Star batsman Steve Smith’s unbeaten 85 was the centrepiece of Australia’s spectacular 339-5 on the opening day of the second Test towards England at Lord’s on Wednesday. But off-spinner Joe Root, higher often called the quantity one-ranked batsman in Test cricket, took two wickets in 4 balls late within the day. His double strike ensured Ashes-holders Australia, 1-0 up within the five-match sequence after an exhilarating two-wicket win at Edgbaston final week, didn’t have issues all their very own manner on the ‘Home of Cricket’.

Australia had been in a commanding place at 316-3, regardless of being despatched into bat by England captain Ben Stokes in overcast situations and on a inexperienced tinged-pitch that promised to assist his five-strong tempo assault.

But dashing left-hander Travis Head, scoring at higher than a run-a-ball, then charged down the pitch solely to be crushed by a sharply turning Root supply with Jonny Bairstow, whose wicketkeeping had proved fallible in Birmingham, finishing a superb stumping.

Head was out for 77 following a stand of 118 with Smith the place England got a style of their very own ‘Bazball’ medication.

But three balls later, Australia’s 316-4 grew to become 316-5 when Cameron Green fell for a duck, slicing Root to James Anderson at mid-off.

At stumps Root, the one spinner within the assault after England dropped Moeen Ali, had figures of 2-19 from eight overs.

Fast bowler Josh Tongue, recalled instead of Moeen, eliminated Australia left-handed openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner, who made a precious 66, in a return of 2-88 in 18 overs.

The match was briefly halted earlier than the second over when two Just Stop Oil protesters ran out of the Grandstand and onto the outfield, sprinkling the environmental stress group’s trademark orange powder on the sq. however not on the pitch.

Bairstow grabbed one of many demonstrators and carried them off the enjoying floor, with the opposite apprehended by stewards.

A 3rd demonstrator was tackled earlier than making it onto the outfield, with the police making three arrests.

Pope damage scare

England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ method had come below scrutiny in Birmingham, however lacking a number of possibilities was an even bigger issue of their defeat.

On Wednesday, Stuart Broad, who has lengthy troubled Warner in Ashes contests, had him edging into the cordon on 20, just for fourth slip Ollie Pope, who later went off injured with a shoulder damage, to drop a two-handed catch.

Warner cashed in with a 66-ball fifty accomplished when he pulled Tongue, in simply his second Test, for six.

But off what grew to become the final ball earlier than lunch Tongue bowled Khawaja contemporary from his hundred at Edgbaston, enjoying no shot.

Warner additionally fell to Tongue, bowled between bat and pad by a ball that in the reduction of sharply off the pitch.

England for all Australia’s enjoying and lacking, didn’t assist themselves by freely giving 36 runs in extras, together with 12 no-balls.

Smith caught Stuart Broad via the covers for 2 fours off successive balls then efficiently overturned a caught-behind resolution off the following supply on his method to a 102-ball fifty.

Broad additionally had Marnus Labuschagne lbw, enjoying no shot, earlier than one other profitable Australian assessment indicated the ball would have cleared the highest of the stumps.

Stokes introduced himself on within the hope of a breakthrough nevertheless it was not lengthy earlier than Smith confidently flicked him via midwicket for 4 to go to 9,000 runs in Test cricket.

Smith and Labuschagne, till just lately the world’s two top-ranked Test batsmen, had managed simply 35 runs between them throughout 4 innings at Edgbaston.

But on Wednesday their century partnership was ended when Labuschagne was caught behind for 47 off a superb full-length supply from Ollie Robinson to depart Australia 198-3.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)