Spectators' patience finally rewarded on a rainy day at Headingley

At least this time it was of the conventional variety as the weather interrupted the third Ashes Test.

Only 25.1 overs were possible on day three at Headingley as storm clouds gathered in the grey skies above.

What a disappointment it was for a sell-out crowd who had to wait until 4.45pm for play to begin, Australia bowled out for 224 from their overnight 116-4 to leave England 251 for victory, the hosts closing the day on 27-0.

The flashes and crashes, distant in the main, seemed to serve as a metaphor for the recent events at this famous old place.

Yorkshire have been hollowed out since the last Ashes Test here in 2019, the one in which the only storm was provided by the force of the tempest that is called Ben Stokes.

That match feels like a lifetime ago, one belonging almost to a different space-time continuum.

Yorkshire, as a club, is now almost unrecognisable; four years is a long time in cricket, as the maxim almost states.

As the rain tipped down from slate-grey skies, not continuously, by any stretch, but with sufficient consistency to frustrate the best-laid plans of mice, men and groundstaff, spectators amused themselves in any way they could during a near six-hour wait for the action to start.

For some, this predictably involved necking as many pints as possible in as short a time as possible; “down in one, lad, down in one,” as one man encouraged a willing imbiber at the back of the West Stand.

Others repaired to the local watering holes, where lunchtime was already like a scene not so much out of the West Stand but out of the Wild West; the only things missing, it appeared, were the horses and the guns.

There was certainly plenty of banter flying around between the English and Australian supporters in the centre of Headingley, where the atmosphere seemed primarily convivial.

Back at the ground, the square covered in tarpaulin, spectators sought shelter in the stadium’s various walkways.

A policeman joined in an impromptu game of cricket beneath the West Stand, not so much a case of “howzat”, perhaps, as “hello, hello, hello”.

Near the entrance to the pavilion, where the eagle-eyed looked out for the occasional appearance of the great and the good, one old man could be seen twirling his arms as though preparing to bowl.

“Kirkstall Lane end, next over,” one felt like saying, although it was anyone’s guess when that next over might be.

Following an early lunch at 12.30, and tea at 3.10, a planned 3.45pm inspection was delayed by half-an-hour before confirmation arrived that the action would commence, prompting the loudest cheers of the day.

The crowd, in truth, had thinned out a touch, leaving a few wet and empty seats scattered about the stands.

The eventual start was also a false start; only one over was possible before a further shower drove the players off the field.

Just the two runs came from it, off the bowling of Chris Woakes, who somewhat surprisingly surveyed the banks of thick cloud, the beaming floodlights and promptly deployed a short-ball tactic and field to Travis Head instead of pitching the blessed thing up.

When the action resumed, Woakes struck with the penultimate delivery of his next over, Mitch Marsh unable to get his gloves out of the way as he attempted to leave. Jonny Bairstow took the catch and Marsh was on his way for 28, ending a partnership with Head of 41.

Alex Carey was given the anticipated welcome, following his controversial stumping of Bairstow at Lord’s, and had managed only five before he also played-on an attempted leave, in his case off the glove.

Then it was over to Mark Wood, who had Mitchell Starc top-edging to a diving Harry Brook running back from short-leg before Pat Cummins fenced to Bairstow, leaving Australia 170-8, effectively 196-8.

Head decided to take matters into his own hands, launching Woakes for six over deep mid-wicket in a rollocking stand of 41 with Todd Murphy. The spinner contributed 11 before Stuart Broad trapped him in front, albeit only on “umpire’s call” on height when Murphy reviewed.

Head clubbed successive leg-side sixes off Wood before holing out at deep mid-wicket off Broad.

Head lashed 77 from 112 balls with seven fours to go with his three sixes, Broad and Woakes each capturing three wickets.

When England replied, Ben Duckett took Cummins for successive boundaries as sunshine, belatedly, made an appearance, the match beautifully poised.