That’s it for today. Thanks for your company and emails, and apologies I didn’t have time to read them all. Please join Geoff and Daniel Harris for coverage of the second day. Big first session!
Sir Andrew Strauss’s verdict
"They had a great opportunity this morning, and they fluffed their lines"
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 28, 2023
Sir Andrew Strauss reacts to day one of the second Ashes Test pic.twitter.com/vhFZtNssPs
Marnus speaks
It’s an amazing day for us. We could have been only three down but you’ll take that score when you’re sent in on a wicket that we thought had a fair bit in it.
The openers did such a good job. If you can get through 15/20 overs, just get through… especially the likes of Stuart Broad, when he gets his tail up he goes to another level. The opening partnership shut that out and took it out of play.
[On the fast scoring rate] It’s just the way it turned out. Steve came out with a lot of intent – beautiful, got in some great positions. Travis has been doing this for a year and a half now, taking the game on.
I’ve done a lot of work since Edgbaston. I didn’t like the position I was getting in, with my left foot getting too far across, because I felt like that drew me into playing that fifth/sixth-stump line. Getting my back foot onto off stump, and being more open, really helped me to leave the ball outside off.
The wickets we’ve played on this summer haven’t had a lot of bounce. When that happens it sucks you in a little bit because you can’t trust your leave the way you can in Australia.
Marnus Labuschagne reflects on an 'amazing day' for Australia 🔊 pic.twitter.com/4R3ReXPafO
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 28, 2023
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Oh, and this happened
Stumps: Australia on top
Steve Smith, 15 runs away from yet another century, walks off with Alex Carey after helping Australia take control at Lord’s. England won what looked like a brilliant toss, but their seamers (and fielders) were well off the pace and Australia – who were positive throughout, even when the ball was talking – punished them.
David Warner set the tone with a busy 66. Marnus Labuschagne added 47 and then Travis Head ran riot during a 73-ball 77. It would have been worse for England had Joe Root not taken two wickets in four balls shortly before the close. That has given England a chance with the second new ball in the morning. But after only six days of the series, they are right on the edge.
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83rd over: Australia 339-5 (Smith 85, Carey 10) Broad tries to whip up the crowd, which won’t be easy given that some of them entered deep sleep about two hours ago. He has four slips for Carey, who defends a dangerous outswinger with authority. The rest of the over is harmless enough, and so ends a brilliant first day for Australia at Lord’s.
82nd over: Australia 339-5 (Smith 85, Carey 10) Robinson has a bit of rhythm so he continues with the new ball. Smith, trying to drive, thick edges wide of the slips for four. It was all along the ground but a false stroke nonetheless.
An LBW shout against Smth is caught in the throat because of a late inside edge, though it was probably too high anyway.
Time for one more over, to be bowled by a stiff Stuart Broad.
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81st over: Australia 333-5 (Smith 80, Carey 9) Joe Root is going to continue even though the new ball is available. Anderson and Broad look tired and grumpy; it makes sense to save them for a big push in the morning.
Carey defends carefully aganst Root, as he has since coming to the crease. And now, with about six minutes remaining, England are going to take the new ball.
“As much as I hate the ‘show me the way to home’ song, I can’t help but feel the genteel Lord’s atmosphere hasn’t helped England,” says Henry Rawlings. “Last week Broad was pumping them up, now everyone, players and crowd all feel ready for the way home...”
That’s a good point. It has been flat all day, although I suppose it’s up to England to change the atmosphere.
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80th over: Australia 332-5 (Smith 78, Carey 10) Robinson still has three slips for Carey, even with a ball that is 80 overs old. It has moved around all day – not lavishly, but enough for 330-5 to be a very good score – and Carey inside-edges just past leg stump. I do think Australia have had the rub of the green today, although England probably had it at Edgbaston. Australia have also played by far the better cricket.
“In every Ashes home win this century – bar 2013 – there has been one Test when the wheels spectacularly came off. We lost by 239 in 2005, an innings in 2009 and 405 runs in 2015,” says Max Williams. “However those series were poised at 0-0, 1-0 and 1-0 respectively (plus a bonus innings defeat when 3-1 up in 2015).
”History, Australia’s quality and the nature of Bazball suggested that England were likely to get a shellacking at some point over this series. You really, really don’t want it arriving at 0-1 down. Another reason why that declaration is ageing like milk. Still, even if the shellacking happens this match at least we’ve got it out of the way.
”Two reasons for optimism: firstly, until England have batted then it’s too early to declare this match lost. Secondly, if there’s any team who won’t be cowed by a 0-2 deficit, who might even relish the opportunity to make more history, then it’s England under Stokes. But I’d really rather not find out.”
79th over: Australia 329-5 (Smith 78, Carey 9) Smith continues to potter towards a century, working Root off his pads for a single. Root is mixing his pace up nicely but, as you’d expect on day one, there’s nothing much in this pitch for him.
