Australia captain Pat Cummins starred with each bat and ball because the Ashes-holders had the higher of a rain-marred third day within the first Test in opposition to England in Birmingham on Sunday. The lower-order batsman made a helpful 38 in a complete of 386 that left Australia simply seven runs behind on first innings. And the quick bowler then dismissed Ben Duckett earlier than England additionally misplaced their different opener, Zak Crawley, in a dramatic 20-minutes’ play between the showers. England have been 28-2 of their second innings, a lead of simply 35 runs, at stumps after an enormous downpour at 1450 GMT had despatched the gamers from the sphere.

They had made regular progress when an preliminary rain delay stopped play for an hour-and-a-quarter.

But after the match resumed in overcast skies, with the Edgbaston floodlights piercing the gloom, situations have been now massively in favour of World Test champions Australia’s tempo assault.

And they made probably the most of a quick 22-ball session by taking two wickets for no runs as England slumped from 27-0 to 27-2.

Cummins led the way in which, with Duckett edging the 30-year-old low to all-rounder Cameron Green, who dived ahead to carry his newest wonderful catch within the gully.

Three balls later, Scott Boland had Crawley caught behind off an excellent full-length supply that angled in and straightened to take the sting.

Ollie Pope and star batsman Joe Root, whose unbeaten 118 was the cornerstone of England’s first-innings 393-8 declared, have been each but to get off the mark when the umpires lastly deserted play for the day at 1713 GMT.

Khawaja’s epic innings

Earlier, England lastly noticed the again of Usman Khawaja however solely after his painstaking 141 had successfully turned the primary of a five-match collection right into a one-innings showdown.

Australia, bidding for a primary Ashes collection win in England in 22 years, resumed on 311-5.

Khawaja was then 126 not out, having ended his decade-long look ahead to an Ashes hundred in England, with Alex Carey on 52 after Australia had recovered from 67-3.

Both batsmen ought to have already been out, with Khawaja bowled off a Stuart Broad no-ball on 112 and Carey dropped by opposing wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow on 26.

Bairstow had made a run-a-ball 78 in England’s first innings, however his unhealthy time behind the stumps continued with simply the fourth ball of Sunday’s play as he gave Carey one other reprieve by dropping a one-handed likelihood off James Anderson.

But Anderson, probably the most profitable quick bowler in Test historical past, took issues into his personal arms because the 40-year-old bowled Carey between bat and pad for his first wicket of the collection.

New batsman Cummins launched off-spinner Moeen Ali for 2 sixes and later hoisted Broad excessive over the rope as Australia moved nearer to drawing degree.

Broad had labelled the pitch “soulless’ on Saturday, but the innovative tactics that have characterised the leadership of England captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum helped wrap up the Australia innings rapidly.

Khawaja was lastly bowled by Ollie Robinson making an attempt to pierce an uncommon “umbrella subject” as an impressive 321-ball innings, including 14 fours and three sixes, finally came to an end.

The final four Australian wickets fell for just 14 runs in 23 balls, Robinson (3-55) ending the innings when he had Cummins caught in the deep by Stokes.

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