Play to be DELAYED due to rain at the start of day three in the third Ashes Test

The start of day three of the third Ashes Test at Headingley has been delayed due to rain.

The game is finely poised with Australia leading by 142 runs in their second innings, four wickets down after an England flurry last night.

England need to win the game to maintain hope of keeping the series alive and regaining the Ashes, and it’s likely captain Ben Stokes will look to force a result to the best of his ability even if the rain holds.

The forecast doesn’t look positive for the day, with BBC weather suggesting there’s more than 50 per cent chance of rain from 11am through to 5pm, but England will be keen to get out on the field as soon as possible to take the final six Australian wickets.

The covers had come off in the morning but were out back on when the rain returned. 

The game is finely poised with England dragging themselves back into the game on day two

The rest of the game has been uninterrupted with good weather and it’s hoped the rain will clear soon

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Travis Head (18) and first innings centurion Mitchell Marsh (17) will continue with the bat for Australia when play eventually gets underway.

It’s unlikely the visitors will be too keen to begin play, with just a draw needed from the final three Tests to ensure they will once again retain the Ashes.

They lead 2-0 in the series after the games at Edgbaston and Lord’s, and will keep the urn even with a 2-2 draw due to holding it after a 4-0 victory in the previous series down under.

Australia had looked strong favourites to win the game after posting 263 with the bat in their first innings before restricting England with the ball.

The covers had been off temporarily in the morning but were put back on when the rain returned

Australia need only a draw to retain the Ashes once again after winning the first two tests

The hosts found themselves 142/7 and 167/8 before an aggressive end to the innings once again came from Stokes, who finished on 80 as he dragged his side to 237 all out, trailing by 26.

It was then slow going for England with the ball, as, a bowler down, they toiled in the field watching Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne build a healthy partnership.

Moeen Ali then struck twice however before Chris Woakes removed Khawaja, giving England hope of facing the prospect of chasing a relatively small total.

Alex Carey will bat next for Pat Cummins’ side before the hosts are into the Australian tail.

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