2nd Ashes Test ENG v AUS Day 3: England extend overall lead to 566 against Australia

Opener Joe Root was the individual hero on Saturday as England ground Australia into the dust with batting that was first attritional then ruthlessly aggressive on the third day of the second Ashes Test at Lord's.

After taking a first-innings lead of 233 on Friday before conceding three quick wickets, England batted throughout the day to reach 333 for five at the close with Root unbeaten on 178, his second test hundred.

England, who won the first Test at Trent Bridge last Sunday by 14 runs, now lead Australia by 566 with six sessions still to play and fine weather forecast for the final two days.

Root, promoted to opener for the Ashes series after batting in the middle order against India and New Zealand, confirmed the class he has shown since scoring 73 on his Test debut last December.

His technique, poise and clean, fluent driving on both sides of the wicket was of the highest order and marked him out as a worthy successor to his great Yorkshire predecessors Herbert Sutcliffe, Len Hutton, Geoff Boycott and Michael Vaughan.

Root reached his hundred with a cut to the point boundary and accelerated to pass 150 from 311 balls with 18 fours. He then struck two sixes over mid-wicket in leg-spinner Steve Smith's final over the day.

Ian Bell, who was reprieved on three after an umpire review when he appeared to have edged Ryan Harris straight to Smith at gully, added 74 to his first-innings 109 in quick time against a flagging attack.

Peter Siddle, who took all three wickets to fall on Friday evening, bustled in with his customary energy from the Pavilion end at the start of play but neither he nor the other Australian paceman were able to extract anything from the pitch.

Tim Bresnan, sent in as nightwatchman on Friday, took 30 balls to get off the mark but was in no trouble thereafter, staying on the front foot and reaching 38 before he was caught at mid-wicket by Chris Rogers attempting a hook off James Pattinson.

Only 83 runs were scored in the opening session and 57 in the second before England cut loose after tea against spinners Smith and Ashton Agar.

Bell played all the shots in his locker, bringing up the 150 partnership with Root with a reverse sweep for four.

He seemed set for his second hundred of the match and the fourth in his last three Ashes Tests when he pulled a long-hop from Smith straight to Rogers at mid-wicket.

Root told Sky Sports he had no idea when captain Alastair Cook planned to declare on Sunday and said he would just concentrate on playing his part for the team.

"Last night was tough," he said. "They bowled exceptionally well and we knew today we were going to have to scrap for a bit and earn the right to score runs later in the day.

"It was pretty special, as a kid growing up playing the Ashes is the pinnacle and to get a hundred and at Lord's as well was a nice feeling."

AFTERNOON SESSION

A magnificent unbeaten century by Joe Root (178) steered England to an impregnable position as they finished day three on 333 for five in 110 overs in the second Ashes Test against Australia at Lord's on Saturday.

The 50 partnership between Smith and Bairstow comes off 64 balls. Eng 333-5 in 109 overs.

Root smashes two sixes off Smith.

Bairstow lofts Smith back over his head for a boundary. Eng 314-5 in 107 overs.

Bairstow hits a boundary off Smith. Eng 292-5 in 101 overs.

Smith strikes as Bell pulls him straight to midwicket. Eng 282-5.

Ian Bell c Rogers b Smith 74 (103b 11x4 0x6)

Bell hits consecutive boundaries off Agar. Eng 281-4 in 98 overs.

Bell gets another boundary with a reverse sweep off Agar. Eng 268-4 in 96 overs.

Root hits a couple of boundaries off Agar.

Root drives the ball perfectly to the fence. Eng 216-4 in 88 overs.

Bell flicks Pattinson to the fine leg fence for another boundary.

Root flicks Agar to the fine leg for anotheer boundary to bring up the 200 of the England second innings. Eng 200-4 in 86 overs.

Bell tickles Pattinson to the fine leg fence. Eng 196-4 in 85 overs.

Roots cuts Agar for a boundary to cover point to bring up his century. Eng 178-4 in 82 overs.

AFTERNOON SESSION

Opener Joe Root guided England to a formidable lead over Australia on the third day of the second Ashes Test at Lord's on Saturday during which only one wicket fell in the first two sessions.

At tea, Root was only three short of a second test hundred in an England second innings total of 171 for four, an overall lead of 404 with seven sessions remaining.

Inevitably in a series where the umpiring and the decision review system have been constantly in the spotlight, there was another controversy in the afternoon session.

