London: Usman Khawaja led the way with an unbeaten 58 as Australia increased their lead over England in the second Test to 221 runs before play was suspended by rain. England were bowled out for 325 in the morning at Lord's. 

Usman Khawaja continued his excellent form with the bat on a day three of the second men's Ashes Test that was cut short by rain.

After a good start, England collapsed to 325 all out, giving Australia a 91-run advantage after the first innings. This was caused by the dismissal of captain Ben Stokes with the second delivery of the day.

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After a 63-run opening stand between Khawaja and David Warner, the former was dismissed by Josh Tongue for the second time in the game in the middle of the afternoon session. Marnus Labuschagne then managed to dismiss the seamer once more by successfully appealing a lbw decision.

Even though Labuschagne did eventually lose to James Anderson, Khawaja remained strong and finished the day unbeaten on 58, with Australia leading by 221 runs and the match set to restart on Saturday at 130-2 after being called off early due to rain.

England would have had their sights set firmly on exceeding the 138-run advantage Australia still held at the start of play on day three when Harry Brook and Stokes went out to the crease.

The home team's collapse, in which they lost their final six wickets for only 47 runs, began with the early retirement of left-hander Stokes, who edged Mitchell Starc to Cameron Green in the slips without adding to his overnight score of 17.

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Brook became the latest England batsman to fall taking on a short ball when he hit Starc (3-88) straight to Pat Cummins at extra cover with a poorly timed shot, leaving former England captain Sir Geoffrey Boycott among the stunned spectators. Brook went on to reach his fourth Test half-century with a single in the sixth over of the day, but failed to push on from there and was back in the pavilion for 50.

Josh Hazlewood's bowling caused Jonny Bairstow to fall for 16 runs next, popping one up to Australia captain Pat Cummins at mid-on. Part-time spinner Travis Head then quickly removed Ollie Robinson (nine), nicking one to wicketkeeper Alex Carey, and Stuart Broad, who was caught lbw for 12 runs.

Following a tense opening spell from England seamers Broad and James Anderson, Cummins ended England's innings by having Josh Tongue caught by substitute fielder Matt Renshaw for only one. Australia openers Warner and Khawaja then led them to 12-0 at lunch.

With Warner and Khawaja keeping a firm hand on the tiller in dismal conditions that seemed to favour the England bowlers to build a half-century opening stand, Australia's lead was already back up to over 100 when the afternoon session began.

Khawaja was given a reprieve on 19, when Anderson missed a good chance to take the ball square of the wicket. However, Tongue took the game-changing catch in the 25th over, when he again snagged Warner's wicket, this time trapping the left-hander lbw for 25 as he came around the wicket.

Two overs later, Tongue believed he had Labuschagne out for three runs, but the right-hander was able to use the DRS to reverse the on-field decision of out. Later, as Australia reached 81-1, Broad made two full-throated appeals against his dismissal.

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Three overs into the evening session, Khawaja—who won player of the match in Australia's two-wicket victory at Edgbaston—continued his outstanding batting performance by reaching his 23rd Test half-century by hitting Broad's full delivery back down the pitch for four.

An lbw appeal against Labuschagne, who was then on 16, was rejected and not reviewed by the hosts, depriving the England seamer of a wicket. However, HawkEye replays afterwards revealed the ball would have struck the right-hander's leg stump if it had been allowed to continue.

The 29-year-old was caught by Anderson in the 41st over when he cut one to Brook at backwards point to dismiss him for 30, but Steve Smith finished the day on six unbeaten with Khawaja appearing to be well set when the rain came.

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