Broad finishes with four; England need 371 to win

Relentless short-pitched bowling kept a lid on Australia's scoring in the second session on Day 4 and eventually led to wickets as Australia were bowled out for 279 in their second innings. Stuart Broad finished with a four-wicket haul after Ollie Robinson made key incisions to keep the visiting team in check. England, though, have a challenging target, needing 371 in four sessions to win the Lord's Test and square the Ashes.

The bouncer barrage, which started midway into the first session, continued into the second as Ben Stokes decided to bring himself on. Carey, however, handled him well while Green didn't have any problems ducking under Robinson's short-balls. The hour after Lunch was a game of patience, with England unrelenting with their short balls, and not opting for the second new ball, while Green and Carey weren't in any hurry either. But it was England, and Robinson, who blinked last as both Green and Carey fell to short balls. Green picked the fielder in the deep attempting a pull while Carey fended one to Root at short leg, with both falling in quick succession after a 42-run stand that came off 123 deliveries.

Stokes, meanwhile, was struggling with his knee, but continued to bowl. In his 10th over in the second session, he had Pat Cummins lobbing a catch to gully but the England captain had overstepped. The lead reached 350 with a wide in the same over. Robinson bowled nine successive overs before Broad was given the ball. The veteran pacer struck with a short ball to send Cummins back to the hut while Stokes, bowling his 12th over on the trot, accounted for Josh Hazlewood's wicket.

Nathan Lyon then came out to bat despite his calf injury, receiving an applause from the crowd. With his mobility restricted, the last-wicket pair couldn't run much between the wickets. Substitute fielder Rehan Ahmed denied Starc a six with an excellent save by the boundary ropes but the left-hander did manage a four and a six off Tongue while Lyon pulled Broad for a boundary, much to the delight of the Australian cricketers in the balcony. A short while later, Lyon became the last to depart, becoming Broad's fourth scalp.

Earlier, Khawaja and Smith were untroubled in the first hour, making most of the sunny conditions as they stretched the lead past 250 and extended their stand past 50. James Anderson, who wasn't effective, was taken off the attack after only three overs. Josh Tongue and Robinson, who bowled in tandem, came up with a barrage of short deliveries. Smith and Khawaja were disciplined with their shot selection against the short deliveries but they also had a few uncomfortable moments.

It was Broad, introduced after the drinks break, who made the breakthrough as he had Khawaja off a top edge to end a 64-run stand. Smith handed a catch in the deep trying to guide a short one from Tongue in the gap. Head, dropped by Anderson on 0, had a short stay as he too fell to a short ball from Broad, with Joe Root taking a splendid one-handed catch at short leg. Carey and Green kept the England bowlers at bay as they added 25 before the Lunch break to stretch the lead past 300.

Brief scores: Australia 416 & 279 (Usman Khawaja 77, Steven Smith 34; Stuart Broad 4-65, Ollie Robinson 2-48) lead England 325 by 370 runs.