Three quick wickets give England renewed hope in second Ashes Test
Australia reached lunch on day four at Lord’s leading by 313 with five wickets in hand.
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Your support makes all the difference.England battled back from the brink with three important wickets on the fourth morning of the second Ashes Test.
After taking control on day three, Australia had the chance to bat the home side out of the game at Lord’s, resuming 221 ahead with eight wickets in hand.
But England’s seamers scrapped away valiantly, taking out Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and Travis Head to keep themselves just about in the hunt.
Australia will still feel well on top, leading by 313 at lunch as they moved from 130 for two to 222 for five.
England already require the second highest chase at the home of cricket, with the West Indies making 344 in 1984, but England have made a habit of hunting formidable targets in the ‘Bazball’ era.
They memorably made 378 for three to beat India at Edgbaston last summer and assistant coach Jeetan Patel spoke on Friday night about his side’s hunger to break records.
Having lost a handful of their own batters to short-pitched bowling, England mimicked the tactic with a sustained bouncer barrage of their own and enjoyed similar rewards.
After a messy opening hour that cast neither team in their best light, Stuart Broad removed stalwart opener Khawaja for 77 with a perfectly-directed bumper.
Khawaja has excelled in the series by showing endless concentration and, after initially refusing to engage, he opened up to hook and picked out substitute fielder Matthew Potts at fine-leg.
Having already seen a half-chance clear wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow a few minutes earlier, there was no escape for the left-hander this time.
Head should have followed for a golden duck, slashing the impressive Josh Tongue straight to James Anderson at short point.
The 40-year-old let the chance burst through his hands, his second drop of the innings, and took an age to pick himself back up.
Tongue did not allow the disappointment to show, tearing straight back in after the batters crossed ends and dismissing Smith with the very next delivery.
Smith (34) was the latest player to get sucked into the hook, aiming for the stands but finding the hands of Zak Crawley prowling at deep backward square.
Tongue raced away in celebration, marking his third success over Smith in as many attempts this summer, starting for Worcestershire against Sussex and continuing in the first innings here.
The surge continued when Head fended a lifter from Broad towards short-leg, where Joe Root leapt to claim a fine one-handed catch.
The wind was in England’s sails now, but Cameron Green and Alex Carey shut things down to reach the interval, putting on an unbeaten stand of 25.