After reaping the rewards of a bouncer barrage that was almost medieval in its delivery, England were tasked with producing an Ashes miracle in this second Test. They bowled Australia out by tea on the fourth day through an exclusive diet of bouncers and had their equation: a target of 371 runs in four sessions to level this series at 1-1.
This represents what would be a record at Lord’s and the second highest successful run chase in England history after knocking off 378 against India last summer. But add memories of Headingley 2019 to the mix, and the fact that Nathan Lyon had been crocked since day two, and a team that has been high on its own supply this past year or so would have been speaking only of victory at the change of innings.
They will be thinking the same before day five, even if, resuming on 114 for four from 31 overs, the task has since become as sheer as El Capitan. Ben Stokes, hero of Headingley, starts unbeaten on 29 with Ben Duckett on 50 not out.
But the rest of the top order has already been vaporised by Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins after a stirring new-ball display that left the tourists clear favourites and highlighted the upgrade in weaponry on show: bows and arrows replaced by missiles.
Fresh from adding 15 runs in a slapstick 10th-wicket partnership with Lyon – the No 11 hobbling out to the middle with that calf injury – Starc’s first over of the defence was wayward. This wonky radar may have even led to the first breakthrough, Zak Crawley strangled down leg off the first ball of the left-armer’s second over before walking off with the look of a man who had just been pick-pocketed.
But the following incision was unequivocal, Starc sending Ollie Pope’s middle stump cartwheeling with a howitzer that started on fourth stump and swung in viciously. The unplayable delivery to remove James Vince in Perth in 2017 needed assistance from a crack; this one was just outrageous skill.
Cummins then compounded England’s horror start, sending Joe Root and Harry Brook packing in the space of four balls with a couple of collector’s items. Root gloved a snorter to slip, while Brook ended a tough Test match when his off-stump was rattled by a beauty that nipped up the slope. At 45 for four, England’s scorecard was in flames and the crowd stunned into silence.
Over the course of the next hour resistance formed, however, including one twist late in the day. Duckett, fresh from bringing up an impish second half-century of the match, top-edged a bouncer from Cameron Green to fine-leg and Starc appeared to cling on. But Duckett was recalled just short of the pavilion, the TV umpire, Marais Erasmus, deeming Starc to have dragged the ball on the ground, palm down, and thus signalling not out. Starc fumed, debate raged and England, somehow, were still alive.
A tail that begins at No 8 means that Stokes, Duckett and the next man, Jonny Bairstow, must do the bulk of the work if the unthinkable is to follow.
With the ball losing its early swing, they may well face another examination from Australia’s quicks at shoulder height. In fact, given their own use of the tactic on a day that brought the prime minister and the Prince of Wales to Lord’s, and with Lyon unable to bowl, it is a certainty.
During the first 51 overs of Australia’s 279 all out, the bulk of which came on day three, England looked for sideways movement and shipped 153 for two. But once this plan was abandoned an hour into the morning – Steve Smith highlighting the ease by slotting three fours off Jimmy Anderson’s second over – the next 51 overs were a constant supply of short balls (98%, said CricViz) that returned eight wickets for 126 runs.
This made for a slightly paradoxical spectacle, soporifically one-dimensional and yet somehow compelling given the stakes; a team that claims to put entertainment top of its priorities finally relenting to the pragmatism that their batting could have done with first time around. Either way, Stokes will argue the ends justified the means.
England just kept coming, starting with nine overs of bouncers off the reel from Josh Tongue in the morning, and then nine straight from Ollie Robinson after lunch. Most remarkable was Stokes putting in a 12-over shift in tandem with Robinson despite the fact that his left knee was clearly barking. Anderson was a bystander in the circumstances, while Stuart Broad, spared the longer spells, bumped his way to figures of four for 65.
The wickets came in clumps, starting with three in 34 balls before lunch. Two fell to Broad, Usman Khawaja holing out on 77 and Travis Head, dropped by Anderson first ball, held spectacularly at short-leg by Joe Root (his 176th outfield catch for England, breaking Alastair Cook’s record). In between came the removal of the keystone, Smith, for 34 when he pulled the ever-willing Tongue to deep backward-square.
From here the template was set, Robinson and Stokes pounding away waiting for their opponents to blink. Blink they eventually did, with Green pulling Robinson to deep square on 18, Alex Carey, 21, handing Root an easier second under the helmet when he was caught in two minds.
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Stokes overstepped to hand Cummins a reprieve but the offerings from the Australian tail were still meagre. That was until Lyon’s courageous arrival – cheered to the rafters – allowed Starc to belt a four and a six, before the No 11 pulled four of his own.
The relevance of this late salvo may increase on day five, so, too, Duckett’s contentious reprieve before stumps. If so, we will have another epic on our hands.
