England's Ashes hopes hang by thread after awful third day

England's hopes in the second Test and the Ashes hang by a thread following an awful third day against Australia at Lord's.

Harry Brook was the latest to fall to the short ball, out for 50, and Jonny Bairstow was guilty of a poor stroke.

With the tail unable to provide any resistance to Australia's rampant pace bowlers, England were all out for 325, giving the tourists a first-innings lead of 91.

Despite England's bowlers doing everything they could to exploit gloomy, moist conditions, Usman Khawaja built Australia's advantage with a composed unbeaten 58.

Khawaja, dropped by James Anderson on 19, added 63 with David Warner and another 60 with Marnus Labuschagne.

When rain and bad light arrived just after 17:00 BST, Australia had moved to 130-2, leading by 221.

England are not completely out of the contest but will have to be close to perfect from now on. Only one team in Ashes history has ever come from 2-0 down to lift the urn.

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England down, but not yet out

England had the better of the second day, so there was a debate over how much they could be excused for gifting three wickets to Australia's short-ball plan on Thursday evening.

On the third morning there could be no excuse. England doubled down on their intent to get after the Australia bowling and fell in a calamitous heap.

Only Stokes can feel like he was dismissed by a good ball. Brook played a ridiculous shot, Bairstow a limp one, and it was too much to expect the tail to repair the damage.

Faced with the prospect of having to dismiss Australia cheaply to get back in the match, England's attack bowled well in helpful conditions, albeit without luck.

They were blunted by Khawaja, who with Warner and Labuschagne showed the patience to build Australia's lead.

England could yet bowl Australia out and have a target that is within reach, especially with off-spinner Nathan Lyon not due to bowl again in the match.

England have made other unlikely Ashes comebacks in the past, Headingley 2019 among them. They will need something similar to keep this series alive.

England repeat reckless mistakes

Despite the mini-collapse on Thursday, England started Friday in a decent position - 278-4, 138 behind - and with optimism they could get up towards and beyond Australia's first-innings 416.

That optimism evaporated from Stokes' first ball of the day. Mitchell Starc got movement back up the Lord's slope, Stokes offered a leading edge and Cameron Green took a trademark smart catch at fourth slip.

Brook was presented with six fielders on the boundary before he faced a ball. He moved from 45 overnight to his eighth Test score of 50 or more, but was discomforted by the short ball. Making room to attempt an ambitious swat at Starc, he could only find extra cover to become the fourth England batter bounced out.

Bairstow, England's last hope of parity, played an airy drive at Josh Hazlewood, was caught at mid-on and the tail was exposed.

Broad copped a nasty blow on the jaw from Green. In the next over, with Travis Head bowling off-spin to fill in for the injured Lyon, the swiping Ollie Robinson was caught behind and Broad was lbw on the sweep.

When Josh Tongue was bounced out by Cummins, England had lost their last eight wickets for 117 runs.

Khawaja leads Australia again

Khawaja led from the front for Australia with a hundred and 65 in their two-wicket win in the first Test and again showed calmness, determination and technique to keep England at bay.

With the clouds dark, floodlights bright and England's bowlers rarely loose, batting was difficult, only for Khawaja to guide Australia's advance.

The left-hander did, however, receive a huge let-off from Anderson. From Tongue's second ball, Khawaja pulled straight to mid-wicket, but the ball slipped through Anderson's hands.

Warner was typically energetic in his 25 before he fell to Tongue for the second time in the match, lbw to one that came down the slope.

Labuschagne looked to be positive in his 30. He overturned being given leg before off Tongue on three and could have been lbw to Broad on 16, only for England to opt against a review.

After Labuschagne cut a wide one from Anderson to point, Khawaja was joined by Steve Smith, fresh off a hundred in the first innings and the most likely candidate to bat England out of the game on Saturday.

More to follow.