78th over: Australia 327-5 (Smith 77, Carey 8) Carey, who was quietly superb at Edgbaston, drives Robinson confidently through mid-off for three more. I don’t know what to make of Robinson today. His figures are extremely expensive by his standards (19-3-77-1), his pace has been below 80mph and we’ve barely heard the mouth from the south. But he also got Labuschagne with a beauty and has beaten the bat on multiple occasions.
“On the list of fastest Ashes hundreds, you missed Joe Darling’s 85-ball ton in 91 minutes at Sydney in 1898, which dominated Oz’s chase of 275 for only four down,” says Marcus Abdullahi. “Well batted, Darling!”
Ah yes, so I did. I had a few too many that day so it’s always been a bit hazy.
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77th over: Australia 323-5 (Smith 76, Carey 5) A quiet over from Root this time, three singles from it.
“Bazball is a great strategy - successful and great to watch,” says Jeremy Smith. “It doesn’t need ditching, it needs refining in response to match conditions. Maybe the problem is that England see subtle corrections as weakness and Stokes and McCullum would rather double-down than admit that a slight change to the same basic strategy might work better.”
Last summer there were some crucial periods of sensible batting, most notably by Ben Stokes and Ben Foakes when they squared the series against Old Trafford. Maybe the absence of Foakes – “the designated driver”, as my colleague Tim de Lisle calls him – has had a subtle impact in that regard.
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76th over: Australia 320-5 (Smith 75, Carey 3) Robinson goes round the wicket to Carey, who drives pleasantly for three to get off the mark. Another wicket here – there are around 20 minutes remaining – would make things interesting tomorrow morning, though I still think Australia are well on top. A par score feels like 250-300.
“The issue here is not Bazball per se, it’s the poor execution of pretty basic cricket,” says Simon Bancroft-Rimmer. “Bowl a length, catch the catches, cut out the byes and no balls. I love the aggressive approach and have no issue with it, but England have been sloppy.”
Yes they’ve been largely dreadful today, which can happen to any team. The bit I can’t fathom is the lack of intensity, particularly in the first session.
I knew this would come in handy at some stage.
75th over: Australia 316-5 (Smith 74, Carey 0) England put Australia into bat in perfect seam-bowling conditions, so if you’d could just explain these numbers to me please.
Seamers 3 wickets for 279
Spinner 2 wickets for 13
Joe Root strikes twice in an over and Australia are 5️⃣ down! #EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/wmn9hC5K6c
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 28, 2023
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WICKET! Australia 316-5 (Green c Anderson b Root 0)
Test cricket, eh. England, who were all over the place five minutes ago, now have a hint of an opportunity. Cameron Green has gone third ball, smearing a short ball from Root straight to mid-off. It was an ugly shot, which he’d love to rewind and try again.
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England celebrated that wicket very angrily, which I suppose is understandable after such a chastening day. Bairstow started growling and looked like he wanted to chin someone, and Root shouted “I told you! I told you!” at someone, possibly Ben Stokes.
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WICKET! Australia 316-4 (Head st Bairstow b Root 77)
Travis Head’s brutal innings is over. Root saw/sensed him coming and floated the ball higher and wider. Head ran past it, almost knocking himself off his feet as he swung to leg, and Bairstow completed an awkward stumping before growling in triumph.
Clever bowling from Root, and Head goes for a thrilling 73-ball 77.
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74th over: Australia 315-3 (Smith 73, Head 77) Stokes is forced to go back to Ollie Robinson. Never mind the fastest Ashes hundreds (Gilchrist 57 balls, Jessop 76, Botham 86 on two occasions), apparently the fastest century by an Australian in England is Victor Trumper’s 95-ball classic at Old Trafford in 1902.
Despite a quiet over from Robinson, Head (77 from 72 balls) is on course for that.
73rd over: Australia 312-3 (Smith 72, Head 75) Root is launched for another boundary down the ground, Head’s 14th in this innings.
It’s time to look up the fastest Ashes hundreds because Head is going ballistic. He won’t break the record – Adam Gilchrist scored one off 57 balls (I think) at Perth in 2006-07 – but he’ll be high on the list if he gets to three figures.
72nd over: Australia 308-3 (Smith 72, Head 71) Head slugs a short ball from Tongue through mid-on for his 12th four, and then a pulled single brings up the hundred partnership in only 104 balls. England are back in their worst nightmare, the void 2021-22 series, wondering how the hell to bowl to Travis Head.
Hang on, is Smith out here? He walks across to Tongue and finally misses a work to leg. Chris Gaffaney says not out… and Stokes decides not to review. That looked extremely close to me. Replays confirm the ball would have hit the top of leg stump – but it was umpire’s call so Smith would have survived even if England had reviewed.
