Smith comes up with the goods on opening day
Warner reached his fifty by hooking Tongue for a six before Khawaja was bowled by the same bowler for 17 just before lunch.
Steve Smith hits a boundary
LONDON: Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne guided Australia to 190 for two at tea on the first day of the second Ashes Test on Wednesday as the England bowlers struggled to take advantage of favourable conditions at Lord’s.
Josh Tongue removed Usman Khawaja (17) and David Warner (66 off 88 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) either side of lunch while Smith and Labuschagne, both given out before successfully overturning the decisions, slowly wore down the England attack.
Smith was unbeaten on 38 at the interval and Labuschagne on 45 with Australia, 1-0 up in the series, in a strong position to build an imposing total. England captain Ben Stokes won the toss under cloudy skies and floodlights at the home of cricket before Warner and Khawaja shared a gritty partnership of 73.
The openers watched on as Just Stop Oil protesters sprayed orange powder on to the outfield and, after another rain delay, they negotiated probing spells from James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Warner reached his fifty by hooking Tongue for a six before Khawaja was bowled by the same bowler for 17 just before lunch.
Each batter was dropped in the slips, Khawaja offering a difficult chance to Joe Root and Warner a sharp one to Ollie Pope. Warner lived dangerously after lunch, particularly against Tongue who continued his impressive spell by bowling the left-hander with a fine swinging delivery.
At 96 for two, Smith emerged from the pavilion to a chorus of boos but settled down quickly and silenced the crowd with two sumptuous drives off Broad to the cover boundary.
Broad almost exacted swift revenge when Smith was given out caught by Bairstow in the same over for 24 but the batter reviewed and the decision was overturned. Labuschagne started slowly before finding his rhythm with three fours off one Broad over and when Stokes brought himself on to bowl, the Australia right-hander stroked him to the boundary three times.
Broad thought he had trapped Labuschagne lbw, the umpire raising his finger before the batter was reprieved. There were no more alarms for the pair in the rest of the second session.
BRIEF SCORES: Australia 339/5 in 83 overs (S Smith 85*, T Head 77, D Warner 66, J Tongue 2/88) vs England
