England levelled the Women’s Ashes series with a thrilling two-wicket win over Australia in their opening ODI at Bristol.

The multi-format series now stands at six points apiece with remaining ODI matches at Southampton and Taunton to play.

Australia need to win only one of those games to retain the Ashes, but the momentum is very much with England after three successive victories.

Back-to-back T20 wins had revitalised England but crossing this particular line against opponents who had won 41 of their last 42 ODI matches will generate huge belief that they can upset the odds.

Australia’s 263 for eight was overhauled with 11 balls to spare, thanks largely to captain Heather Knight’s unbeaten 75 from 86 balls and a brilliant late cameo from Kate Cross, and their fate would have been worse had England not dropped four catches and shelled a stumping opportunity.

Six England bowlers shared the wickets as bowlers as Beth Mooney, reprieved on 19 and 39, top scored with an unbeaten 81.

England were always ahead of the required rate after Tammy Beaumont and Alice Capsey brought up a rapid hundred in the 12th over, but Australia’s ability to take wickets at regular intervals left the contest in the balance.

Australia chose to bat as morning showers and overcast conditions gave way to blue skies but captain Alyssa Healy – who made 170 against England at the 2022 World Cup final – fell third ball after opening up with two boundaries.

Cross’ lbw review was upheld and England rejoiced knowing a major blow had been struck.

England should have built on that but Ellyse Perry was dropped on six driving Cross to Sophie Ecclestone at first slip, an initial sign that Australia would ride their luck.

Perry and Phoebe Litchfield were quick to punish anything pitched short as Australia reached 62 for one off 10 powerplay overs.

Litchfield – 36 from 34 balls – saw her innings end in spectacular style as she targeted a seventh boundary off the bowling of Nat Sciver-Brunt.

The ball looked as if would clear Ecclestone but the spinner thrust out a left hand above her head and celebrated the dismissal by putting a hand over her mouth in amazement.

Perry survived again on 36 attempting to hit Ecclestone over the top and Sarah Glenn spilled a presentable chance at mid-on.

But Perry did not have a third life on 41 as Glenn the bowler atoned and Sciver-Brunt accepted the chance at short mid-wicket.

England were left to rue careless hands again as Tahlia McGrath flashed Cross hard to point and Beaumont failed to hold on diving to her left.

Mooney was also fortunate as she miscued a Glenn full toss and Cross put it down diving forward at mid-off. Those errors ended up costing England 79 runs.

McGrath, dropped on seven, reached 24 before Capsey beat her defensive prod for a first ODI wicket and Mooney breathed again after striding down the pitch to Ecclestone only for Amy Jones to miss a stumping wide down the legside.

Australia’s progress was slowed by losing two wickets in the space of three Lauren Bell deliveries.

Ashleigh Gardner departed to an excellent Sciver-Brunt catch over her shoulder running towards the mid-wicket boundary, while Annabel Sutherland lost her off stump for nought as Australia slipped to 185 for six.

But Mooney and Jess Jonassen prevented a late-innings collapse by sharing a seventh-wicket partnership of 55 as England were set a challenging target on a slow surface.

England’s reply was aided by wayward bowling which saw the amount of extras in the first three overs exceed the entire number of the Australia innings.

Darcie Brown and Perry sent down two no-balls and 10 wides as England sped away, despite the early departure of Sophia Dunkley for eight.

Beaumont and Capsey went on the offensive to such an extent that 84 runs came from the opening 10-over powerplay.

Three figures were brought up by Beaumont smashing Sutherland for a six over long-off, but she soon holed out after making 47 from 42 balls.

Capsey contributed 40 from 34 before picking out Sutherland on the long-on boundary off Gardner and it was often a case of poor shot judgement as Australia profited and piled on the pressure.

Sciver-Brunt (31) top edged a reverse sweep off Jonassen, Danni Wyatt (14) drove Megan Schutt to backward point and Amy Jones gave Georgia Wareham a return catch.

England’s self-destruct button was pressed again as Ecclestone found Wareham on the boundary and Gardner claimed a third victim as Glenn drove straight to Litchfield at short cover.

But Cross made a superb 19 not out from 20 balls, including an audacious ramp shot as she provided the cameo Knight craved to get England home.

Three teams have confirmed their fifth overseas player ahead of the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL). 

Australian all-rounder Ben Cutting will be joining the Jamaica Tallawahs. Cutting has played at the CPL before with the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in 2018. With experience in the best T20 leagues around the world he will bring power batting and skillful bowling to the Tallawahs line up.

Tristan Stubbs will be joining the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots. A powerful batter who has recently broken into the South African international team, Stubbs has experience of playing in T20 leagues in England, India and his native South Africa. This exciting talent will bring firepower to the Patriots team.

Saim Ayub will join the Guyana Amazon Warriors, an international batter for Pakistan in T20 International cricket. With a proven track record of success, he will be a real boost for the Amazon Warriors.