My word, this is a riduclously eventful over. Stokes hurts his thumb stopping a Smith cover drive – he may even have dislocated it – and then Head whirls another pull for four.
Smith was 43 not out when Head came to the crease; they’re now neck and neck.
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71st over: Australia 293-3 (Smith 70, Head 61) Root, on for Broad, is slog-swept emphatically for four by Smith, who is having a much more comfortable time than he did on this ground four years ago. What England would give for the 2019 version of Jofra Archer now.
Ben Stokes’ assertion that he will never play for a draw is going to get a helluva a test here, because we are almost – almost – at the stage where England can’t win this game.
70th over: Australia 288-3 (Smith 66, Head 61) England are in danger of throwing the Bazball out with the bathwater. They’re approaching a full-on sulk, and Australia are taking full advantage. Smith crashes another cover drive for four. Australia were 39-0 after 17 overs, I think, which means they’ve belted 249 from the last 53 overs. Ouch.
“It’s surely debatable whether it was one of the worst declarations in history, as in your list of reasons for England’s current situation,” says John Burton. ““If I argue that they came closer to winning by declaring when they did, what am I missing? Had they batted on successfully, what evidence is there that a result would have been more likely? Obviously, they also made the loss more possible, but the current approach seems to be all about winning the game, and I’m loath to criticise that until the win is realistically impossible. It is/was open to criticism, but I don’t see how it can be so categorically wrong (especially to those celebrating the current approach ahead of the series).”
I agree it’s completely debatable, and I might well be wrong (it’s hardly without precedent). But that’s what I thought at the time and I haven’t really changed my mind, even though I admire Stokes’s commitment to entertainment. I thought the declaration, unlike his others as captain, was performative and forced, and failed to take into account a) that Joe Root was at the buffet and b) the ball was doing nothing. I realise this is just speculation because Ben Stokes won’t let me in his subconscious.
More importantly, I would argue that, while it increased the chances of a positive result, it reduced the chances of an England win. We’ll never know, and I realise there are a gazillion other factors – had England taken their catches, they would have won anyway.
I just don’t really understand flushing maybe 50 runs in the first Test of an Ashes series.
69th over: Australia 284-3 (Smith 62, Head 61) A fullish delivery from Broad is laced through extra cover for four more by Head. Pick that out! He’s all over a weary England attack, just as he was against India on day one of the World Test Championship final.
Another screaming straight drive hits Broad’s outstretched boot and still races away to the fence at long off. He has 61 from 56 balls.
“In dire situations like this I’m always reminded of the 1953 England vs Hungary football match,” says Brian Withington, speaking for us all, “where the bewildered home side found themselves 4-2 down at half time against the magnificent Magical Magyars. Undaunted, the Pathé Newsreel commentator assured the viewer at the restart that with ‘three quick goals’ England would be right back on top of things. Impressive confidence given that the commentary was presumably recorded after England had already lost 6-3. (It was before my time, I hasten to add.)
“Anyway, here goes my 70th anniversary version: ‘Three quick wins and England will be right on top of this series…’
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Fifty for Travis Head!
68th over: Australia 274-3 (Smith 62, Head 51) Smith plays his best shot of the session, clattering a full ball from Tongue whence it came for four. It was so straight that it went between Tongue’s legs.
Head pulls Tongue sweetly for four to reach a blistering half-century from only 48 balls. England are in all sorts here.
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67th over: Australia 264-3 (Smith 57, Head 46) Head is beaten, flashing vigorously at a wide delivery from Broad. The Mo of Doom keeps swinging, though, and he drags the last ball of the over through midwicket for two more.
“I actually think the criticism has been over the top as well,” says Dechlan Brennan. “I just think if perhaps a batsman is prepared to take their time (I’m thinking a couple of the stumpings in the first Test) it’s going to be impossible to beat this England team. I think they will lose Tests mostly by themselves rather than be beaten.
“Enya cabin time would be a vibe though.”
Yep, I agree with great: she’s just a great singer, end of Lyon is so wily that I would think carefully about giving him the charge, especially when playing as well as Bairstow (in the first innings) and Root (in the second). They got a bit carried away.
It’s hard to be too critical, though, because Bairstow getting carried away against New Zealand at Trent Bridge is what started all this fun.
66th over: Australia 261-3 (Smith 56, Head 44) Head is unsettled by the short ball for the first time in this innings. He’s beaten twice by Tongue, both times trying to cut or uppercut, and fences another short ball round the corner for four. There’s no leg gully in place today.
Drinks. I’ll have the Kool-Aid.
65th over: Australia 256-3 (Smith 55, Head 40) “Head’s batting since Brisbane 2021 is firmly in Bazball territory,” says Dechlan Brennan. “Perhaps one or two batsmen who are happy to anchor for England would bring their batting to the next level and remove some of their recklessness.”
