England and Australia frustrated as rain delays start of third day of Ashes Test at Headingley

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The start of the third day of the third Ashes Test at Headingley was delayed by rain. </p>

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Morning showers on Saturday meant no play was possible before lunch, which was brought forward as ground staff began the cleaning up operation. </p>

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The match is poised on a knife edge, with the tourists 142 runs ahead after being reduced to 116 for four in their second innings. </p>

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Travis Head and day-one centurion Mitch Marsh were the not out batters for Australia, who are already 2-0 up in the series after victories at Edgbaston and Lord's and can claim the urn with a win on Yorkshire territory. </p>

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The break in play could help ease some of England's ailments, with Ollie Robinson yet to bowl since suffering back spasms on the first day and captain Ben Stokes nursing a selection of injuries and niggles. </p>

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England owe their position in the game to Stokes' defiant 80, with Moeen Ali hailing the skipper's magnetic qualities and their effect on the side. </p>

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"Ben's a brilliant player. He's the one player in the world who everyone will be thinking about in that situation, especially against Australia because he has done it a couple of times now," said the spinner, who took the key wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith on Friday evening. </p>

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"Whether it's a white ball or a red ball, as long as he's there you've always got a great chance of winning. It's the situations more than anything, he loves those situations, he thrives off them. </p>

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"His body has obviously been through a lot but there's one thing with Ben, he can't do anything without it being 100 per cent. Hopefully he'll get through this series well, scoring a lot more runs. </p>

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"It's the situations more than anything, he loves those situations, he thrives off them. But we can't rely on him all the time. </p>

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"We do have dangerous players who we just need to come to the party as well as Ben. Ben's playing brilliantly but there are runs out there for other players." </p>

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