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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Hell On Eels replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"Daz,
No posts have been deleted.
No-one's been suspended. 
Everyone's said their piece.
The discussion is now degenerating into trash-talk identity politics: ‘Leftie’ this, ‘Right Wing’ that. 
So, I’m closing the blog. Let's move on, please."
1 hour ago
Poppa replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"The dog ain't that hot anymore Krupty, but with a bit of sauce and a touch of mustard..... you never know? lol"
1 hour ago
LB replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"They will, question is by year 2 or 3 how many of those signings see it out."
2 hours ago
LB replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"He's been on record saying he would never play against his dad again."
2 hours ago
LB replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"The tax free money is great but this can still fail if the compound doesn't fit with what players and their family want. Some might get to the end of year 1 and think "stuff this I want out." 
PNG could be a revolving door of players and it will…"
2 hours ago
Prof. Daz replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"Cut migration and reskill "everyone" on "welfare". Which skills? Who decides which skills? How do we decide those skills? Who pays for those skills?
Given this cure-all of cut migration and reskill has pinged exactly what to do, I'm sure you have…"
3 hours ago
Prof. Daz replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"Mitchy, it something wrong was said. Can you show the error in reasoning? Not just fall back on the rhetoric, but the actual error?
For instance, the IMF counts government subsidies as budget outlays. By the same logic you're calling for NDIS cuts,…"
3 hours ago
Prof. Daz replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"Chiefy, is this the same Richardson who oversaw the Galvin Saga and was responsible for the player options that saw Luai go to PNG?
Can you let us know the sorting principle selecting some examples but ignoring others?
Also, you have not answered…"
3 hours ago
mongolian trotting duck replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"the png goverment set the tax rate not the nrl or australian goverment"
3 hours ago
mongolian trotting duck replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"unless player managers move the business to png then no it will be taxed in australia"
3 hours ago
Baracuda replied to Roy tannous's discussion Jake Clifford?
"what about life after Moses, could either one of them take the leading role ?"
3 hours ago
mongolian trotting duck replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"apparently tpas are only tax free if they are part of the contract which would put them on the cap and defeat the purpose of them,not sure how true this is macy"
3 hours ago
mongolian trotting duck replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"until albos money runs out sadly"
3 hours ago
Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin🐐 - Mark O'neill's 🪓 replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"Utokimanu 
Khafusi 
Dylan brown 
Russell 
Mahoney 
Stone 
Sanders
Blaze talagi 
Apa Twidle 
Alex Twal
What more do I have to.say. And you.are excusing the club for this unbelievable failure. 
We have 3 times the amount of developed juniors doing…"
3 hours ago
Mitchy replied to Pato's discussion Jack Williams
"Agreed Anguillidae, but that is common sense and unfortunately will not win votes.....you only need to see how many people receive welfare and also how many govt jobs have been made in the last few years to see where $$$ go. And that is votes. NDIS…"
4 hours ago
Clintorian replied to Roy tannous's discussion Jake Clifford?
"Agree, I'd go for them for sure."
4 hours ago
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