Ashes cricket: Australia extends lead over England to 221 runs before rain ends day three at Lord’s

Australia's Usman Khawaja (right) celebrates with batting partner Marnus Labuschagne after scoring 50 runs. Photo / Kirsty Wigglesworth

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, already 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 day four.

They’re mindful, though, of trying to win without Nathan Lyon, their 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 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 the wicket of captain Ben Stokes to a wicked second ball of the day by Mitchell Starc 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 and took a hit on the helmet from Pat Cummins. He proved he passed the concussion test on the next ball with a single to raise his eighth 50 in his ninth test.

But 50 from 68 balls was all Brook managed. He baseball-batted another 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.

England thought they had Warner leg before for 5 by James Anderson but didn’t and burned a review.

England bowled well without enticing many edges. The only nick Khawaja conceded flew through a gap between second and fourth slip to the boundary. He hit 10 boundaries, flicking and dabbing and becoming the leading run-scorer in the series.

Newcomer Josh Tongue took out both openers among his first three Ashes wickets in the first innings, and he could have had them both again.

Khawaja was on 19 when he lashed Tongue through midwicket and the ball passed between Anderson’s fingers.

But the bowler got Warner again when he made one nip into his front pad. Warner made 25 from 76 balls.

Labuschagne was also given out on 3 to Tongue, who struck his back pad, but the batter’s review showed the ball was missing the off stump.

Labuschagne fell softly on 30 to Anderson by steering the widest ball he faced straight to Brook at backward point.

Play lasted another half-hour.