• Third Test day one: Australia 179 v England• Pace bowler makes his mark again with six-wicket haulHalf a day’s play was enough to have us salivating over this Test. At the end of it Australia were hanging on grimly, most especially against the irrepressible Jofra Archer, who quickly confirmed he is no one-Test wonder. Joe Root keeps throwing him the ball and he keeps bowling fast. On Thursday he was England’s most exercised bowler once again and their most feared; he finished with six for 45 from 17.1 overs.
After a few mid-afternoon headaches, Root was beaming like a child who has just been given his best-ever
Christmas present. At some point England’s captain may have to consider some of his other playthings out on the field but for the moment he keeps turning to Archer, who is not visibly shrinking yet. He really is a serious bowler, who has transformed the series in the space of six days.