The Amazon Warriors have also announced that Rahmanullah Gurbaz will not be available for some of this year’s CPL due to international commitments. Gurbaz will be replaced by Pakistan international Mohammad Haris for that period.

England’s assistant coach Paul Collingwood believes this summer’s Ashes excitement could spark a cricket boom in the country.

Three thrilling Tests and three nerve-racking finishes at Edgbaston, Lord’s and Headingley mean this is already the most exciting men’s Ashes in a generation, while the women’s series is also reaching new heights as it plays out in front of record crowds.

Collingwood made a fleeting appearance in the final match of the 2005 series against Australia, a rivalry that became a national obsession and made mainstream stars of players like Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen.

That still stands as a high watermark for Test cricket in modern times and, although the Ashes in no longer on free-to-air television, Sky Sports have reported record viewing figures for both series and Collingwood feels a real connection is being made with old and new followers.

A fitting climax looks all but certain, with England 2-1 down and seeking a rousing comeback victory and Australia aiming for a first away win since 2001.

“It’s been enthralling, gripping stuff and it feels like it’s not just the the regular cricket fans who are switching on, it’s reaching a bit further than that,” Collingwood told the PA news agency ahead of next week’s fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford.

“People just can’t wait for the cricket to be on. The 2005 Ashes was an inspiration for people to get involved, to go out there have have a try and participation went through the roof. That’s what we want.

“It really feels like there’s nothing better going on in the sporting world right now. These guys are entertainers. When the team is playing like it is, it’s amazing to watch, there hasn’t been an hour when it’s been boring.

“I’m sitting on the edge of my seat watching and you don’t want to move. The Ashes is one step on the journey this side wants to go on in taking this exciting brand of cricket on and we hope everyone will follow us.

“Baz (McCullum, head coach) and Ben Stokes didn’t keep it a secret when they took over – they want Test cricket to be as entertaining as it can be and that’s been behind everything we’ve done over the last year.”

Both teams have had a chance to get away after England kept the series alive with victory in Leeds, the last significant gap in the schedule before the contest concludes with back-to-back Tests.

There are selection issues to settle on both sides and injury niggles to monitor. England will recall record wicket-taker James Anderson at his home ground, with Ollie Robinson likeliest to make way on grounds of fitness and form, but they will look to keep the majority of their winning team together in Manchester.

“This break will have recharged the batteries, which we needed because it’s been high intensity stuff and it can be draining,” Collingwood said.

“It’s even draining for us on the sidelines. The guys have shown they can make good decisions under pressure, but it’ll be good to get those bodies and minds back in shape.

“As coaches it’s about creating a relaxed environment and making sure the boys enjoy themselves, that’s what really allows them to bring their best game into Test matches.

“You want to be at 100% and I think in my career I tended to hit 60 or 70% because there was always that fear of making mistakes.

“These guys aren’t worried about negative consequences and it allows them to show their skills off.”

England claimed a dramatic draw in the first Ashes Test against Australia on this day in 2009 after James Anderson and Monty Panesar staged a dogged last-wicket stand in Cardiff.

The tailenders survived the final 69 deliveries in a tense rearguard action at Sophia Gardens to deny the tourists first blood and spark wild celebrations in the stands.

England had resumed on day five at 20 for two, 219 runs behind after Australia had overhauled their first innings total of 435 and established a platform for victory with a mammoth 674 for six declared in which Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting, Marcus North and Brad Haddin had all reached three figures.

The hosts looked to be heading for an innings defeat as Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss and Matt Prior went by the time the score had reached 70, although Paul Collingwood’s resolute 74 steadied the ship with support from spinner Graeme Swann, who made 31.

However, the Durham all-rounder’s stubborn resistance ended after a 245-ball, 344-minute stay at the crease when he edged Peter Siddle to Michael Hussey at gully.

England had been reduced to 233 for nine and the writing was on the wall.

As Panesar walked out to join Anderson in the middle with his side still six runs behind, a minimum of 11.3 overs remained and few gave two men hardly renowned for their expertise with the bat any real chance of resisting.

But to huge popular acclaim resist they did, at times uncertain over whether to take runs when they presented themselves, but growing in confidence once successive Anderson boundaries had ensured the Australians would have to bat again.

Anderson ended up finishing unbeaten on 21 while Panesar contributed seven runs to a total of 252 for nine to secure a draw, the significance of which only became apparent as the summer progressed.

England went on to win at Lord’s and the Oval either side of a draw at Edgbaston and an Australian victory at Headingley, taking the series 2-1 and in the process regaining the Ashes they had surrendered so tamely Down Under during the winter of 2006-07.

Will Young marked his Nottinghamshire debut with an unbeaten century to anchor the visitors’ response on day two of their LV= Insurance County Championship match against leaders Surrey at the Kia Oval.

The New Zealand international, who is on a three-match contract with the Trent Bridge outfit, provided immediate value with a fluent knock of 106 not out that guided them to 248 for five at the close, trailing Surrey by 107.

