England lose early wickets on a rain-hit day

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP):

England's batters faced threatening clouds above and hostile Australian bowlers below, latest twist in a dramatic Ashes opener at Edgbaston saw the hosts reduced to 28-2 at stumps in their rain-hit second innings yesterday for an overall lead of 35.

A pitch inspection at 6 p.m. local time led to play being called off for the day with only 10.3 overs bowled so far in the England innings. Today's forecast is mostly rain-free, but tomorrow afternoon could see heavy rain and thunder.

The play was first interrupted early in the afternoon session with England at 26 runs without loss and buoyed from dismissing Australia for 386 right before lunch, which gave them a narrow first-innings lead of seven runs. Usman Khawaja was out for a superb 141 as Australia closed in on England's 393-8 declared.

When play resumed after 75 minutes, England lost both their openers in a disastrous mini-session of only four overs under floodlights. Rain was heavier this time, and players again left the field -- quicker than when they came on -- with England having increased their score by just two runs at the cost of two wickets. In one ray of sunshine for England, they survived a potentially match-deciding appeal for a catch against their top batter Joe Root.

Australia captain Pat Cummins, who scored a six-laden 38 at No. 8 in sunshine, took one wicket for nine runs in 5.3 overs as the weather deteriorated in the afternoon. Scott Boland grabbed one for one in two overs.

Ben Duckett, who made 19, edged Cummins to Cameron Green, who again showed his brilliance in the field by diving low to his left at gully. The dismissal survived a review, despite the replay initially drawing jeers from home fans.

Three balls later Zak Crawley, who made seven, was caught by wicketkeeper Alex Carey off Boland.

Enter Root, Australia's nemesis in the first innings with his 29th Test century, who skipped onto the pitch despite the increasing gloom and doom on what had been a mostly unthreatening wicket.

Root survived an early appeal against Cummins for a catch behind. Two balls later, heavy rain forced the teams off again. Ollie Pope and Root are both on nought. Even under England's aggressive 'Bazball' style of cricket, neither batter would have likely wanted to get back out yesterday.

England earlier ran through the Australia tail after the visitors had resumed on 311 for five.