Ashes, 3rd Test: Australia loses top order to extend lead to 142 runs on Day 2

Travis Head and Mitch Marsh held off a resurgent England to extend Australia's fragile lead to 142 runs after two days of the third Ashes test

Leeds: Travis Head and Mitch Marsh held off a resurgent England to extend Australia’s fragile lead to 142 runs after two days of the third Ashes test at Headingley on Friday.

Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith squandered a perfect batting track against a depleted England bowling attack by gifting their wickets after tea to Moeen Ali.

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Head, on 18, and Marsh, on 17, negotiated the last 12.1 overs to advance Australia to 116-4 in its second innings at stumps.

England was all out for 237 before tea after captain Ben Stokes muscled 80 runs and shepherded the tail to get them within 26 runs of Australia’s first total.

Australia captain Pat Cummins banked 6-91 for his first five-wicket haul in England.

Cummins is trying to help his side clinch the Ashes for the first time in England since 2001. England must win to stay alive.

Despite a flattening deck, wickets were falling at a pace that suggested the match might be over on Sunday with a day to spare.

The Australians kept England in the contest on a sun-drenched second day.