Young shared a second-wicket partnership of 134 with Haseeb Hameed, who hit 67, while Surrey’s Jamie Overton took two wickets on his return to bowling action for the first time this summer after recovering from a back injury.

Surrey had earlier posted 355 all out in their first innings, with Nottinghamshire all-rounder Lyndon James picking up the last two wickets to register career-best figures of six for 74.

Tom Westley’s 28th first-class hundred and his century partnership with Paul Walter rescued Essex from a poor start at Blackpool before a late fightback by Lancashire saw the visitors bowled out for 282.

Skipper Westley made 135, his third century of the season, with Walter eventually out for 76.

Tom Bailey, with six for 59, led a good reply by Lancashire, who closed on 37 for one to be 245 behind.

Rob Yates compiled a double century to put Warwickshire in a commanding position against Kent at Canterbury.

The visitors declared their first innings on 549 for seven, a lead of 378, before reducing Kent to 55 for one.

Yates hit his highest first-class score of 228 not out, with 23 fours and a six, having batted for nearly nine hours, while Australia’s Glenn Maxwell made 81 in his first Championship appearance for four years.

Chris Rushworth bowled Tawanda Muyeye for a duck early in Kent’s second innings, with the hosts ailing 323 runs adrift.

Ryan Higgins struck a sixth half-century of the season to guide Middlesex to only their second batting bonus point of the campaign and a first-innings lead over Northamptonshire in the Division One basement battle at Merchant Taylors’ School.

Higgins made 64 not out to steady the ship from 127 for five to a total of 277, which edged them 58 in front. Mark Stoneman contributed 51, while Northamptonshire off-spinner Rob Keogh returning three for 52 and Ben Sanderson three for 77.

Returning to make an impact with the ball when Northamptonshire batted again, Higgins removing both Ricardo Vasconcelos (22) and Justin Broad (five) as the visitors finished on 55 for two.

James Rew became Somerset’s youngest double-centurion in first-class cricket as Somerset took control against Hampshire at Taunton.

The 19-year-old extended his overnight score of 77 to 221 before being last man out in his side’s first innings total of 500.

Kasey Aldridge (88) and Dom Bess (54) also contributed to Somerset’s impressive recovery from 80 for five before Hampshire limped to 58 for two at close.

In Division Two, Alex Lees scored his third century in as many innings to guide leaders Durham into a strong position against Gloucestershire at Chester-le-Street.

Lees anchored the innings with a flawless 195, his highest score as a Durham player, while Graham Clark made 82 after the hosts were reduced to 109 for four in reply to Gloucestershire’s 316.

Brydon Carse finished the day unbeaten on 60 in Durham’s 433 for eight, which gave them a 117-run lead.

Opener Finlay Bean hit a career-best 135 to consolidate Yorkshire’s position against Worcestershire at a showery New Road.

The 21-year-old, dropped twice on the opening day, put on 177 with Adam Lyth (79) – Yorkshire’s best opening stand for seven years.

Worcestershire fought back, with seamer Adam Finch taking five wickets for 100, but Yorkshire maintained their grip after Matthew Fisher and Ben Coad dismissed both openers as the hosts finished 46 for two.

On another rain-affected day in Cardiff, Glamorgan lost captain David Lloyd for six on his return to action, but steadied the ship to reach 54 for one at close against second-placed Leicestershire.

Lloyd – soon to be leaving the Welsh capital – was bowled by Matt Salisbury before 32 from Zain-ul-Hassan as part of a 44-run partnership with Sam Northeast restored the hosts’ composure.

Derbyshire wicketkeeper Brooke Guest hit an unbeaten 80 to frustrate Sussex’s promotion hopes at a rain-hit Hove as his side reached 212 for three in reply to Sussex’s 402, trailing by 190.

Chris Woakes admits his triumphant return to Ashes cricket left him “quite emotional” after accepting his time as a Test player might have come to an end.

Woakes stepped up with bat and ball after being thrust into last week’s must-win clash at Headingley, 16 months after he last donned his England whites on the ill-fated tour of the West Indies.

Defeat in Grenada spelled the end of Joe Root’s captaincy and ushered in the ‘Bazball’ era, with Woakes watching on from the outside as English cricket turned a new corner under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes.

Injury saw Woakes miss the entirety of last summer and, although he returned to the limited-overs set-up in time to win the T20 World Cup in November, the 34-year-old was beginning to believe the Test team had left him behind.

Watching the all-rounder take three Australian wickets in each innings in the third Test, then guide his side home with an unbeaten 32, that now seems hard to imagine.

But Woakes, who opted not to put his name forward for this year’s Indian Premier League in a bid to keep his red-ball skills sharp, is honest enough to say he was worried.

“It’s quite emotional actually. You sometimes think the ship has sailed, of course you do,” he said of his match-winning return.

“You do wonder, especially when the team was going so well last summer and I wasn’t involved. It’s hard.

“Obviously I had injuries and stuff, but I made a big decision at the start of summer not to go to India and, you know, it’s days like these which make that sort of decision pay off, comfortably.