I really do think that all this Bazball criticism is misplaced. They’ve won 11 out of 14 Tests playing this way, repeatedly chasing huge targets. Of course there are things they might have done differently at Edgbaston, especially against Nathan Lyon. But England’s biggest problems in this series have been a) half the team are either rusty or injured, which is partly their own fault b) Ben Stokes made one of the worst declarations in Test history, c) they’ve bowled poorly today and d) Australia are the best team in the world.
Even if England lose this series 5-0 and Baz and Ben bugger off to a cabin in the woods halfway through the Oval Test, listening to nothing but Enya until winter solstice, we shouldn’t lose sight of how exhilarating, life-affirming and fun this last year has been. They’d won one Test in 19!
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64th over: Australia 252-3 (Smith 54, Head 37) Head hooks Tongue confidently for a single, then Smith is beaten by a wide delivery that keeps a bit low. He blinks demonstratively and then goes back to work.
England won the toss by the way.
63rd over: Australia 248-3 (Smith 52, Head 35) It’s a double bowling change for England, with Broad on for Anderson at the Nursery End. He starts with a leg-side delivery to Head that flies away for four leg-byes; then Head edges a big drive through the vacant gully region for four more.
Ben Stokes looks like he’s losing the will. The ball is still doing plenty, which makes this scoreline hard to fathom. Broad makes that point with a nasty, lifting awayswinger that beats Head all ends up. And then Head reminds me of what the scoreboard says with a tremendous flick through midwicket for four. That brings up a rapid fifty partnership in 54 balls.
“Regarding Head,” says Ian Copestake. “Can we have our Bazball back, please.”
Our Travis predates Bazball. Well, he predates the England version.
62nd over: Australia 236-3 (Smith 52, Head 27) Josh Tongue returns to the attack, which will probably mean some chin music for Travis Head.
Head makes his intentions known with a thrilling cut for four. There wasn’t much wrong with the delivery, which cramped Head for room from round the wicket, but he slammed it past cover point anyway. He has raced to 27 from 26 balls.
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Fifty for Steve Smith!
61st over: Australia 230-3 (Smith 52, Head 22) Smith thick edges a couple after being turned round by a good delivery from Robinson. He’s having a bit of a mid-innings blip, though it isn’t the worst time: with Head going at almost a run a ball, Smith can just hang around.
Smith is still fluent enough to drive Robinson for three to reach a dominant half-century from 102 balls. It’s been an innings of two halves: 25 from 16 balls to take control, then 26 from 86 to start the process of grinding England down.
50 for Steve Smith 💪 pic.twitter.com/eQCoku1Zi8
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 28, 2023
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60th over: Australia 222-3 (Smith 46, Head 20) Anderson tries the age-old trick to Smith: outside off, outside off, outside off, outside off, middle stump. Smith works it off the pads, as he always does, this time for a single.
Another economical over from Anderson, who has figures of 15-4-29-0. He’s bowled… okay, but Australia have played him very well.
59th over: Australia 221-3 (Smith 45, Head 20) Head has a stroke of luck, inside-edging Robinson just past leg stump for two. There’s no chance it will change his approach, though, and he hits Robinson for two boundaries in three balls later in the over. A back-foot force past point was followed by a crisp clip through midwicket.
England have bowled too much rubbish. After an understandably slow start to the day, Australia have scored 178 from the last 42 overs.
58th over: Australia 211-3 (Smith 45, Head 10) The old ball is still swinging for Anderson. Head chases a very wide delivery and slices it just short of Rehan Ahmed at backward point; at the other end, Smith looks intimidatingly secure. He has taken his Smith 2.0 average at Lord’s to 137.
“This is as agonising as we all know and love Rob,” says Guy Hornsby. “I’m trying to figure out what’s more of a disappointment, Pope’s drop or his potential shoulder injury. I know this is a brave new world, but Broad at 7 feels pretty dicey. Six and out is an even steeper task. However crucial Marnus’ wicket was, what do you think Australia will be happy with? 450? 500? Presume they’ll want to bat as long as possible and exert scoreboard (and series) pressure as they do so well. It’s a very long way to go, but this is hardly Ponting 2005 at Edgbaston (yet).”
I suspect they’d be happy enough with 350. Anything over 400 should give them complete control of the game. I say ‘should’ because England won after conceding some big first-innings scores last summer.
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57th over: Australia 209-3 (Smith 44, Head 9) Robinson releases the pressure with a rank bad ball that Head belabours to the cover boundary. Whatever the weather, whatever the score, Head will attack. In this phase of career, since his recall at the start of the last Ashes, he has a strike rate of 81.
Robinson somehow beats Head’s inside edge and his off stump with a beauty from round the wicket, though it was a no-ball so any wicket wouldn’t have counted. But Robinson ends the over as he started, with a short, wide delivery that is slammed to the cover boundary.