First innings century maker Ian Bell, who had made only three, fended a ball from Ryan Harris to gully where Steve Smith appeared to take a clean catch.

The umpires asked for a review and after several television replays decided that there was a sufficient element of doubt over whether the fielder had taken the ball cleanly as he dived forward.

The Australians were not impressed and Harris made his feelings clear while there was some booing from spectators.

Meanwhile, Root batted with the poise and composure which has been a feature of his fledging career since he made his debut in India last year, driving fluently on both sides of the wicket.

Nightwatchman Tim Bresnan kept him company during the morning session and was the only wicket to fall on a slow day in which England seemed determined to grind the Australians into submission after the tourists' abject batting on Friday.

With their team already one-down in the five-match series, the Australian top-order capitulated again in their first innings, tumbling to 128 all out.

Peter Siddle responded with three quick wickets when England batted again on Friday evening but was unable to find the same penetration on a cool, overcast morning.

Root brought up his third Test half-century from 122 balls with six boundaries including a crisp on-drive off the first ball of the day.

He reached his fifty with two into the covers then played the shot of the session, leaning back to guide James Pattinson to the cover boundary with flexible wrists and perfect timing.

Bresnan provided solid support after taking 30 deliveries to get off the mark, showing just how easy-paced the pitch was by playing almost exclusively off the front foot against the Australian pace bowlers.

He took England past the century mark with his fourth boundary, cracking a wide short delivery from left-arm spinner Ashton Agar backward of point.

The pair continued to prosper after the lunch interval before Bresnan on 38 mishit an attemped hook off James Pattinson to Chris Rogers at mid-wicket.

Smith has come to bowl the last over before tea but Root has cracked the first ball through cover to move to 96. Eng 171-4 in 78 overs.

Root drives Siddle on the off to move into the 90s. Eng 166-4 in 77 overs.

Bell gets into his stride smacking two consecutive boundaries off Siddle through point and fine leg. Eng 154-4 in 73 overs

Root picks up a boundary off Watson finding the gap at midwicket. Eng 140-4 in 68 overs.

Australia finally get a breakthrough after lunch as Bresnan pulls Pattinson straight to Rogers at square leg ending a 99-run stand. Eng 129-4 in 62 overs.

T Bresnan c Rogers b Pattinson 38 (137b 4x4 0x6)

Roots hits a boundary off Siddle with a superb drive past mid on. Eng 124-3 in 57 overs.

Root has complete 1,000 first class runs this season.

MORNING SESSION

Yorkshire duo Joe Root and Tim Bresnan denied Australia a wicket on the third morning of the second Ashes Test at Lord's as England tightened their grip on the match.

Ashes-holders England were 114 for three in their second innings - a lead of 347 runs - at lunch on Saturday.

Opening batsman Root was 63 not out and nightwatchman Bresnan 32 not out, with the county colleagues' unbroken fourth-wicket stand so far worth 84.

Their partnership meant Australia, shot out for just 128 on Friday, already needed to surpass the Lord's Test record fourth innings victory total of 344 for one made by the West Indies against England in 1984, which featured Gordon Greenidge's unbeaten double century, if they were to pull off an astounding win.

England, 1-0 up in the five-match series after last week's 14-run victory at Trent Bridge, resumed Saturday on 31 for three, a lead of 264 runs.

Peter Siddle's three wickets late Friday saw England captain Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen all out cheaply.

But Root, 18 not out overnight, eased the first ball of Saturday's play, from Siddle, through midwicket for four.

After two days of blazing sunshine, conditions were overcast for the first time and offering a hint of swing.

Root, however, drove James Pattinson through the covers for four in a style reminiscent of former England captain Michael Vaughan, who played for the same Yorkshire club side as the 22-year-old.

Bresnan took 30 balls to get off the mark while he denied Australia the joy of an early breakthrough Saturday.

He subsequently took two boundaries in as many balls off Siddle, the first edged short of third slip and down to third man with the second flicked just wide of midwicket.

The Yorkshiremen continued to frustrate Australia's six-strong attack, Bresnan driving Ryan Harris between point and cover for four.

Root then deliberately guided all-rounder Shane Watson behind point for another boundary.

But he topped that shot with a textbook on-driven four off Siddle that sped over the Pavilion rope.

Bresnan's three off left-arm spinner Ashton Agar brought up a fifty stand in 134 balls.

