BEFORE the dreaded Mancunian rain arrives, we were treated to some thunderbolts and lightning from Mark Wood.
The rapid Geordie bowler ripped out Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and Travis Head in a stunning burst to give England hope that they can force a series-levelling victory, if there is a window of opportunity during a wet weekend.
Mark Wood celebrates taking Travis Head’s wicket
Skipper Ben Stokes described Wood’s 92mph missiles as “thunderbolts” and here Australia’s top order resembled frightened men seeking shelter from an electrical storm.
At Headingley, Wood had apparently been down on all fours in the dressing-room barking like a dog before he went out and claimed a five-wicket haul.
In his earlier years, he used to ride an imaginary horse around the outfield whenever he grew bored of fielding.
Now, at the age of 33, he races in like a cheetah with a rocket launcher. This bloke is the complete fast-bowling animal.
Since Wood and his great mate Chris Woakes were recalled to the England attack at Leeds with the Aussies 2-0 ahead, they have racked up 21 wickets between them.
The duo have transformed England’s fortunes and given them genuine hope of an historic comeback.
But still the nightmare scenario looms of the Australians scuttling away from Old Trafford in their green-and-gold cagoules with the Ashes urn, having been comprehensively outplayed, so bleak is that forecast for the final two days.
The meteorologists have got it wrong in the past. Michael Fish laughed off the threat of a hurricane before we were all blown to smithereens in 1987.
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Ben Stokes displayed uncharacteristic caution
England will be praying to the heavens for the two or three hours they are likely to need to mop up six more Aussies wickets and take this compelling series to a decider at The Oval on Thursday.
But if the weekend is a complete or virtual wash-out, Stokes might be regretting a couple of decisions he made on this third day, which erred – uncharacteristically – on the side of caution.
First, his surprising decision not to declare England’s first innings before it reached a mighty 592 – their highest total in a home Ashes innings since 1985.
Sure, Jonny Bairstow’s thrilling unbeaten 99 was full of crowd-pleasing pyrotechnics that befitted the crowd-pleasing ethos of Bazball – but did England really need a first-innings lead as big as 275, given the miserable predictions of the Met Office?
At stumps, the Aussies were 113-4, still 162 runs away from avoiding an innings defeat.
Then there was the strange decision to hold back Wood for a full hour after tea, when he had persuaded Khawaja to edge him to Bairstow in his solitary over before the break.
By the time Wood eventually returned, Woakes had staged a lengthy interrogation of David Warner around the opener’s off stump and finally seen him chop on.
Wood was brought back for a couple of overs at the Brian Statham End but, just as Smith and Marnus Labuschagne were threatening to dig in for the night, he came haring in again from the James Anderson end and sparked merry mayhem.
The dynamite Durham man had snared Smith leg-before in the first innings and this time he had the former Aussie captain gloving a short delivery to Bairstow.
Next came Head, who had done much to disprove England’s theory that he is vulnerable to the short stuff.
In truth, he doesn’t mind it when it is delivered at 80mph but when Wood cranks the amplifier up on the chin music, Head enjoys it a whole lot less.
Here he was swiftly bounced out, caught by Ben Duckett in the gully – and if it wasn’t for the incoming wet stuff, England would then have been on the brink of an emphatic win.
The second half of the day provided all the tension, but the first half had been a barrel of fun.
Resuming at 284-4, a lead of 67, Stokes pulled and slogged his way to a half-century before Pat Cummins castled him as he swished across the line.
Harry Brook accumulated his runs conservatively but finally holed out for 61 off 100 balls when the need to step on the gas became apparent.
After Woakes and Wood swiftly perished and the widely expected lunchtime declaration failed to materialise, we were soon enjoying an extraordinary final wicket partnership of 66 between Bairstow and Anderson.
Buoyed by his outstanding catch of Mitchell Marsh on the opening day, Bairstow played masterfully for his first half-century then explosively for the next 49.
As the ginger ninja pierced fields and cleared boundary ropes, the most enjoyable moments of all were this pair scampering cheeky byes to get Bairstow the strike.
It infuriated a touring team who had been tortured thoroughly for a day and a half in the field.
Like Thursday’s hero Zak Crawley, Bairstow had been widely doubted but backed to the hilt by Stokes and coach Brendon “Baz” McCullum.
They certainly know what they are doing, that impressive leadership duo.
Now can they have a word about the weather?
England will be desperate for rain to stay away this weekend