56th over: Australia 198-3 (Smith 43, Head 0) All day this has looked like the kind of pitch on which you can lose wickets in clusters, and that thought should sustain England. If they can get Smith soon – and I appreciate that is a Brobdingnagian ‘if’ – they will have a foothold in the game.
A maiden from Anderson to Smith, who is in for bed and breakfast. Smith started like Steve Waugh, racing to 24 from 15 balls, before settling down. Since then he has made 19 from 74 balls.
“I took that wicket!” says Jane Tubby. “I went to get a biscuit. But it’s almost midnight here in Broome, not sure how many more biscuits I can manage!”
You line up seven more and we’ll worry about the consequences in the morning.
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55th over: Australia 198-3 (Smith 43, Head 0) Robinson greets Head with a decent bumper, although that won’t be England’s line of attack (or rather length) to Head on this pitch. The last ball of an excellent over, which swings back and doesn’t miss off stump by that much, is more like it. It was a safe leave from Head though.
“Has Anderson got old overnight?” says Max Williams. “Edgbaston was one thing – although I thought his grouching over the pitch a tad melodramatic. (Broad coped OK.) But by all accounts, conditions this morning were tailor-made and again he’s wicketless. He turns 41 in July. Was this one series too far?”
I think it’s too early to say, especially as he needs the rhythm of bowling regularly to be at his best. But he has defied our old friend Father Time for so long – most seamers finish in their mid-30s – that when it does go, it will go quickly.
WICKET! Australia 198-3 (Labuschagne c Bairstow b Robinson 47)
Nothing nude about this nut: Ollie Robinson has dismissed Labuschagne with a beauty. It was angled in from over the wicket and snapped off the seam to take a very thin edge. Jonny Bairstow did the rest.
Labuschagne falls three short of fifty, but that was an important innings for him and the team. He looked like Marnus again.
GOT HIM! 💥
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 28, 2023
Ollie Robinson with the breakthrough, Labuschagne walks! pic.twitter.com/cN1aj6dl3b
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54th over: Australia 198-2 (Labuschagne 47, Smith 43) Still a bit too wide from Anderson, although he does induce a thick edge from Labuschagne with a nice outswinger.
England need a wicket to change the mood. It’s so quiet at Lord’s, you could hear an urn drop.
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And on the sixth day of the series, the England fans started to gently weep.
“This is depressingly like watching the England of… well, pretty much any series between 1986-87 and 2005, really,” says Richard O’Hagan. “Australia assured, England clueless and impotent, Ashes on their way back down under.”
53rd over: Australia 196-2 (Labuschagne 46, Smith 43) Smith offers no shot to a big nipbacker from Robinson, who implores Ahsan Raza to give it out LBW. He thinks about it for a while before eventually saying ‘not out’. Stokes isn’t interested a review, thinking it was too high. He’s right, though it was pretty close.
Labuschagne pulls a single to bring up an unsympathetic hundred partnership from 144 balls. They’ve played quite superbly – Smith throughout, Labuschagne after a nervous start.
52nd over: Australia 194-2 (Labuschagne 45, Smith 42) Jimmy Anderson comes on at the Nursery End, which rarely happens. It shows: his first ball is miles wide off stump and ignored by Labuschagne. He tightens his line as the over progresses, but Labuschagne is still able to leave most deliveries. A maiden.
“A quick question,” says William de Quetteville. “Is there an argument for requiring batters to stay in their crease? I’m intrigued by quite how far outside it the likes of Labuschagne are standing. I’ve no dog in the fight as both sides are doing it & nor am I an expert so interested in your view.”
If you can wait half an hour, I’ll ask an expert. Do you mean before the ball is bowled, or at any time? Either way I don’t personally think there’s an argument for it. It’s one of the more interesting facets of the game, which brings a bit of cat and mouse to Test cricket.
51st over: Australia 194-2 (Labuschagne 45, Smith 42) Steve Smith makes an ominous statement straight after tea. He walks down the pitch to pull Robinson’s first ball to square leg, where a misfield from the sprawling Rehan Ahmed allows the ball to go for four.
Robinson beats him next up with a good one that nips between bat and pad, and the rest of the over passes without incident.
“I did not need watching England in the Ashes to remind me of the Liverpool of most of last season,” says Ian Copestake. “One tries to forget. The reverse Proust, I call it.”
I wondered why you started weeping when I ordered the madeleine cake last night.
Teatime entertainment
This gallery is all kinds of fun.
Tea
That’s an outstanding session for Australia, who scored 117 runs in 26.5 overs for the loss of David Warner. He made a tone-setting 66, a superb innings in difficult circumstances, and now the batting addicts are cashing in. Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith will resume on 45 and 38 respectively, with a chance to bat England out of the match and maybe even the series. Already.
England have bowled and fielded with a peculiar lack of intensity. We should acknowledge that they have been unlucky at times – the ball went past the edge dozens of times, and winning the toss is starting to look like a mixed blessing. But they have been well short of the best.