Soon afterwards Root completed his own fifty, in 122 balls with seven fours, and then struck Pattinson for a classic back-foot forcing shot to the point fence.

The fourth wicket pair added 83 in the morning session continuing from their overnight 31-3 with Root unbeaten on 63 and Bresnan with him on 32.

Joe Root and nightwatchmen Tim Bresnan extended England's second innings lead to 347 as they went in for lunch at 114 for three on day three of the second Ashes Test against Australia at Lord's on Saturday.

Bresnan cuts Agar past point to bring up the 100 of the England second innings in the 46th over. Eng 103-3 in 46 overs.

Root completes his third Test fifty in eight matches and celebrates with a boundary past point off Pattinson. Eng 91-3 in 41 overs

Root hits a sizzling drive through mid on for another boundary off Siddle. Eng 85-3 in 39 overs.

Root hits a beautiful straight drive off Siddle for a boundary. Eng 77-3 in 37 overs.

Root slams Watson for a boundary past point. Eng 66-3 in 32 overs.

Bresnan slams Harris through point for a boundary. Eng 62-3 in 31 overs.

Harris into the attack and bowls a maiden to Bresnan. Eng 54-3 in 29 overs.

Nightwatchman Tim Bresnan has hit consecutive boundaries off Siddle edging through third slip and flicking to midwicket. Eng 50-3 in 27 overs.

Root hits the first boundary of the third morning with a classic cover drive off Pattinson. Eng 42-3 in 26 overs.

Siddle bowls a maiden to Root. Eng 37-3 in 25 overs.

Pattinson begins proceedings on day three with a maiden to Bresnan.

England will aim to drive home the advantage when they resume day three of the second Ashes Test with an overall lead of 264 against Australia at Lord's on Saturday.

Australia collapsed to 128 all out in reply to England's first innings 361 with the home side opting against enforcing the follow-on and reaching 31 for three in their second innings by stumps.

Ashes holders England are already 1-0 up in the five-match series after last week's 14-run win at Trent Bridge.

DAY TWO: SWANN SPARKS AUSTRALIAN COLLAPSE

DAY ONE: BELL HITS THIRD CONSECUTIVE ASHES TON

Australia's newspapers on Saturday ripped into their team's feeble batting in the second Test against England, fearing the Ashes campaign might have unravelled in one catastrophic session at Lord's.

"What a mess, what a shambles, what a debacle, what an embarrassment," thundered the Daily Telegraph's Malcolm Conn.

"Some of Australia's most well-paid professional sportsmen have been responsible for amateur-hour. There can't have been few more mindless batting performances than Australia's appalling 128 during the second day at Lord's."

Conn added: "Australia's feeble collapse had nothing to do with outside distractions from (sacked coach) Mickey Arthur or anyone else, it was just simple ineptitude.

"The players have no one to blame but themselves. Cricket Australia spends millions pampering and preparing its players with a support staff almost the size of a cricket team."

Fairfax Media feared the Ashes could be over for Australia and said it was one of several recent woeful top-order batting performances.

"Australia's Ashes campaign might have unravelled in one catastrophic session at Lord's," Chloe Saltau wrote.

"Awful batting contributed to the touring team being levelled for 128, Australia's lowest total at Lord's since 1968."

Fairfax columnist Malcolm Knox took it a step further.

"The British department of health has announced that the current heat wave has contributed to more than 700 fatalities. Australian batting was not listed among them, but the Ashes, as a contest, headed into the weekend on a morphine drip," Knox said.

"A batting collapse such as Australia's on Friday was one of the few things about this series that was anticipated. Its precedents go back not just to India, but reach deep into the (Ricky) Ponting years.

"The roll call reads like the carved frieze in a war memorial. Perth, 2012. Hobart, 2011. Cape Town, 2011. Melbourne, 2010. Headingley, 2010. They go back to the one that most resembles this, which was at the Oval Test match in the Ashes series of 2009, when the entire rubber was decided between lunch and tea on the second day."

The Australian's Wayne Smith described it as one of the most dismal days of Ashes cricket in living memory, with coach Darren Lehmann "giving a tongue-lashing to Australia's miserably underperforming batsmen".

The Australian's cricket columnist Gideon Haigh singled out opener Shane Watson for particular criticism.

"At Lord's yesterday, a cricket experiment continued: the effort to turn Shane Watson into a Test batsman, now into its 43rd attempt," he wrote.

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