Lord’s Test in the balance

England battled to 96 for four in their second innings by the end of a dramatic fourth day at Lord’s to lead Australia by 104 runs and leave the second Ashes test on a knife-edge on Saturday.

England had bowled out Australia for 250, Steve Smith making 92 after retiring hurt when he was struck on the neck by a venomous Jofra Archer bouncer.

Smith left the field for treatment and returned 40 minutes later, adding 12 runs before he was trapped lbw by Chris Woakes.

England, 1-0 down in the series, led by eight runs on first innings but they quickly slumped to 9-2 on a gloomy evening as Pat Cummins dismissed Jason Roy and Joe Root in successive deliveries.

The fast bowler caught and bowled Roy for two and produced a superb outswinger which captain Root nicked to wicketkeeper Tim Paine.

Rory Burns and Joe Denly scrambled 55 runs for the third wicket, Denly making 26 before he was caught and bowled by Peter Siddle.

Burns’s battling knock of 29 ended when he edged a lifting delivery from Siddle to Paine but Ben Stokes, dropped by David Warner at slip off Nathan Lyon, survived to reach 16 not out at the close with Jos Buttler on 10 to give England hope of setting the touring side a testing target on the final day.

The first day and much of the third were washed out by rain and Australia had resumed on 80-4 in reply to England’s 258, losing only one wicket on a sunny morning when Matthew Wade, on six, edged Stuart Broad to Burns at third slip.

SCORES IN BRIEF

England: First Innings 258 and second innings 96 for 4 (Burns 29, Stokes 16 not out, Buttler 10 not out; Cummins 2-16, Siddle 2-19)

Australia: First Innings 250 (Khawaja 36, Smith 92; Broad 4-65, Woakes 3-61, Archer 2-59)