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50th over: Australia 190-2 (Labuschagne 45, Smith 38) Smith walks across to work Tongue for a single. He’s in trouble if he misses a ball like that, so it’s a good job he never does. That’s tea.
49th over: Australia 188-2 (Labuschagne 44, Smith 37) Root’s first ball to Labuschagne is a 75mph bouncer, and why not. Labuschagne ignores it and Bairstow takes the ball above his head.
A loose delivery from Root beats Bairstow and goes for four byes. I thought that was going to be tea but apparently not. You’re welcome!
48th over: Australia 182-2 (Labuschagne 43, Smith 37) Tongue will bowl the penultimate over before tea. Labuschagne leaves a couple of deliveries that Bairstow takes at shoulder height; then he’s beaten trying to drive a fuller delivery that moves away. Another maiden from Tongue, who has been England’s best bowler by a surprising distance.
At the toss it felt counter-intuitive to pick Mitchell Starc ahead of Scott Boland; maybe Pat Cummins knows how to read pitches better than us armchair fans.
47th over: Australia 182-2 (Labuschagne 43, Smith 37) Joe Root replaces Stuart Broad and starts around the wicket to Smith with a slip and leg slip. It’s a decent start, albeit with no sign of turn; a maiden.
“Is there a way for Broad to refine his appeals in a more convincing manner?” says John Starbuck. “There must be an old bowler or two in the game who could mentor him.”
I know Broad is still learning new deliveries, even at the age 37, but I suspect the proverb about old dogs would apply to this particular aspect of his game.
46th over: Australia 182-2 (Labuschagne 43, Smith 37) It’s worth stressing that Stokes’s England won a number of Tests last summer from much worse positions than this. But this is the Ashes, the ultimate test of nerve, and a mood of grumpy fatalism is starting to develop at Lord’s.
Tongue’s pace hurries Labuschagne, who gets a thick inside-edge onto the pad. That’s a decent over, his first maiden of the day.
“Do you reckon,” says Max Williams, “Australia will declare at 390 for the vibes?”
45th over: Australia 182-2 (Labuschagne 43, Smith 37) Labuschagne and Smith, without really doing anythinkg funky, have scored at almost a run a ball in this partnership: 86 in 15.1 overs.
“Lord’s styles itself ‘The Home Of Cricket’,” says Gary Naylor, “but it’s pretty much ‘The Home Of England’ – this is the second Test for the team here this month and there’s at least one every year. Which makes it puzzling how England so often look like the away team, selecting the wrong XI, struggling to find the right line and length, too short this morning, too full this afternoon. I can’t really explain it.”
Yes. Their record at Lord’s has been much better in the 21st century, but they’ve still had some hideous performances in that time. From memory, the defeat to India in 2014 – when they bowled first in similiar conditions to today – was particularly egregious.
44th over: Australia 178-2 (Labuschagne 40, Smith 36) Josh Tongue replaces Ben Stokes, whose never-ending bowling spells may well be a thing of the past. He managed only three overs today and went for 21, though there were some good deliveries amid the filth.
Tongue has caught no-ballitis, and half-volleyitis too. Labuschagne punches the latter past mid-off for three. Australia’s boot is moving inexorably towards England’s windpipe.
“On the matter of reviews,” says Billy Mills, “is it just bad luck, or are the umpires not doing very well? Two fairly clear-cut overturns already.”
I thought the first mistake was understandable because of the noise, even though it looked bad on replays. The second didn’t seem right to the naked eye, but the decision to not give Labuschagne out a moment ago was a very good one because it was a persuasive appeal.
43rd over: Australia 173-2 (Labuschagne 37, Smith 36) Broad continues to get some menacing inswing to the right-handers. If the ball swings like this throughout – and the forecast suggests it might - Australia are already in a wonderful position.
Labuschagne is not out! Yes, there was a slight inside edge, though Broad still thinks it might have been pad first. England lose a review.
Labuschagne played around a very full inswinger and was hit on the pad. There may have been an inside-edge first.
England review for LBW against Labuschagne!
This one looks close, though I reckon it will be umpire’s call and therefore not out.
42nd over: Australia 173-2 (Labuschagne 37, Smith 36) Smith takes Stokes off middle stump and rifles him through midwicket for four. That takes him past 9,000 Test runs and the mighty average of 59.61.
England are bowling a very attacking length, striving for wickets. But at the moment there’s no reward, just risk. Smith drives another boundary – the eighth in seven overs since drinks – to the left of Broad at mid-off. This pair have batted masterfully.
“A grim forecast that’s turned out not to have the expected silver lining for England, now made a lot worse by Pope’s possible series ender,” writes Dan in Dubai. “Presumably we’ll find out about his replacement when a small plume of white smoke is blown from one of the chimneys on the pavilion?”
