Australia has surrendered a seven-run first-innings lead at Edgbaston on Sunday, after Usman Khawaja’s century helped it to 386 in reply to England’s 8-393 declared.
Australia was all out just before lunch on day three of the first Test on Sunday, after Khawaja’s dismissal for 141 prompted the tourists to lose 4-14 in the space of 3.3 overs.
England then moved without alarm to 0-26 in its eighth over, before drizzle began to fall over Birmingham.
Further rain was forecast for both Monday afternoon and day five.
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After starting the day 82 runs behind, Khawaja looked likely to bat Australia to a lead after he brought up his maiden century in England on day two.
But eventually he grew impatient on Sunday morning for the first time in his innings, after scoring six runs from his previous 33 balls.
With a catching ring of six men in front of the wicket, Khawaja jumped down the pitch, yorked himself, and was bowled by Ollie Robinson for 141.
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England also trapped Nathan Lyon with its funky field settings.
With every fielder square or behind the wicket, Lyon hit a Robinson ball straight down Ben Duckett’s throat at deep square leg.
Scott Boland was also caught in close off a Stuart Broad (3-68) short ball for a duck, before Cummins fell pulling Robinson (3-55) for his highest score as captain with 38.
Alex Carey was the other man to go in the first session, bowled through the gate by James Anderson for 66 after a 118-run stand with Khawaja.
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Dropped on 52 by Jonny Bairstow after also being put down by the wicketkeeper twice on the second day, Carey had hit Anderson for back-to-back boundaries before he was bowled.
His partnership with Khawaja could prove crucial in the match, given Australia had looked in trouble at 4-148 and 5-220 at different stages in their innings.
It was not a good morning for Moeen Ali, however, who finished with of 2-147.
The finger spinner began the day with a 25 per cent fine for using a drying agent on his bowling hand on day two.
Battling to grip the ball with a sore finger, Moeen was hit back over his head for six by Khawaja and then tonked over the fence twice by Cummins.
The spinner sent down two rank full tosses to Cummins before leaving the field for treatment, and returning shortly after.
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England needs Moeen to bowl big overs this series, after Jack Leach went down with a stress fracture in his back earlier this month.
The 36-year-old has not played a first-class match before this Test for almost two years, and has already had to send down 33 overs on his return from retirement.
Around him, England has an ageing pace attack with Broad turning 37 next week, Anderson 41 next month and Ben Stokes nursing a knee injury.
-AAP