“Sometimes you don’t always get the rewards that you deserve, but I felt like I played well in this game and got the rewards I deserve.”

Those rewards included scoring the winning runs, clattering Mitchell Starc through point for a boundary which sent a sold-out crowd wild.

“It literally doesn’t get any better than that, I don’t think,” he reflected.

“The feeling of that roar, the Western Terrace going mad. It’s pretty special, pretty cool. If you could bottle that up forever and come back to it, you would.”

Attention now turns towards Emirates Old Trafford, where England will look to level the series scoreline at 2-2 to set up a decider at the Kia Oval.

The tourists have two chances to become the first Australian men’s side to win an Ashes series on English soil since 2001, but Woakes has warned that the task will not get any easier.

“In our dressing room the belief is we can win 3-2, I think it’s always been there,” he said.

“You don’t want to look too far ahead, you have to play what’s in front of you, each ball, each day, each session, each Test match as it comes. I’d imagine when you’re so close to getting something, the harder it gets, and I’m sure the Aussies will be feeling that now.

“Once you get so close to something, it’s actually hard to get that over the line, isn’t it? We’ve got turn up in Manchester and put in another performance. They’re an extremely good side and we’re going to have to be at our best to beat them again.”

England captain Heather Knight insists the pressure is all on Australia after the home side’s fightback in the Women’s Ashes.

Australia appeared to be cruising towards a successful Ashes defence after winning the solitary Test and the opening ODI to take a 6-0 lead in the multi-format series.

But England have reduced the deficit to two points after winning back-to-back T20 games and head into the three-match one-day international series with renewed confidence of upsetting the world’s number one women’s side.

“We had to win five games on the trot to win the Ashes so I guess the pressure was on us as we were massive underdogs at that point,” Knight said ahead of Wednesday’s opening ODI in Bristol.

“But the pressure’s all on them now, they’ve only got to win one game (to retain the Ashes). If we can keep doing what we’re doing, keep ramping up that pressure a little bit.

“We’re still the underdogs in the context of the whole series. I feel like the pressure’s not massively on us.”

Test stars Tammy Beaumont and Lauren Filer have returned to the England squad with Knight promising that her side will continue to “disrupt” Australia.

Beaumont became England’s first Test double centurion while Filer touched speeds in excess of 75 miles per hour at Trent Bridge to live up to her reputation as the fastest female bowler in the country.

“We see her (Filer) as someone who can disrupt a bit and bowl in those middle overs and try to take wickets,” Knight said.

“She’s obviously played a lot at Bristol as well, knows the ground well and is really exciting.

“In the past, we might have got a bit down and had the ‘here we go again’ thing against the Aussies, but there’s a real belief in that room that we can match this cricket team.

“We’ve always seen ourselves as the disrupters in this series, having to do things differently to beat this really good team.

“I’m sure they’ll come at us hard but our job is to keep trying to disrupt, keep trying to put them under pressure and bring our best cricket.”

England’s men’s team have kept their own Ashes hopes alive by winning at Headingley since the women’s side wrapped up a 2-1 T20 series win on Saturday.

That feel-good factor in English cricket is something Knight is keen to tap into during the remaining ODI games at Bristol, Southampton and Taunton.

She said: “It was great to see the guys win. I think they have actually been quite parallel series – they obviously lost the first two games which were very close as well.

“There’s a real buzz around the country, which is awesome, that’s what Ashes series can do. We’re buzzing off the amount of people that have come to watch us.

“We’re just trying to keep the momentum going and if the boys can keep doing well and we can keep doing well then maybe we can both have the great escape. Time will tell.”

Australia all-rounder Tahlia McGrath says the visitors are not panicking after successive defeats.

McGrath said: “It was disappointing not to have played the cricket we would have liked, right through the T20 aspect.

“But we’ve had some good discussions and we’re still pretty confident. We’re here to win the Ashes and we’ve still got our noses in front. There’s no panic stations.”

Asked if just retaining the Ashes with an 8-8 draw would be enough for Australia, McGrath said: “I don’t think so. We want to win every game of cricket.

“First and foremost we want to retain the Ashes and doing that eight-all doesn’t sound the same as winning them outright.”

England have moved early to throw their backing behind Jonny Bairstow, retaining the wicketkeeper for next week’s fourth Ashes Test at Emirates Old Trafford.

The selectors have resisted the temptation to send a mid-series call out to Surrey’s Ben Foakes, with Bairstow retained as the only gloveman in an unchanged 14-man squad.

The Yorkshireman has endured a difficult series behind the stumps, missing eight chances of varying difficulty in the first three games, leading to calls for Foakes to be restored.

But England have nipped such talk in the bud at the earliest opportunity by naming the same group for next Wednesday’s clash in Manchester, another must-win for the hosts who are 2-1 down with two to play following their victory over Australia at Headingley.

Foakes has repeatedly been hailed as the best wicketkeeper in the world by captain Ben Stokes, but the 30-year-old was the odd man out at the start of the summer when Bairstow’s return to fitness following a badly broken leg and the rise of Harry Brook left England with a dilemma.

