The Ashes 2023: Usman Khawaja shines in darkness as Australia top England on day three at Lord’s

Usman Khawaja led the way with an unbeaten 58 as Australia extended their lead in the second Test to 221 runs before rain halted play; England were bowled out for 325 in the morning at Lord’s; watch day four live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am (first ball 11am)

Usman Khawaja continued his superb form with the bat to help Australia extend their lead over England on a shortened day three of the second Men’s Ashes Test at Lord’s.

England continued in a strong position at 278-4 in the morning, but the dismissal of captain Ben Stokes on the second ball of the day sparked a collapse that saw them slump to 325 all out and ensure Australia took a 91-run lead. after the first innings.

Khawaja and David Warner then put on an opening stand of 63 before the former fell to Josh Tongue for the second time in the match midway through the afternoon session, with Marnus Labuschagne denying the seamer another after successfully dropping a lbw decision.

Labuschagne fell to James Anderson, but Khawaja held on and ended the day unbeaten on 58, with Australia leading by 221 runs and set to resume on 130-2 on Saturday after rain brought an early end to proceedings.

England surrendered a strong position

When Harry Brook and Stokes came out to the crease for the start of the third day, England were firmly focused on overtaking the 138-run lead Australia had as play resumed.

However, left-hander Stokes’ early departure without adding to his overnight score of 17 when he beat Mitchell Starc off Cameron Green in the slips signaled the start of a slump in which the home side would lose their last six wickets for just 47 runs. .

Brook reached his fourth Test half-century with a single in the sixth over of the day, but failed to build on from there and returned to the pavilion for 50 after becoming the latest England batter to fall after taking a short ball. , this time hitting Starc (3-88) straight to Pat Cummins at extra cover with an ill-judged shot that left former England captain Sir Geoffrey Boycott in the stunned audience.

Jonny Bairstow was next to go for 16 when he popped up one to Australia captain Cummins at mid-on off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood, followed by part-time spinner Travis Head accounting for both Ollie Robinson (nine) , nick one to wicketkeeper Alex Carey, and Stuart Broad, trapped lbw for 12, in quick succession.

Cummins ended England’s innings by catching Josh Tongue off substitute fielder Matt Renshaw for just one, with Australia openers Warner and Khawaja guiding them to 12-0 at lunch after surviving a try that opening spell with the ball from England seamers Broad and James Anderson.

Khawaja set the tone for Australia

Australia’s lead was back to over 100 when the afternoon session began, with Warner and Khawaja keeping a firm hand at the tiller in overcast conditions that seemed to favor England’s bowlers as they built a half-century opening stand .

Khawaja had a let-off on 19 when Anderson dropped a difficult catching opportunity square of the wicket, but Tongue made the breakthrough in the 25th over as he again snared Warner’s wicket – this time Trapped the left-hander lbw for 25 as he came. around the wicket.

Tongue thought he had new batter Labuschagne lbw for three two overs later, although the right-hander successfully overturned the on-field decision of out with a DRS referral, and then survived two full-throated appeal from Broad in the final over before tea as Australia reach 81-1.

Khawaja, player of the match in Australia’s two-wicket win at Edgbaston, continued his fine form with the bat by bringing up his 23rd Test half-century three overs into the evening session, sending a full toss from to Broad back down the ground for four. .

The England seamer was denied a wicket when an lbw appeal against Labuschagne – then on 16 – was rejected and not reviewed by the hosts, only for HawkEye replays to show that the ball would go on to hit the right-handers leg stump. .

Anderson caught the 29-year-old in the 41st over when he carved one off Brook at backward point to leave for 30, but Steve Smith survived some early scares to finish the day on six not out with Khawaja looking fine before the rain came.

Watch day four of the second men’s Ashes Test live on Sky Sports Cricket. Coverage from Lord’s begins at 10.15am, with first ball at 11am. Also stream all the men’s and women’s series this summer on NOW.