On Day three of the Lord’s Test, the second Test of the Ashes Series, not a single ball was bowled after Lunch because of rains as England made the best possible use of the seaming conditions to not let the Australian top order settle and picked up early breakthroughs to leave them 80/4. However, rains forced an early lunch and not a single ball was bowled hence.
Eventually, the game was called off after umpires inspected the playing conditions for one last time at 5:20 pm, with only a couple of days remaining for the result of the match.
Australia had won the first match quite convincingly in grand style. Steven Smith’s twin hundreds had helped the Kangaroos script a 251 run win in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston. Their saviour in the first match, Smith, remained unbeaten at 13 as other Aussie wickets fell around Smith.
For England, Stuart Broad picked up a couple of wickets while debutant Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes picked up a wicket each. Earlier, England had reached 258 on the back of the fifties from Rory Burns and Jonny Bairstow on Day 2 after the first day’s play was washed out and then Aussies managed 30/1 at stumps on Day 2.
Resuming from their overnight total, the visitors went on to lose the wicket of Cameron Bancroft who was dismissed by Archer as he celebrated his maiden Test wicket.
Although Usman Khawaja looked in good nick for his 36, he was sent back by a good length delivery from Chris Woakes.
Travis Head was then dismissed by Stuart Broad in a decision which umpire Aleem Dar had to overturn. The Aussies at one stage were 71/4 and there was still a considerable amount of time for Lunch but Smith looked comfortable in the middle and along with Matthew Wade ensured they do not lose any more wicket before rains played spoilsport.
Brief scores: 1st innings: England 258 all out (Rory Burns 53, Jonny Bairstow 52; Josh Hazlewood 3/58, Pat Cummins 3/61, Nathan Lyon 3/68) Australia 80/4 (Usman Khawaja 36, Steve Smith 13 batting; Stuart Broad 2/26) at Lunch.