour ago
KingGutho replied to Snottie Pimpin's discussion Charles Guymer
"Yeah Guymer is a middle, he's definitely not a edge player, but he's way to slow for the modern game, he's only 98kg so he should be a lot better then this."
1 hour ago
Bear replied to Mannah-Brow's discussion Game Stats tell the story
"And this is a first grade side, throw the cup side or penrith U/12 side would do better"
1 hour ago
Parrafan101 replied to Kurupt - Your Mums Favourite Thug's discussion Ryles Is Letting Us Down With His Trash Selections
"Volkman has to go, he stood there and watch can Munster score when it was his tackle to make."
2 hours ago
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