Australia close in on Ashes second Test win after ripping through England top order

Home side 114-4 at stumps on Day at Lord's needing another 257 to level series at 1-1

Australia captain Pat Cummins celebrates after dismissing Joe Root of England for 18 on Day 4 of the second Test at Lord's. England reached 114-4 at stumps, needing another 257 for an unlikely victory. Getty

Mitchell Starc of Australia thinks he has caught out England's Ben Duckett only for the third umpire to reverse the decision for the fielder grounding the ball. Getty

England captain Ben Stokes hits a boundary on his way to an unbeaten 29. PA

England's Harry Brook is bowled by Pat Cummins of Australia for four. Getty

England opener Ben Duckett scored his second half-century of the match. Reuters

England batter Ollie Pope is bowled by Australia's Mitchell Starc for three. AFP

England opener Zak Crawley after being dismissed by Mitchell Starc of Australia for three. Getty

England captain Ben Stokes makes the catch to dismiss Australia's Nathan Lyon. PA

Australia's Nathan Lyon plays a shot. AP

Australia's Nathan Lyon struggles with his injury. Reuters

England fielder Joe Root takes a catch to dismiss Travis Head for seven. Getty

Australia batter Steve Smith trudges off after being dismissed by Josh Tongue of England. Reuters

England's James Anderson after dropping Travis Head from the Australia batter's first ball. Getty

Australia's hits Steve Smith hits a shot past James Anderson of England on his way to 34. Getty

England's Stuart Broad, center right, hugs captain Ben Stokes after the dismissal of Australia opener Usman Khawaja for 77. AP

Australia are in pole position to secure victory in the second Ashes Test after their bowling attack ripped through England's top order at Lord's on Saturday.

England had managed to bowl out Australia for 279 in their second innings after the tourists failed to deal with a relentless barrage of short deliveries.

It was a manic innings of Ashes cricket that ended with Nathan Lyon hobbling out to bat for Australia despite barely being able to walk due to the serious calf injury he sustained on Day 2.

Any hopes of another sensational run-chase that has characterised England under the captaincy of Ben Stokes, though, looked all but over after a superb bowling effort from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

Starc claimed the wickets of opener Zac Crawley and Ollie Pope (both for three) before captain Cummins accounted for key England batter Joe Root (18) and then Harry Brook (four) in one memorable over as England collapsed to 45-4.

That brought Stokes to the crease and the all-rounder, who had clearly been struggling with his knee injury when bowling, helped restore some calm – and a glimmer of hope for England.

He finished unbeaten on 29, alongside Ben Duckett who reached a second half-century of the match on his way to 50 not out as England reached 114-4 at the close.

But there was controversy late on when Duckett was caught by Starc on the boundary just after reaching 50. But the decision was overturned after replays showed Starc had scraped the ball along turf without his fingers underneath it after taking the catch.

It was a decision that divided the media commentators, with former Australia fast-bowler Glenn McGrath calling it “a disgrace” while ex-England captains Alastair Cook and Michael Vaughan both felt is was the right call.

England need 257 more runs to secure what would be a famous victory, having chased down 378 against India at Edgbaston last summer. But they have never chased so many at Lord's.

Earlier in the day, eight Australia batters were dismissed by England’s relentless short-ball tactics, as the home seamers took it in turns to pound the pitch with bouncers over the course of nearly five hours.

It proved a remarkably effective method, driving Australia from 130-2 overnight to 279 all out. Stuart Broad led the way with 4-65, Josh Tongue picked up Steve Smith for the second time in the match and Ollie Robinson chipped in with two wickets.

Stokes also defied his chronic knee problems with a 12-over marathon spell that culminated in the hard-earned scalp of Josh Hazlewood.

Lyon, last spotted on crutches following a serious calf injury on the second evening, limped to the crease to bat at number 11 in a bid to eke every run out of Australia’s second innings.

He was helped through the Long Room and hopped down the pavilion steps, rendered virtually immobile by the time he made it to the middle.

The plan to occupy one end broke down when substitute fielder Rehan Ahmed produced a remarkable diving save to deny Starc a six, with Lyon wincing in pain as he dragged himself 22 agonising yards.

He even managed a boundary in a last-wicket stand of 15, a buffer Australia will hope they do not need on the final day of this gripping contest.