England take charge
Australia were left hoping for another major innings from Steve Smith as England took charge of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston on Saturday.
When bad light cut short the third day’s play, Australia were 124-3 in their second innings -- a lead of just 34 runs.
Former captain Smith, who had made a superb 144 in the first innings of his first Test since completing a 12-month ban for his role in last year’s ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, was 46 not out.
Travis Head was 21 not out, with the pair’s stand worth 49 runs.
Ashes-holders Australia, looking to win their first series away to England in 18 years, were struggling at 27-2 after openers David Warner and Cameron Bancroft -- also returning to Test duty after the ball-tampering scandal -- both fell in single figures.
In a match full of overturned decisions, England had to review umpire Joel Wilson’s original not out verdict when Warner feathered a catch behind to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow on eight to give Stuart Broad his 450th Test wicket.
Warner walked off to raucous chants of “Same old Aussies, always cheating” from England fans.
Birmingham-born off-spinner Moeen Ali then had Bancroft lob a simple bat and pad catch to Jos Buttler at short leg.
Smith’s arrival at the crease prompted a huge chorus of boos from England fans who earlier in the day had taunted him with chants of “Crying on the telly, we saw you crying on the telly” in a reference to the star batsman’s emotional press conference in Sydney after he was sent home from South Africa.
Earlier, England opener Rory Burns batted for nearly eight hours for 133 -- his maiden Test hundred -- in an innings of 374 featuring half-centuries from captain Joe Root (57) and vice-captain Stokes (50).
England lost three wickets for four runs to slump to 300-8 -- a lead of just 16 runs.
But a ninth-wicket partnership of 65 between Chris Woakes, who made 37 not out on his Warwickshire home ground, and Broad (29) boosted their total.
Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins took 3-84 in 33 overs on a placid but wearing pitch and off-spinner Nathan Lyon 3-112 in 43.5 overs.
SCORES IN BRIEF
Australia: First innings 284
England: First innings 374 (Burns 133, Root 57, Stokes 50, Woakes 37 not out, Broad 29; Cummins 3-84, Pattinson 2-82, Lyon 3-112, Siddle 2-52)
Australia: Second innings 124 for 3 (Khawaja 40, Smith 46 not out, Head 21 not out; Broad 1-26, Stokes 1-18)
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