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Rediff.com  » Cricket » Ashes PHOTOS: Rain halts Australia's charge on Day 3

Ashes PHOTOS: Rain halts Australia's charge on Day 3

Last updated on: June 19, 2023 00:13 IST
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Images from Day 3 of the first Ashes Test between England and Australia at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham on Sunday.

IMAGE: Nearly two sessions were lost on the third day because of rain at Edgbaston on Sunday. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters

Australia's bowlers struck twice in quick succession in a devastating spell against England at Edgbaston on Sunday, before heavy rain washed out the later sessions on the third day of the series-opening Ashes Test.

 

Play was abandoned in the post-lunch session with just 32.4 overs bowled following a lengthy rain-enforced break with England on 28-2, a lead of 35 runs, after Australia were bowled out for 386 in the morning session in reply to the hosts' first-innings total of 393.

The match was first halted after lunch with England cruising on 26/0 and looking firmly on course to build up a sizeable lead.

IMAGE: Cameron Green celebrates with team-mates after taking a catch to dismiss England's Ben Duckett off the bowling of Pat Cummins. Photograph: Paul Childs/Reuters

However, those plans were derailed when they lost openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett in the span of just three overs as Australia took advantage of favourable conditions in a brief restart, with the tourists' fast bowlers getting the ball to move dangerously.

Pat Cummins dismissed Duckett for 19 after Cameron Green pulled off a spectacular diving catch in the slips.

IMAGE: Usman Khawaja is bowled by England pacer Ollie Robinson. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters

Three balls later, Crawley (7) followed him off the field after edging a Scott Boland delivery to wicketkeeper Alex Carey, leaving the pair of Joe Root and Ollie Pope on strike - both of whom are yet to get off the mark.

"It was sort of the first time the pitch came out a little bit in three days," bowler Ollie Robinson told the BBC.

"If we carried on batting, it might have been a slightly different approach, but still positive... Hopefully we can get the ball moving and bat all day tomorrow. I think anything over 300, we are right in the game."

IMAGE: Ollie Robinson celebrates after dismissing Nathan Lyon. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters

The outlook for Monday is more promising, with Britain's Met Office predicting a largely rain-free day.

Australia's first innings total was seven runs short of England's 393, with Usman Khawaja's mammoth innings coming to an end when he was bowled for 141 by Robinson before lunch.

IMAGE: Australia captain Pat Cummins played a valuable knock of 38, with three sixes. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters

The visitors, who resumed on 311 for five, lost both settled batters, Khawaja and Carey, before three more wickets fell in quick succession.

Khawaja played with great composure for most of his knock, but when England captain Ben Stokes piled on the pressure with an aggressive field placement, the 36-year-old took the bait.

IMAGE: Ben Stokes takes the catch to dismiss Pat Cummins off the bowling of Ollie Robinson. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters

He came charging down the wicket in his attempt to blast a shot over the 'reverse umbrella' field, but Robinson's inch-perfect yorker uprooted his off-stump.

"(I was) trying to get him to play shots he's not comfortable with," Robinson said. "I've been practising a bit of T20 recently, went to the yorker and it came off."

Earlier on Sunday, James Anderson was denied Carey's wicket in the day's first over due to a Jonny Bairstow drop, but an angling delivery from the veteran bowler snared the Australian for 66 two overs later, ending his 118-run stand with Khawaja.

Captain Cummins contributed 38 runs, hitting Moeen Ali for two sixes in an over, before holing out to deep square leg to bring the innings to an end.

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Source: REUTERS
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