Archer strikes on debut as Aus stumble
England fast bowler Jofra Archer marked his Test debut with a wicket as Australia suffered a top-order collapse before rain cut short play at Lord’s on Friday. Australia lost three wickets for 11 runs en route to slumping to 80-4 when rain forced an early lunch on the third day of the second Test.
That left Australia 178 runs behind England’s first-innings 258. The 24.1 overs that took place in the morning session represented the only action on Friday, with persistent rain leading the umpires to eventually abandon play for the day at 5:22 pm local time in a match where Wednesday’s scheduled first day had already been washed out without a ball bowled.
Archer, on the ground where he bowled the Super Over that saw England seal a World Cup final win over New Zealand last month, had fine figures of one wicket for 18 runs in 13 overs. Stuart Broad led the way with 2-26 in 13 overs, while fellow seamer Chris Woakes chipped in with 1-27 in nine.
But Australia star batsman Steve Smith was still there on 13 not out, with Matthew Wade unbeaten on nought.
Australia, 1-0 up in the five-match series, resumed on 30-1 having seen Broad dismiss David Warner cheaply for the third time in as many innings this series.
Cameron Bancroft was five not out and Usman Khawaja 18 not out following a lively opening spell by Archer, in for the injured James Anderson, late on Thursday.
But England altered the momentum with two wickets for no runs in four balls as Australia’s 60-1 became 60-3.
Archer, topping speeds of 90 mph, had his first Test wicket when he nipped one back sharply to have Bancroft leg-before for 13. There were some boos as Smith, fresh from twin hundreds at Edgbaston in his comeback Test following a 12-month ball-tampering ban, came into bat.
He could only watch as Woakes induced an outside edge to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow that saw the left-hander caught for 36. Australia were 71-4 when Broad had Travis Head lbw for seven.
SCORES IN BRIEF
England: First innings 258 all out
Australia: First innings 81 for 4 at lunch (Khawaja 36, Smith 13 not out; Broad 2-26, Archer1-18)
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