LONDON (TIP)– Australia dug out a hefty lead of 221 runs against England before drizzle prematurely ended day three of the second Ashes test at Lord’s on Friday. Usman Khawaja fronted Australia’s dogged fight in bowler-friendly conditions with an unbeaten 58 from 123 balls. His 60-odd partnerships with fellow opener David Warner then Marnus Labuschagne kept Australia on top. Khawaja had Steve Smith beside him on 6 when stumps was called at 130-2 in their second innings, and 25 overs left unused in the day.
The Australians, 1-0 up in the series, would be aiming for a lead of around 450 and a chance to bowl at England before tea on Saturday. They will want to set a big target. Last summer, England chased down 378 against India at Edgbaston and 299 against New Zealand at Nottingham. “If we bowl them out, over two days, we think we can chase them,” England spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel said. “We have the courage to see how far we can take it.”
Australia will also have to bowl without Nathan Lyon, its frontline spinner who was out injured after hurting his right calf running to the ball after tea on Thursday. He came to Lord’s on crutches and had a “significant” strain, Cricket Australia said. England squandered the gains it made on Thursday. The tone was set on the second ball of the day when captain Ben Stokes was dismissed by Mitchell Starc.
The batters slumped to 325 all out, conceding a first-innings lead to Australia of 91 runs, then the bowlers couldn’t make the inroads that the Australians could earlier in the same conditions. Cool overcast conditions that turned gloomier after midday supplied swing and bounce to any bowlers who could find the right lengths. The Australians did so consistently and the English didn’t.The Australians picked up where they left off on Thursday, bowling short and hostile to defensive fields. They dismissed England before the new ball became available. England resumed on 278-4 in reply to Australia’s 416, and Stokes’ dismissal started a rout of six wickets for 47 runs in less than 90 minutes.
Running up the slope, Starc got a leading edge off Stokes that was caught well by Cameron Green at third slip. Stokes didn’t add to his 17 overnight. Harry Brook resumed on 45. He took a hit on the helmet from Pat Cummins and proved he wasn’t concussed on the next ball when a single raised his eighth fifty in his ninth test.But 50 from 68 balls was all Brook managed. He baseball-batted a short ball straight to Cummins at cover and gave Starc his 313th wicket, tied with Mitchell Johnson for fifth on Australia’s all-time list. After a bad start by Starc, his three wickets led Australia. The last wickets fell in a heap after drinks. Jonny Bairstow chipped Josh Hazlewood to Cummins at mid on for 16, and Travis Head, the spin alternative to Lyon, got his eighth and ninth career test wickets.
Khawaja and Warner showed how badly England batted in the morning by enduring 24 overs while crawling to 63 runs together. Lord’s grew quiet as the pair adapted superbly. “There was some good bowling, pressure built, but our guys got through that,” Starc said. “They put that pressure on us but our top order have been fantastic.”