Bairstow’s movement has not looked as sharp since returning from injury, hardly any surprise after he sustained three separate fractures in his left leg, ligament damage and a dislocated ankle, but he retains the backing of a hierarchy who like to stick to their guns when it comes to personnel.

He has only fired once with the bat in the current Ashes series, making a run-a-ball 78 on the first day of the series, but he has shown before just how dangerous he can be when the mood is with him.

He was England’s Test player of the year in 2022, setting the tone for the ‘Bazball’ era with four exhilarating hundreds last summer. Head coach Brendon McCullum and Stokes both promised his place would be kept open when he suffered his freak accident on a golf course and have been as good as their word.

He will now be hoping to pay that faith back at Old Trafford. Ollie Robinson also takes his place in the 14 despite back spasms rendering him a peripheral figure in the previous match.

Robinson will join up with the side and is being monitored by the medical team, but is favourite to make way for the return of record wicket-taker James Anderson at his home ground.

England quick Mark Wood is eager to hit Australia with more “thunderbolts” in Manchester next week and aims to prove “lightning strikes twice” after his Headingley heroics.

Wood marked his return to Ashes cricket with a stirring player-of-the-match showing in Leeds, taking match figures of seven for 100 and hitting 40 vital runs from just 16 deliveries.

His efforts helped change the tone of the series, getting England on the board after back-to-back defeats and leaving the path open for the hosts to reclaim the urn against all odds.

Wood’s raw pace provided an X-factor that had been absent at Edgbaston and Lord’s, with his first ball of the match doubling up as England’s fastest of the summer.

He continued cranking it up in his first red-ball outing for seven months, at one stage reaching 96.5mph during a ferocious opening spell, and Australia’s batting looked entirely less assured due to his mere presence on the park.

Wood revealed his England captain and Durham team-mate Ben Stokes had given him one simple instruction when he let him loose.

“Ben just asked me, ‘Are you ready? Are you ready to bowl some thunderbolts?’ I said yes and that was it,” he said.

“He was ready to unleash me. I know him well and he knows me well. Having that relationship with someone makes it easier.”

Asked if he was ready to dish out more of the same at Emirates Old Trafford next Wednesday, Wood replied with a grin: “Absolutely. Lightning strikes twice, eh?”

Wood is arguably the most consistently fast bowler ever to play for England, a crown he likely lacks only due to the absence of accurate historical data.

But the sheer physical exertion the 33-year-old puts himself through means he has had to endure long spells out of the side.

Since debuting in 2015 he has played just 29 of England’s 109 Tests, missing many of those through injury, yet Wood has set his sights on finishing strongly this summer.

There are just three days between the fourth and fifth games of the series, but, with a week to get himself ready, he fully intends to be on parade for both.

“I did four in Australia last time and three of them were in a row. It’s a big ask, but one I’ve done before and I will lean on that experience to try to do it again,” he said.

“I will speak to the physio, but I imagine I will bowl once or twice, do a couple of gym sessions, maybe some running, but it won’t be too drastic. I have to let the body recover.

“This was my first game in a very, very long time, especially in Test cricket. I will let the body recover, get myself in a good space, let the wounds recover and get myself up for the next one.”

Wood wears his heart on his sleeve on and off the field and could not hide his satisfaction at taking up a starring role midway through a contest that has captured the imagination of the public.

“It fills me with great pride to say I can do well against Australia. It’s challenging because they are a top, top side,” he said.

“It’s one of the best feelings I’ve had. Look at facing Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. One, it’s not easy. Two, it’s really intimidating.

“They’re bowling fast, they get good bounce and more often than not they come out on top. Luckily this time it’s the one out of 100 I’ve managed to get through.

“The 2005 Ashes was the absolute pinnacle for me – I was at a great age, a teenager, and my hometown hero (Steve Harmison) was playing.

“I don’t feel like it’s to that magnitude, but it’s great to have the support, which has been amazing everywhere we’ve been. You feel it on the street walking around, people messaging you. It’s amazing as a nation that we can carry this weight of support with us.”

Former England bowler Steve Harmison believes Ollie Robinson’s Ashes series could be over, suggesting the hosts “can’t afford to take the risk” over his fitness.

Robinson has played all three games so far, taking 10 wickets at 28.40, but was sidelined for the majority of the three-wicket victory at Headingley with back spasms.

The 29-year-old, who was restricted to just 11.2 overs, suffered similar issues during the last Ashes series Down Under in 2021-22 and in the subsequent tour of the West Indies.

With record wicket-taker James Anderson raring to return at his home ground of Emirates Old Trafford in the fourth Test, Robinson looks set to step down, but Harmison believes he may also be out of contention for the series finale at the Kia Oval too.

“He’s done for me; I think he’s done in the Ashes,” Harmison told talkSPORT.

