Image Credit- India Today.
Venue- Lord's Cricket Ground, London [June- July 2023].
In the previous post we discussed about the first test of the highly anticipated 2023 Ashes Series. In this post we will be talking about the second test which took place in the Home of Cricket- Lords. On a gloomy day, English Captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to field first. After a brief rain delay, Australia made a strong start to the morning session. David Warner was looking in good form as he hit a six in the 22nd over to reach his half-century. Usman Khawaja was bowled for 17 by Tongue two overs later, giving him his maiden Ashes wicket. At the end of first session the Aussie scorecard read 73/1. Rain halted play after lunch, but it didn't last long this time, and Tongue soon claimed a second wicket, dismissing Warner for 66. Steve Smith was ruled to have been caught behind by Stuart Broad, but the call was reversed after video replays revealed a clear separation between the bat and ball.
After lunch, Marnus Labuschagne was given out on the bowling of Broad, but once more the decision was reversed upon review because ball tracking indicated that the ball would continue to miss the stumps. After Kumar Sangakkara, Smith became the second-fastest player to amass 9,000 Test runs. At the end of second session the Australian scorecard read 190/2. Soon after tea, Ollie Robinson dismissed Labuschagne for 47 runs, whereas Smith reached his half-century in the 61st over. Travis Head then scored a quickfire 77 before being dismissed by Joe Root. At the end of day 1, the Australian Scorecard read 339/5.
Alex Carey was removed by Broad for 22 in the second over of the morning, and the initial not out decision was later reversed on review. Three overs later, Starc was dismissed after being caught behind by James Anderson for 6. In the 92nd over, Smith hit a cover drive for four to reach his 32nd Test century. Eventually Tongue was successful in dismissing Smith for a gutsy knock of 110 runs. After taking out Nathan Lyon for 7 in the 99th over, Robinson then bowled out Australia for 416 by taking out Josh Hazlewood for 4. Before lunch, England's response saw them go through four overs and end up 13/0. Midway through the afternoon session, Carey's fourth stumping of the series off the bowling of Nathon Lyon dismissed Crawley for 48. Ben Duckett reached his half-century in the 29th over, and in the next over, he and Ollie Pope added 50 runs together as England reached tea on 145/1.
In the final session of day 2, Lyon developed a calf injury that ultimately prevented him from playing the rest of the series. Australia then successfully switched back to short-pitched bowling. First, Pope, who was also injured, was dismissed by Green for 42. After three balls, Root gloved a catch off Green to Carey, but the ball was ruled a no-ball. Ben Duckett was unlucky as he was dismissed on 98 by Hazlewood. Root was removed soon, but Harry Brook and Ben Stokes had a strong partnership as the English ended at 278/4 on the eve of day's play.
However, the Hosts committed a hara-kiri on the morning session of day 3. They lost 6 wickets in no time and were bowled out for 325 runs in their first innings. The Aussies had a good lead of 91 runs, and they knew what they are supposed to do now. Bat sensibly and give England a huge target. And this is what they actually did. The visitors batted sensibly and posted a total of 279 in their second innings. Usman Khawaja scored a gritty 77 of 187 deliveries. For England, Stuart Broad picked up 4 wickets.
The Hosts now needed 371 runs to win the second test. It was never going to be easy task in front of the mighty Aussie bowling line-up. To make matters worse, they had the worst possible start as they were reduced to 46/4. However, Duckett and Stokes had a solid partnership which brought some hopes in the Host Camp. Ben Duckett [83] was unlucky as he again missed his century. Hazlewood dismissed him again as the English Scorecard read 177/5.
However, a few moments later we had the most controversial moment of the test match. In the 52nd over, Bairstow dodged a bouncer from Cameron Green and left his crease to speak with Stokes at the non-striker's end. In the meantime, Australian wicketkeeper Carey threw down the stumps and the Aussies appealed for a run-out. The appeal was referred to third umpire Erasmus, who ruled that Bairstow was out because the ball was not dead at the time the bails were removed.
Post Bairstow's dismissal, Captain Ben Stokes stepped up his counterattack and hit three consecutive sixes to reach his 13th Test and fourth Ashes century. On the cusp of lunch, Stokes and Broad also reached a 50-run partnership. As a result, England was left on 243/6 and still needed 128 runs to win. The Aussies were still favorites, but Ben Stokes lighted up a fire of hope among the hosts.
Unsavory incidents occurred during the lunch break in the Lord's Long Room, and three MCC members were suspended for their involvement in the incident that involved several Australian players. After lunch, Stokes resumed his explosive batting and reached 150 in the 69th over before being dismissed for 155 by Hazlewood. His innings consisted of 9 boundaries and 9 sixes. It was indeed of the greatest knocks played in the history of Ashes Cricket. When he was dismissed every Aussie player rushed to congratulate him for the knock he played. The crowd were up and cheering their Captain, even though Stokes was walking dejected to the dressing room because he failed to take his side home.
After Stokes wicket, Aussies blew the English tailenders in no time. The English were eventually bowled out for 327 runs in their second innings. The Aussies won the game by 43 runs and were now 2-0 up in the 5-match series.
To watch the highlights of this test, click on the URLs below-
To watch the knock of Ben Stokes, Click Here.
No comments:
Post a Comment