Ashes, 2nd Test: Smith-Labuschagne stand stabilises Australia's batting against England (Day 1, Tea)

London [UK], June 28 : A 94-run partnership between Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne put Australia in a commanding position at the end of the second session during the first day of the second Ashes Test at Lord's on Wednesday.
At the end of Tea, Australia was 190/2, with Smith (38*) and Labuschagne (45*) unbeaten at the crease.
Australia started the second session at 73/1, with David Warner (53*) unbeaten at the crease, joined by Marnus Labuschagne.
Labuschagne looked a little shaky while batting. Warner on the other hand was looking in sublime touch. He continued to hit England bowlers for some boundaries.
Warner's knock came to an end when a Josh Tongue delivery went through his defences and broke the leg stump in half. Australia was 96/2. Warner was dismissed for 66 in 88 balls, with eight fours and a six.
Australia reached the 100-run mark in 30.1 overs.
Steve Smith was next up on the crease.
He smashed Stuart Broad for two fours in the 34th over and then survived an lbw attempt in the same over. Labuschagne also got in the groove in the 36th over, smashing Labuschagne for three successive boundaries.
The duo brought up their fifty-run partnership.
Australia raced to the 150-run mark in 37.2 overs.
After smashing Ben Stokes for a four in the 41st over, Smith brought up 9,000 runs in Test cricket, becoming the second-fastest player in terms of innings and fastest in terms of matches to do so.
Smith and Labuschagne carried Australia through the remainder of the session without any further loss of wicket, with a 100-run partnership at horizon in the next one.
Earlier, a half-century by David Warner helped Australia make a solid start, but pacer Josh Tongue struck just before the first session ended to make sure England headed to lunch on a high during the first day of the second Ashes Test at Lord's on Wednesday.
At lunch, Australia was 73/1, with David Warner (53*) unbeaten at the crease.
Put to bat first by England, the opening duo of Usman Khawaja and Warner started off solidly. Warner in general looked in good touch, smashing some boundaries and a six.
In the 18.1 over, Australia's 50 came up with Usman Khawaja batting on 12* and David Warner on 38*.
In the 21st over, Warner reached his 35th half-century. His knock had six fours and a six.
Josh Tongue get the wicket of Usman Khawaja, cleaning up his stumps to give England a breakthrough. He was batting at 17 off 70 balls. Khawaja smashed two boundaries.
After 23.1 over, Australia was 73/1 and they ended at the same score at the conclusion of the first session.
Brief Scores: England: 190/2 (David Warner 66, Marnus Labuschagne 45*, Josh Tongue 2/48).