Updated
41st over: Australia 164-2 (Labuschagne 37, Smith 28) Labuschagne adds a bit of grit to Broad’s wound by off-driving the next ball for four. He started very nervously but is looking more like his old self – and, crucially, he is becoming reacquainted with his off stump.
“This is the nightmare, isn’t it?” says Felix Wood. “Massive first-innings score from Aus and then Starc showing that on a slow pitch its pace through the air that matters, then Lyon picking up a cheap 6fer in the second innings. Aus showing that as exciting as Bazball is, there’s a reason why for 140 years the fundamentals of getting yourself in, scoring big when runs are available and not dropping catches have been the foundation for success.”
I’d argue that if England lose the series it won’t be because of Bazball (that silly declaration aside) but because of mistakes, dubious preparation and injuries. Bazball is the best thing to happen to English cricket in yonks. (If you haven’t read it, I’d strongly recommend this piece by Andrew Miller.) But I suppose we’re getting ahead of ourselves. They were in far worse scrapes this time last year and still ended up with a champagne bottles in their mouths.
LABUSCHAGNE IS NOT OUT!
It came back enough but was bouncing over the stumps. Labuschagne and Smith have both been given out to Broad and then overturned the decision on the review.
It hit the flap of the pad, so it might be going over the stumps. This is a really big moment.
Updated
AUSTRALIA REVIEW! Labuschagne LBW Broad This might be overturned. He offered no stroke to a huge inswinger and was given out on the field.
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40th over: Australia 160-2 (Labuschagne 33, Smith 28) Stokes beats Smith with a couple of beautiful outswingers, and Smith nods respectfully down the pitch. For all their sloppiness England have been a bit unfortunate today; yhey must have beaten the edge maybe 15-20 times.
“Yes I’m an Australian, and yes part of my job is to help sew doubt in English hearts, but isn’t there a bit of an elephant in the room with Bazball?” says Pete Salmon. “Big fan of it, big fan of positive stuff – but is Stokes a Test cricketer any more? Doesn’t seem to score many runs, can’t bowl properly. He’s edging towards being a liability in everything except captaincy.
“I’d love him to prove me wrong, but have growing feeling that in a year he may not be with us, and Bazball will feel like some crazy fever dream... Thoughts?”
I know what you mean, and I do think he will retire a lot earlier than most people think. But he’s worth his place as captain alone, and logically there’s no reason why he shouldn’t still make runs. I thought he looked better in the second innings at Edgbaston than he has for a long time.
39th over: Australia 160-2 (Labuschagne 33, Smith 28) Australia, put in on what looked a green mamba, are scoring at more than four an over. That reflects an admirably positive approach from Australia. David Warner set the tone from the start – leaving decisively, looking for singles at every opportunity, playing a couple of slog-sweeps off the seamers and putting away the bad ball ruthlessly. Now, with conditions improving, Labuschagne and Smith are racing along.
Robinson’s average speed today is below 80mph, and Anderson and Broad are only at 82mph. This is a head-scratchingly poor performance from England.
38th over: Australia 154-2 (Labuschagne 31, Smith 25) Ben Stokes comes on for Broad, who conceded five boundaries in his last two over. His first over is a complete mess: two no-balls in the first deliveries, then two four-balls that Labuschagne puts away through cover and midwicket.
It’s a continuation of a lamentably sloppy performance from England today. After one and a bit Tests, they are in serious trouble.
“If Pope is unable to continue,” says John Jones, “then I was under the impression that his replacement would have to be a specialist batter?”
I was talking about the rest of the series. There will be no replacement in this game – subs are only allowed for concussion.
37th over: Australia 142-2 (Labuschagne 21, Smith 25) This spell from Robinson is really important, because of the match situation and also the trash talk between Tests. If he breaks this partnership – particularly if he gets Smith – it will change the mood at a stroke. But if Australia get on top of him, England will be in all sorts of bother.
Robinson is bowling skilfully, with movement off the seam and a very attacking length, but his pace has been around 80mph all day. Smith defends solidly and it’s another maiden.
Smith’s whole career is reflected in his record at Lord’s. Smith 1.0, before his first Test century, averaged 4 in Tests on this ground. Smith 2.0 averages 130.
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36th over: Australia 142-2 (Labuschagne 21, Smith 25) Labuschagne counter-punches after drinks, hitting Broad for three boundaries in four balls. The first was a classy off-drive, the second and third were businesslike clips through midwicket.
He offers no stroke to the last ball of the over and is hit on the pad. Broad is convinced it’s LBW; the umpire Chris Gaffaney and the England captain Ben Stokes are not. It looked too high and I’m not sure it came back enough either.
Replays confirm it wasn’t close.
