England speaking however Australia main as Ashes reaches Lord’s
Big Picture
Are you prepared for spherical two? The opening of this Ashes delivered all the things it had promised. Four extra matches of that stage of exhilaration will probably be a take a look at for everybody concerned.
Given all of the discuss of the previous week, the place each groups have had some downtime, it will be straightforward to assume England are the facet 1-0 up. But courtesy of the partnership between Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, a stand that may go down in Ashes folklore, it’s Australia who maintain that benefit and, for now, are fairly joyful for England to say what they like.
However, in addition they know the end result may simply have been totally different. It in all probability would have been if England had held their probabilities, or even when Stuart Broad had not bowled Usman Khawaja with a no-ball. No one is getting carried away that Bazball has been shut down however the opening Test of an Ashes typically reveals the way in which (albeit comparisons with 2005 abound).
So to Lord’s, and 5 days that may seemingly determine if Australia can take a vice-like grip – and put themselves on track for a sequence win in England since 2001 – or whether or not the house facet can draw stage and arrange a probably nice sequence.
England, for all their discuss, and maybe that is why they’re doing it, have extra inquiries to reply than Australia. Is it proper to go with out a frontline spinner? Is there sufficient point-of-difference within the assault? How a lot can Ben Stokes‘ knee undergo? Is Ben Duckett a sitting duck to Australia’s quicks exterior off stump? Is assault the one method to go?
One factor we all know, if the gamers are to be taken at their phrase, is that they may reply to defeat by attempting to be much more aggressive. It was an identical message put ahead after the loss to South Africa final yr which, mockingly, was then adopted by (comparatively talking) one among their extra restrained batting performances, led by a captain’s innings from Stokes at Old Trafford.
Australia consider they’ve appreciable room for enchancment. England might rue not successful a Test the place Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith made simply 35 runs between them. At Lord’s they’re additionally getting in with a base of data they didn’t have earlier than Edgbaston, though their camp is content material with how the ways performed out beneath strain.
The marker for this sequence has been laid down. What occurs subsequent is actually anybody’s guess. And that is a tantalising prospect.
Form information
(final 5 matches, most up-to-date first)
England LWLWW
Australia WWDWL
In the highlight
England’s response to defeat. What has been put collectively beneath Stokes and Brendon McCullum has clearly labored wonders, however it may’t be unquestionable. Last summer time they bounced again in opposition to South Africa however the vacationers had a poor batting line-up. Their solely different defeat since then was the one-run loss to New Zealand in Wellington. Hitting again after going 1-0 down initially of a house Ashes is one thing fully totally different and the largest take a look at of the ethos (or cult?) that Bazball has created.
Labuschagne was twice achieved by Broad’s new outswinger at Edgbaston, gathering his first golden duck in Test cricket within the course of. In his final 17 innings he has made simply two fifties at a mean of 33 which is significantly beneath the extraordinary excessive requirements he has set. Should he discover his groove at Lord’s it will come on the floor the place his Test profession took off 4 years in the past after he was parachuted into the workforce as Smith’s concussion sub.
Team news
England have modified the steadiness of their facet by calling up tempo bowler Josh Tongue to interchange Moeen Ali. Tongue took a five-wicket haul on his debut in opposition to Ireland at Lord’s earlier this season. They have backed James Anderson and Stuart Broad to get via one other Test.
England 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jonny Bairstow, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Ollie Robinson, 10 Josh Tongue, 11 James Anderson
Australia have narrowed down a 12 with the ultimate resolution more likely to be between Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland. England took Boland at almost six-an-over at Edgbaston however the grass on the floor at Lord’s may maintain him within the body.
Australia 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Scott Boland/Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood
Pitch and circumstances
There was a major inexperienced tinge on the floor forward of the sport, however that’s fairly regular for Lord’s. There is the expectation of extra tempo and bounce than Edgbaston offered. The forecast is ok for the opening day however there’s a probability of some interruptions after that.
Stats and trivia
Quotes
“Cricket’s a fickle game sometimes. He was the No.1 batter in the world then Broady nicks him off twice. Players like that don’t miss out too often. Broady produced two unbelievable deliveries and it’s always great to see the back of Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith early but quality players always find a way to bounce back. We won’t be reading too much into it but it’s nice knowing there might be something there for Marnus.”
Ben Stokes on Broad’s success
“My phone went crazy for a couple of days. These Ashes series, like World Cup finals, you realise how many people love cricket and how much it means to them. Hearing everyone’s stories about where they were when they found out what happened, or watching at all hours of the day is pretty cool.”
Pat Cummins on the response to Edgbaston
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo