In a rain-interrupted day three of the second men’s Ashes Test at Lord’s, Usman Khawaja continued to showcase his exceptional batting form, guiding Australia to a commanding lead over England.
With England resuming at 278-4 in the morning, their hopes were high to surpass Australia’s first-innings total of 325. However, their aspirations quickly dwindled when Ben Stokes, the team’s captain, fell to Mitchell Starc’s delivery with just the second ball of the day. Stokes’ dismissal sparked a collapse in the English batting lineup, resulting in them losing their last six wickets for a mere 47 runs.
Harry Brook, showing promise, reached his fourth Test half-century, but was unable to capitalize on his start and was dismissed for 50 by Starc’s well-directed short ball, caught by Pat Cummins.
The talented Jonny Bairstow followed suit, offering a simple catch to Cummins off Josh Hazlewood’s bowling, contributing 16 runs to England’s total. Part-time spinner Travis Head then added to England’s woes, claiming the wickets of Ollie Robinson and Stuart Broad in quick succession, with the latter trapped lbw for 12.
Cummins, the Australian captain, concluded England’s innings by having Josh Tongue caught by substitute fielder Matt Renshaw for just one run. With England bowled out for 325, Australia’s openers, David Warner and Usman Khawaja, stepped onto the pitch and weathered a challenging opening spell from England seamers Broad and James Anderson. The pair managed to survive until lunch, reaching a steady score of 12-0.
After the rain interruption, Khawaja’s resilience and skill once again came to the fore. He formed a solid partnership with Warner, accumulating runs and steadily extending Australia’s lead over England. Unfortunately, the rain brought an early end to the day’s play, leaving Khawaja unbeaten on 58 and Australia with a substantial lead of 221 runs.
Cricket enthusiasts eager to witness the unfolding drama can tune in to Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15 am on the fourth day, with the first ball scheduled for 11 am.
As the match heads towards an intriguing conclusion, all eyes will be on Khawaja and his teammates as they aim to strengthen their grip on the second Ashes Test and assert their dominance over England.
