England 26-0 as rain halts opening Ashes test

BIRMINGHAM, England : England were 26 for none with a 33-run lead over Australia when rain halted play just after lunch on day three of the series-opening Ashes test at Edgbaston on Sunday.

Opener Zak Crawley was seven not out while Ben Duckett was on 18.

Australia were bowled out for 386 before lunch in their reply to the hosts' first innings total of 393, with Usman Khawaja scoring 141 runs - his first test century in England.

England, who have won 11 of their last 13 tests under Stokes and head coach Brendon "Baz" McCullum, are looking to regain the Ashes against world champions Australia in the five-test series.