Root, Malan fight back to set up pivotal Day 4

Australia entered the morning with a pep in their step thanks to an extraordinary Travis Head century in the final session of Day 2, but a late England fightback has set up a decisive fourth day in Brisbane.

England will start tomorrow at 2-for-220, with Dawid Malan (80*) and Joe Root (86*) at the crease, having combined for a partnership of 159. The pair have frustrated the Australian bowlers, who are battling through their lengthiest dry spell of the match.

Australia started the day at 7-for-343, with centurion Head at the crease with Mitchell Starc, who ensured the tail wagged long enough for Australia to pile on a 278-run lead. As a result, Head brought up 150 for the second time of his Test match career, before being dismissed by Mark Wood for 152.

England opener Rory Burns narrowly survived a pair at the hands of Starc thanks to a favourable LBW review but lasted only 27 balls before Australian skipper Pat Cummins found the edge with some extra bounce to remove him via the gloves of debutant Alex Carey. Starc did not take long to get one back in the wickets column, managing to flick Haseeb Hameed’s gloves on a ball pitching down leg that was again swallowed by wicket-keeper Carey.

From then on, it became the Malan and Root show, who showed enormous courage to claw England back into a less dire position. Sans a few shouts off the bowling of Nathan Lyon, Malan and Root were resolute out in the middle and England now trail by just 58, with eight wickets still in hand. If Australia are unable to manufacture a breakthrough early tomorrow morning, England may just fight their way back into the Test match.

With Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, and Jos Buttler still to bat, the English will be feeling significantly better about their situation now than they did 12 hours ago. It is still Australia’s Test match to lose, but there were some strong signs for England this afternoon at The Gabba.