“I think history has repeated itself. He came into the last Ashes and wasn’t able to bowl the overs he could do because of his body. I’m not going to speculate on where he is from a fitness point of view or whether it’s just unfortunate that these injuries have come.

“But England can’t afford to take the risk. With two games left in the series that we have to win, we have to pick the best bowlers. Ollie is one of them but he’s got to be fit to be one of them.

“He started the last couple of Tests at 78mph…and you’re starting to drop to 76, 75mph. As great a record as he’s got in Test cricket, unfortunately he needs to get his fitness and his body up before he starts playing Test cricket again.”

Robinson riled Australia with his fiery send-off of Usman Khawaja in the first Test, with the likes of Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden queuing up to criticise the seamer.

Hayden did so in particularly colourful fashion, taking aim at his pace by accusing him of bowling “124kph nude nuts”.

England sparked the men’s Ashes back into life at Headingley, claiming a three-wicket win that leaves them 2-1 down with two Tests to play.

Here, the PA news agency looks at how the series is set and the key issues affecting each side.

How important was England’s win in the third Test?

After losing narrowly at Edgbaston and Lord’s, it was do or die in Leeds. By getting over the line they stopped the Australian juggernaut in its tracks and kept the intrigue of a gripping series burning. England have played some compelling cricket but would have found it hard to talk their way out of a 3-0 scoreline that would have ended their hopes of regaining the urn. Now the country’s cricket fans can enjoy another week of hype and expectation.

Who has the momentum?

Ever since Jonny Bairstow’s controversial stumping on the final day at Lord’s, England have played their cricket with greater edge and steel. They may not admit it, but the controversial incident appeared to awaken an extra level of competitive edge that had yet to surface. Deep down, the tourists may already be regretting riling up their opponents with an opportunistic dismissal that raised their hackles. But when it was put to Australia captain Pat Cummins that England may have the elusive ‘momentum’ he rejected the notion, explaining his position in the simplest terms: by reciting the series scoreline.

Have England belatedly found their best XI?

Both Chris Woakes and Mark Wood had to wait for their chance to make an impression this summer, but the pair made up for lost time at Headingley. They shared 13 of the 20 Australia wickets to fall, with Wood’s raw pace and Woakes’ reliability elevating the attack to its best performance yet. They then saw their side home with bat on day four and it is already hard to imagine either man making way at Emirates Old Trafford or The Kia Oval. One change does look certain for the fourth Test, with record wicket-taker James Anderson all but guaranteed his place at his home ground and Ollie Robinson in line for a rest following his fitness issues last week.

Will Bairstow keep the gloves?

England made a tough selection call at the start of the campaign when they axed Ben Foakes, a man they repeatedly trumpeted as the best wicketkeeper in the world, to make room for the returning Bairstow. The Yorkshireman was the standout player of last year’s ‘Bazball’ bonanza but his return behind the stumps has been troubling. He has put down seven catches and a stumping so far, with his movement behind the stumps apparently affected by the horror leg-break that forced him out of the game for nine months. But there is nothing in the mood music to suggest England are about to make a U-turn on Foakes and ditch a player with Bairstow’s seniority. It is clearly a gamble, but one they seem committed to.

How fit is Ben Stokes

The England captain is very clearly, very visibly close to breaking point. He was desperate to play as an all-action all-rounder but has chipped in just 29 overs across six innings and did not bowl at all at Headingley. Even batting is putting him through the ringer due to his longstanding left knee problem. Watching Stokes grimace, wince and hobble his way through an innings has become par for the course but he has somehow retained his effectiveness and is the second highest run-scorer on either side. Stokes may well require a long break soon, but while the Ashes is alive he is surely going nowhere.

What does Old Trafford hold

First and foremost, England will be hoping for another sporty pitch with enough pace, carry and sideways movement to keep their bowlers interested. The Lancashire ground staff have typically done a good job of delivering surfaces that fit the bill and the home side rounded up South Africa cheaply twice last summer en route to an innings victory. But the last Ashes clash in Manchester also offers a possible warning. England were fresh from Stokes’ 2019 miracle when they pitched up in Lancashire and lost by 185 runs, guaranteeing the tourists would retain the urn. Australia will be eager to recreate their celebrations four years on, while England know all too well how it feels to see their surge fall flat.

Test stars Tammy Beaumont and Lauren Filer return for England ahead of the decisive three ODIs in the multi-format Women’s Ashes after being overlooked for the T20s.

Beaumont became England’s first Test double centurion while Filer’s burst of speed on debut troubled Australia in the defeat at Trent Bridge but both were deemed surplus to requirements for the three T20s.

England lost the opener at Edgbaston but won twice in London at the Kia Oval and Lord’s in front of record crowds to breathe fresh life into their bid to beat Australia for the first time since 2013-14.

And Beaumont, an ODI regular after losing her T20 spot ahead of the Commonwealth Games last year, comes back into the reckoning as does Filer, who could make her debut in the format on Wednesday at Bristol.

