Ashes 2019: Lyon leads Australia fight back but Woakes & Broad steady the ship
Nathan Lyon led a roaring Australia fightback in the morning session of day three of the opening Ashes Test but England edged into a first-innings leading at Edgbaston.
Rory Burns impressed on Friday as England batted out all three sessions, but it was a different story in the first couple of hours on Saturday as concerns over the hosts' line-up were brought to the fore.
England were well placed at 282-4, but with Ben Stokes having edged to Tim Paine just after making a half-century, Lyon handed Australia the initiative when he dismissed Burns (133) and Moeen Ali for a duck in the same over.
Jonny Bairstow's wicket fell soon after as England lost four for 18 runs and slipped to 300-8. Stuart Broad (11 not out) and Chris Woakes (13no) managed to halt the slide, though, to take the hosts into lunch with a 44-run lead.
A difficult morning but we lead by 44 runs at lunch.
Scorecard/Videos: https://t.co/4R6eZei9jm#Ashes pic.twitter.com/jL1atzNP9k
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 3, 2019
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James Pattinson thought he had Stokes caught behind in the third over, only for England's all-rounder to have made contact with the ground.
However, after clipping a single fine of mid-off to bring up his 50, Stokes succumbed on the next ball he faced - a thin edge taking Pat Cummins' delivery straight into Paine's gloves.
Bairstow and Burns nudged England past Australia's total, though Lyon soon made the key breakthrough.
Burns misjudged a quicker ball, with Australia captain Paine reacting superbly to take the catch and send England's opener walking.
Lyons doubled the damage four deliveries later, Moeen bizarrely electing to leave a straight ball that sent his off-stump tumbling, before Bairstow then slashed an attempted cut to David Warner from Peter Siddle's bowling.
Australia looked set to rattle through England's order, but the hosts' tail wagged, with Broad and Woakes, who slammed Lyon for a huge six, ensuring James Anderson - who has been declared fit to bat - was not called on before lunch.
Also read – Ashes Lowest Total
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