England's Benn Barham equalled the lowest halfway total of the European Tour season on Friday as he opened up a two-shot lead in the Austrian Open.

Barham, the overnight leader, added a second-round 66 to his opening 63 to stand at 13 under-par for the tournament.

Australia's 2007 champion Richard Green also carded a five-under 66 to move two off the pace, while Scotland's Scott Drummond, who hit a second-round 68, is three shots off the lead.

Barham said: "You never know what will happen in this game. I've been working with a new coach the last few weeks and it's just a case of letting it go.

"I'm pleased with the direction it is moving in. With the way my season is going I needed a different direction to freshen things up - playing the same week in, week out was frustrating."

Green revealed he has been putting the tournament on his schedule since taking advice from the current European number one.

"Robert Karlsson told me a few years ago that I should go as it was a course that would suit my game," said the Australian left-hander.

"I didn?t go for a couple of years and then came here in 2006, played well and then won the year after so his assessment was pretty spot on. I am pretty sure the grass on the greens is a Sutton?s mix which is exactly the same as the Melbourne greens at home I grew up on."

The lowest round of the day was a 64 by Welsh Ryder Cup hopeful Bradley Dredge.