England lost their top three cheaply on the second morning of the third Ashes Test, as the hosts threatened to squander Jofra Archer’s good work at Headingley.

Archer claimed six for 45 to dismiss Australia for a modest 179 on Thursday but wickets continue to tumble under blue skies in Yorkshire, with England 24 for three after an hour’s play.

Jason Roy was the first to go, chasing a Josh Hazlewood delivery and nicking to David Warner at first slip in frustratingly predictable fashion.

A couple of sweetly-struck boundaries hinted at the upside of Roy’s aggressive style as opener but by making just nine – his exact average as opener after six disappointing innings – he shuffled one step closer to an inevitable drop down the order.

The next blow was an even more grievous one to the English cause as captain Joe Root followed a golden duck in his previous outing at Lord’s with a two-baller on his home ground.

His first ball was squirted low but unintentionally towards gully and his second, fizzing through the channel outside off, drew a healthy edge that required a sharp, tumbling catch from Warner.

Australia’s Josh Hazlewood (left) celebrates taking the wicket of England’s Joe Root
Australia’s Josh Hazlewood (left) celebrates taking the wicket of England’s Joe Root (Mike Egerton/PA)

A score of 10 for two almost became 10 for three when Joe Denly was given lbw to Hazlewood without scoring but the Kent man correctly called for DRS, with ball-tracking suggesting it was heading over the top.

Delayed but not deterred, Australia were soon celebrating another success as Pat Cummins got his rewards for a fine spell at the Kirkstall Lane End.

A short, sharp bouncer struck an unwitting Rory Burns, hitherto the most secure of the openers seen in the series, and the next one dismissed him.

Cummins strayed a fraction towards leg with the follow-up but Burns chased it, gloving a pull shot through to wicketkeeper Tim Paine. When Ben Stokes came to the crease at number five he joined Denly, who took 24 deliveries to get off the mark, albeit with a crisp cover-driven four.