Alternatively she could come in at the Ageas Bowl on Sunday or Taunton next Tuesday, with all three matches sold out and England needing a clean sweep – or two wins if there is a washout – to prevail.

“We were delighted with our T20 series win and look forward to the next stage of the Ashes with everything to play for,” said England head coach Jon Lewis, whose side currently trail 6-4 on points.

“We’re pleased to welcome Tammy and Lauren back into the group. Tammy showed her quality during the Test match with her double-hundred while Lauren offers us real pace in our bowling.

“The support the team have received throughout the series so far has been incredible and it is fitting to finish with this deciding ODI campaign as the first sell-out series in England Women’s history.

“We respect Australia and know that this part of the Ashes series will again be a big challenge.

“However, we take a great deal of confidence and belief from our recent T20 victories and will, as always, be trying to put on a great showing for our fans.”

Maia Bouchier, Freya Davies and Lauren Winfield-Hill drop out of the reckoning but all-rounder Danielle Gibson, who made her England bow in the T20 series, keeps her spot in a 15-strong squad.

England squad for three ODIs against Australia in multi-format Women’s Ashes: H Knight (captain), T Beaumont, L Bell, A Capsey, K Cross, C Dean, S Dunkley, S Ecclestone, L Filer, D Gibson, S Glenn, A Jones, N Sciver-Brunt, I Wong, D Wyatt.

Harry Brook announced himself on the Ashes stage with a match-winning knock for England that kept the series alive and delivered another memorable Headingley climax.

Brook batted with great maturity as he made a steely 75, taking a decisive chunk out of the 251-run target and set a fire under this summer’s rivalry, leaving Australia 2-1 ahead with two to play.

The Yorkshireman fell with 21 still needed as the third Test descended into nerve-shredding tension, but Mark Wood cut through the anxiety with a feisty 16 not out and Chris Woakes completed a remarkable return to the Test arena by crunching the winning runs towards the delirious Western Terrace to finish unbeaten on 32.

England’s three-wicket win was achieved despite Ben Stokes’ dismissal for just 13, a soft nick down the leg-side robbing the hosts of their inspirational captain and the architect of their 2019 Ashes miracle here at the start of the decisive final session.

Mastering the chase

Under the leadership of Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, England have now successfully chased down five 250-plus totals in the last 13 months. Hauling down 378 against India last summer is their highest-ever chase while Stokes has admitted in the past he would cheerily see England set totals above 400 to test their limits.

What they said

Stokes was succinct after being quizzed whether this was his most satisfying win as England’s Test captain.

Neser up

Are Australia planning on freshening up their attack for Emirates Old Trafford? Michael Neser has been released from the squad to rejoin Glamorgan for their County Championship match against Leicestershire, starting on Monday. He will then rejoin Australia ahead of the fourth Test with the school of thought being the move allows Neser to regain some match sharpness, having last played competitively on May 21. He had a stint at the start of the season with Glamorgan, taking 19 wickets in five matches at an average of 25.63. His most telling contribution there, though, was a hat-trick…at Headingley.

The magic numberRooted out

Root’s record against Cummins is not quite the stranglehold Stuart Broad has over David Warner. But the Australia captain has had the Yorkshireman’s number in three successive innings now. This was the most innocuous of the lot as a miscued pull from a shorter ball down leg-side tickled the glove on the way through to Alex Carey. Since a century at Edgbaston, Root’s returns have been diminishing.

Record-Brooking HarryWood fires – again

There was no keeping Wood out of the game. The Durham quick has made an impact every time he has been called upon with ball in hand – when he touched 96.5mph and averaged 90mph in the first innings. But his runs also proved crucial to England’s success. A cameo of 24 from just eight balls in the first innings lit the fuse for England to get somewhere near Australia’s total. He also faced just eight balls second time around but flayed an unbeaten 16 to help get England over the line. Seven wickets in the match and 40 runs from just 16 deliveries deservedly earned Wood his first man of the match award on home soil in Tests.

What’s next?

The teams will have a week’s rest before reconvening for a crucial fourth Test, starting on July 19 at Emirates Old Trafford.

Ben Stokes revelled in England seizing an Ashes lifeline at Headingley again but he admitted being a hostage to fortune this time as he was a bundle of nerves four years on from his virtuoso heroics.

Stokes produced an innings for the ages at this ground in 2019 in one of the tensest finishes to a Test but any prospect of a repeat on Sunday was extinguished when he was strangled down the leg side on 13.

England still needed 90 to reach a 251 target with five wickets left on the penultimate day, but Harry Brook put himself on the map in the Ashes with an assertive 75 that broke the back of the chase.

Brook was seventh man out with 21 still required but while Chris Woakes and Mark Wood got them home with three wickets to spare, Stokes was pacing the changing room unable to bring himself to look.

“Headingley, day four yet again,” said the England captain after his side narrowed their deficit in the series to 2-1 with two Tests to play. “It’s some place to play cricket.

“I don’t know what it is about the place but it seems to bring out great games and unforgettable moments. I’m not going to lie, I was a bit nervous at the end.

