'Almost impossible': Jofra Archer peach bamboozles Marcus Harris

Marcus Harris has been given a baptism of fire in the third Test after copping an almost unplayable delivery from Jofra Archer.

Harris was called in to the Aussie XI to replace out-of-sorts Cameron Bancroft at the top of the order.

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However, he only added eight runs in tricky overcast conditions at Headingley, that saw the start of the match delayed due to rain.

England quicks Stuart Broad and Archer were causing the Aussie openers all sorts of headaches, with the former looking particularly dangerous.

Broad beat the bat of David Warner and Harris on a number of occasions but it was his strike partner that struck the first blow.

Archer sent a thunderbolt down to the new man in the Aussie batting attack, with Harris edging it behind to England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.

To be fair to Harris, the left-hander didn't do too much wrong, playing forward to a ball that was just short of a full length.

The quality and pace of the ball from Archer was so good that Harris had little chance as it angled fractionally away from his bat and caught a thin outside edge.

Viewers were quick to applaud England's new fast bowling sensation for the incredible delivery.

The match was immediately put on hold after the wicket as the rain that delayed the start of play, started falling again.

With more showers on the radar the decision was made to take the lunch break early, with Australia to 1-12 from four overs.

England legend Alastair Cook felt Harris missed a trick, having been struck by Archer's preceding delivery as the heavens started to open.

"I'm so surprised he didn't go down (ensuring he would have been not out when play stopped)," Cook said on BBC.

"It's being aware, but you always want to be tough, not show any pain."

Rain makes for frustrating start to third Test

Light rain delayed the toss by 35 minutes, with the covers still on while players warmed up on the ground.

Play was due to start at 8.20pm AEST but the covers came back on soon after Aussie captain Tim Paine called incorrectly at the toss and then claimed he wanted to bat first.

Having won the toss, England were up against a quirky bit of recent history, with the last five teams to do so at Headingley, going on to lose the match.

Perhaps the curious stat had something to do with the Aussie skipper's admission that he was glad to have lost the toss.

Australia made three personnel changes from the second Test draw at Lord’s.

As well as the inclusion of Harris, Marcus Labuschagne also came in to the starting XI once more for the concussed Steve Smith.

Australia also made one bowling change with James Pattinson back from his second Test rest to replace fellow Victorian quick Peter Siddle.

Left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc was overlooked for the third Test in succession.

Star batsman Smith was ruled out due to concussion from the brutal Jofra Archer short ball he took to the neck at Lord's.

Smith's injury-enforced omission was considered a boost to Bancroft's hopes of hanging onto his spot after scores of 13, 16, eight and seven in the series that Australia leads 1-0.

Tim Paine's team will retain the urn if they win the Headingley Test, a result that would also boost their hopes of completing Australia's first overseas Ashes series win in England since 2001.

Australia XI: Marcus Harris, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Tim Paine (c, wk), Pat Cummins, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.

England XI: Jason Roy, Rory Burns, Joe Root (c), Joe Denly, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer, Jack Leach

With AAP