England were floundering as the close of play neared after Ben Stokes put Australia into bat first. Steve Smith and Head had both passed fifty and were motoring along at a rapid rate having taken Australia to 314-3. Root is England’s sole spinner in the game after Moeen Ali and Rehan Ahmed were both left out in favour of a four-seam attack which includes Josh Tongue.

By that point, Root had bowled four overs in the game and conceded 12-runs without a wicket. Just as England were starting to look desperate, however, Root found them the breakthrough they needed. Spotting Head coming down the wicket, he bowled a short-pitched delivery which landed wide of off-stump. Head’s shot was a wild swipe, but the ball turned sharply to evade connection with his bat and was taken well by Jonny Bairstow very wide of the stumps. Bairstow just about managed to get the bails off in time, with Head overbalancing as he tried to get his bat back in.

Green was the next batter in and it took Root just three balls to also do for him. Green also looked to be aggressive to Root, playing an attempted pull to a delivery outside his off-stump. He mistimed the shot, however, and the ball James Anderson at mid-off for a dolly.

Those two wickets brought England back into the game before they took the new ball ahead of stumps. Australia finished the day on 339-5.

Watch: Joe Root finds sharp turn to have Head stumped, Green skies to mid-on in two-wicket over below

Joe Root strikes twice in an over and Australia are 5️⃣ down! #EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/wmn9hC5K6c

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 28, 2023