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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RB replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion Lomax signs a 2y deal with Rugby Australia
"How dumb could our club possibly be. Should've taken Melbournes offer."
4 minutes ago
Bubba j replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion Lomax signs a 2y deal with Rugby Australia
"Good I don't want to hear his name again up there with the worst signings of all time"
6 minutes ago
macybrown replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion Lomax signs a 2y deal with Rugby Australia
"Exactly! It's a big ask for clubs to want to deal with him for swap deal esp after season start, rosters set after he showed his extremely bad form. Hope everyone remembers he signed a contract that he then immediately said he didn't believe we…"
14 minutes ago
Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐 replied to Hell On Eels's discussion Kemp: Eels vs Storm R1 refereeing was 'Disgraceful"
"Yes well if you don't respect possession,  you end up without the ball and no chance of getting an advantage through penalties "
31 minutes ago
DYNASTY.LOADING replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion Lomax signs a 2y deal with Rugby Australia
"No one should complain now, I said we should take what we could get while we could. We got pumped by all the players that everyone said weren't good enough for a trade. "
41 minutes ago
Longfin Eel replied to Hell On Eels's discussion Kemp: Eels vs Storm R1 refereeing was 'Disgraceful"
"The NRL want Penrith to be successful, because if they are not, fans stop coming to games and tuning in. Brisbane's a bit like Parra in that fans will go to games regardless of how well their team is going."
44 minutes ago
Mallee57 replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion Lomax signs a 2y deal with Rugby Australia
"Oh well it could be worse. "
44 minutes ago
Hell On Eels replied to Hell On Eels's discussion Kemp: Eels vs Storm R1 refereeing was 'Disgraceful"
"Daz, IMO, kicking earlier in the set with an agressive kick-chase would have been a better strategy than trying to get around them and force passes when on the back foot. The Storm feed off errors and momentum."
47 minutes ago
Strange-eel replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion Lomax signs a 2y deal with Rugby Australia
"This
 "
51 minutes ago
macybrown replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion Lomax signs a 2y deal with Rugby Australia
"What he ought to have done in first place. Reality strikes hard!"
55 minutes ago
Prof. Daz replied to Hell On Eels's discussion Kemp: Eels vs Storm R1 refereeing was 'Disgraceful"
"HOE, completing 13/21 sets with 8 errors in H1 means that 77m kicking stat reflects the Eels dropped the ball late in sets prior to getting to their kick?"
57 minutes ago
Mr 'BringBackFitzy' Analyst replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion Lomax signs a 2y deal with Rugby Australia
"Well there goes that Tago from Penrith swap. As usual we end up with jackshite."
1 hour ago
Clintorian replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion Lomax signs a 2y deal with Rugby Australia
"He left to sign Rugby, these are the cards he dealt himself. Glad to hear the end of it."
1 hour ago
LB replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion Lomax signs a 2y deal with Rugby Australia
"So he ain't going to be traded to anyone. Oh well, if we can't have him nobody can.
But his name is poision. Clubs do not want to touch him."
1 hour ago
Coryn Hughes replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion Lomax signs a 2y deal with Rugby Australia
"That sucks now we get nothing for his early release.2 yr deal basically negates any chance of us getting any sought of recruitment opportunity.We still have big holes in our outside backs takent wise to fill.
Losing Russell and Pezet next year…"
1 hour ago
Mr 'BringBackFitzy' Analyst replied to Poppa's discussion Poppas Corner: Super says Richardson is a CEO and unlikely to want to report to someone over the top of him.
"Do you think Fitzy ever reported to anyone above him? So what's the answer, continue doing the same thing with the same results?"
1 hour ago
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