Since England do not do draws, the equation as the Ashes head to Lord’s is a little simpler than it otherwise might be: lest they intend to defy the best part of a century’s worth of history, Ben Stokes’s side are in must-win mode.
Only once has a team come from 2-0 down to claim the Urn, that being Australia back in 1936-37, who were hammered by 322 runs and an innings and 22 runs in the first two Tests but won the last three to complete a still unprecedented comeback. Crucially, they could call on a certain Donald Bradman, who made hundreds in all three of those wins, two of them doubles.
