Cricket: Resolute Joe Root leads England fightback against Australia in Ashes

Joe Root helped England show some mettle during day three of the first Ashes test. Photo / AP

England captain Joe Root and No 3 batter Dawid Malan have resurrected the first Ashes test, with the pair combining for an unbeaten 159-run partnership on day three.

The visitors were on the ropes early on day three at the Gabba with Australia reaching 425 in their first innings — a lead of 278.

Australia put on an additional 78 runs after resuming at 347-7 overnight.

The hosts were led by Travis Head, who went past 150 for just the second time in his test career before he was clean bowled by Mark Wood on 152.

In response, England nervously reached 23-0 at the lunch break before rattled opener Rory Burns failed again in the first over of the second session of play.

Root and Malan steadied the ship after Haseeb Hameed fell, with the visitors reaching 107-2 at tea, still trailing by 171 runs.

The duo then combined for a century partnership, pushing England's score past 200 as the sun started setting over the Brisbane skyline.

England are 220-2 at stumps, still trailing by 58 runs. Root was unbeaten on 86 with Malan 80 not out at the other end.

Root earlier set a new England record for most test runs in a calendar year, surpassing the previous best set by Ashes great Michael Vaughan in 2002.

Soon after, Root brought up his half-century, the first for an English cricketer this series. Malan followed suit later in the session.

Australia, meanwhile, were left aggrieved by the lack of Snicko technology available at the Gabba, with Malan surviving an appeal for caught behind in the afternoon session.

Josh Hazlewood believed he had found the outside edge of Malan's bat, convincing skipper Pat Cummins to call for a review — but because the third umpire did not see anything on Hotspot, the left-hander survived.

Cummins and Hazlewood were not happy with the outcome, talking with the on-field umpires after the decision was handed down.

On Thursday, it was revealed that the Snicko and front-foot no-ball technology were not available for the test due to Covid-19 complications.