“I walked about two kilometres around the Headingley dressing room in the last half hour, I didn’t actually watch the last 20 runs being scored.

“It’s a completely different place when you can’t do anything, you can’t influence the game any more, you’re left watching and hoping things are going to go your way.”

Brook was the last recognised batter when joined by Woakes but the 24-year-old defied the magnitude of the occasion – falling short of the target meant England would lose the series at the earliest possible opportunity – and nudged the hosts to the brink of victory before top-edging Mitchell Starc to mid-off.

Woakes (32 not out) and Wood (16no), who had taken six and seven wickets in the match respectively on their returns to the Test side, then made sure England got over the line in slightly less dramatic fashion than four years ago.

“It was just an unbelievable effort from everybody,” Stokes said. “There’s been little moments when people have stood up and swung the game back towards us.

“The way Brooky controlled the game from ball one with the bat was amazing. he went out there and put the pressure straight back on to them.

“The way he played with Woakesy in that partnership was high class. For such a young lad in a high-pressure situation in the Ashes was incredible.

“We’ve all seen what he can do with the bat, he’s an incredibly gifted player, and I think he’s only going to get better and better the more pressure situations he’s put in.”

Wood made a breathtaking impact in his first outing of the series, touching a breakneck 96.5mph with the ball while he contributed 40 entertaining runs with the bat off just 16 deliveries.

Stokes acknowledged having such a vibrant ace up his sleeve, one he has known for the better part of two decades having come through the youth ranks together at Durham, is invaluable.

“I’ve known Woody for 16 years now,” Stokes said. “He’s never changed since he was a kid. He just loves playing for England and playing cricket fullstop.

“Whenever he has the ball in his hand, he will give everything he can, whether he’s fresh or tired, he will just keep running in and running in. Even with the bat, he is willing to take it on.

“Having players like that is great, not only for me but for the team. He brings energy and excitement. Everyone watches him bowl because of what he can do. He’s a special talent and we are lucky to have him.”

There was a surprise on Sunday morning as Moeen Ali was catapulted to number three and while the gamble did not pay off as he was dismissed for five, Stokes was impressed by his team-mate’s idea to move up.

“When I took the role on I asked for 10 other selfless cricketers, and that little moment of Mo going to Baz (head coach Brendon McCullum) and saying, ‘I want the opportunity’ is everything that we’re about as a team,” Stokes said.

Stokes feels England are yet to hit their ceiling this summer but was pleased this result has kept the series alive, with a week’s break before they reconvene for the fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford, starting on July 19.

“I still think we can be better,” he added. “Obviously this is really big in the context of the series. We knew we needed to win this one to keep alive our hopes of winning the Ashes. So a good win.”

Australia captain Pat Cummins refused to rule out axing David Warner for the Ashes run-in after the opener’s struggles against Stuart Broad continued at Headingley.

Warner is coming to the end of the road in Test cricket, having flagged his intention to retire in January after a final homecoming game against Pakistan in Sydney, but he may not get the chance to bow out on his own terms.

The 36-year-old was dismissed for one and four in England’s three-wicket victory in the third Test, with his old nemesis Broad making short work of the left-hander on both occasions.

Warner now averages 23.50 in the series with a solitary half-century and, having fallen 17 times to Broad over the course of his career, Australia could find themselves pondering a difficult decision in the nine-day gap before battle resumes at Emirates Old Trafford.

Mitch Marsh made a major impact as an injury stand-in for Cameron Green, scoring a powerful first-innings century and taking two wickets, but both all-rounders are expected to be fit for the next Test.

Asked if Warner could be sacrificed to fit them both in, Cummins said: “We’ll keep all our options open. We’ve got nine or 10 days now, so we’ll take a deep breath.

“We’ll go away for a few days but everyone comes back into it. Greeny should be fit for Manchester, we should have a full roster. So we’ll have a look at the wicket, have a chat and work out the best XI.”

While there was precious little for for Warner to cling on to in those words, Cummins seemed more robust when the idea of Marsh dropping out again was raised.

“It’s possible, but it was a pretty impressive week wasn’t it?”

For Cummins, seeing England chase down 251 to get get themselves back in the series at 2-1 down with two to play was a rare negative experience in a summer of successes.

He led his team to the World Test Championship title against India last month, played the innings that got them over the line at Edgbaston and then claimed victory at Lord’s. All three games against England have been see-saw affairs, with chances for both sides to come through and tight finishes across the board.

“It seems like a series where each session swings in one team’s favour and then the next session the other team picks it up. I was just chatting to Stokesy, saying I wouldn’t mind a stress-free one.

“It’s not my preference but they’ve been great viewing. It’s just tense out there. I actually really enjoy being out there and feeling you’ve got some kind of control of the situation when you’re in the middle of it. It’s 100 times worse when you’re in the changing room and you wish you could do something about it but you can’t.

“I’ll have another look at it and see if there’s anything we might do differently, but it felt like we made some decent decisions out there.”