Updated
England have confirmed that Ollie Pope’s shoulder is being assessed. He’s dislocated it in the past, twice I think, and my gut instinct is that his Ashes series is over. If so, a) Stuart Broad could be batting No7 in a Test match and b) England will need a replacement, either Dan Lawrence or Ben Foakes you’d imagine. I suspect it would be Lawrence, though it might depend on the result here.
Thanks Geoff, hello everyone. While the players have a drink, here’s something for you to bite on.
TWO FOR TONGUE!
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 28, 2023
What a delivery to dismiss Warner ⚡ pic.twitter.com/7L8A43KQgc
35th over: Australia 130-2 (Labuschagne 9, Smith 24) Now to keep us all guessing, Smith defends a few from Robinson and gets beaten on the outside edge. No run from the over! Rehan Ahmed still on the field for Pope. Drinks.
That’s it from me for the day. Rob Smyth will take you through Lord’s II: The Quickening.
Smith overturns on review
34th over: Australia 130-2 (Labuschagne 9, Smith 24) Everything is running for Steve Smith so far. Stuart Broad comes on to replace Tongue. First ball, caramelised through cover for four. Second ball, slightly squarer but the same way. Third ball, moves off the pitch and beats the edge, given out but Smith reviews straight away. Knows he’s missed it, and the replay shows enough daylight to kill a vampire.
Smith has had some carrots. He was 24 from his first 15 balls, after being super defensive in Birmingham. I’d warrant he’s never had a start this fast. Takes a single last ball to keep the strike.
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33rd over: Australia 121-2 (Labuschagne 9, Smith 16) Straight bowling, and so many runs through midwicket and similar already for Smith. Two more, then another, from Robinson who also oversteps to contribute an extra run, then fires four byes down the leg side! Should be wides really, even if Bairstow was the keeper that everyone wants him to be, he couldn’t have reached that.
32nd over: Australia 113-2 (Labuschagne 9, Smith 13) Looking a million bucks is Smith! Cracks a pull shot from Tongue for four, then flicks him for three. He’s gone past Labuschagne in a few balls.
Jordan White writes from Australia. “I’ve been reading the reports on institutional discrimination in English Cricket, probably like most people I’m not even slightly shocked but it’s still obviously disgusting and heartbreaking. I’d be interested if there’s been any work done on discrimination in Australian cricket? Khawaja’s fantastic interview with Osman Faruqi in January, plus our general history, would give me the feeling we might not be any better - maybe you can shine some light here?”
The short version is no, not any better. Plenty of stories collected about the unpleasantness at all levels, and about the people trying to do something to address it.
It’s on the radar, at least. Not something I can really pull together between overs, but Cricket Australia have done some serious work on this through their inclusion employees in recent years, including the For the Love of the Game report that Mick Dodson led into the history of First Nations exclusion. CA used that to write the Reconciliation Action Plan, which has had a couple of versions now.
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31st over: Australia 106-2 (Labuschagne 9, Smith 6) Three balls, three scoring shots for Smith, as he flicks Robinson to leg for two runs, then one more. Labuschagne nicks, but it flies safely through gully! Gets four lucky runs.
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30th over: Australia 99-2 (Labuschagne 5, Smith 2) That is weird. Very audible booing from the stand as Smith comes out. Were they booing Warner off, or Smith on? Either way, come on. Talk about living in the past.
Smith gets off the mark right away, driving Tongue for three. An on drive first ball? Yep.
Updated
WICKET! Warner b Tongue 66, Australia 96-2
Quite the over! The second ball is edged past the stumps again, Warner riding his luck. Throws a cut shot at Tongue, that’s how he got out to Broad last week. This time he chops it past his leg stump for two. Then Tongue goes right through everyone for four byes! The ball comes down the hill, from over the wicket, and sails over the stumps before swinging down leg side and past Jonny Bairstow to the fence. The fifth ball of the over, Tongue finally gets it. Around the wicket, swing in, Warner shapes to drive, and the movement takes it through the gate and collects the stumps. His dramatic entry to Test cricket continues.
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29th over: Australia 90-1 (Warner 64, Labuschagne 5) Ollie Pope has gone off the field. Hurt his shoulder diving at that Labuschagne shot in the previous over. He’s had shoulder reconstructions before, and he came up sore. Not in agony, so hopefully he just jarred it.
Anderson finds Warner’s edge again, but thick and low along the ground and it rolls away for four! Behind point. Goes past his Headingley 2019 score.
Ben Skelton writes in. “Late to this, so no idea whether this point has already been made, but how much better could England be were so many communities not so alienated from cricket in this country?”
Sure. Not the most important thing, but another example of the waste that discrimination brings. A waste of effort, talent, work, humaneness.
28th over: Australia 84-1 (Warner 59, Labuschagne 5) Moving well so far is Labuschagne, leaving and defending Tongue decisively. Single off the fifth ball. Want to know why? Just ask Bharat Sundaresan, The Net Whisperer.
What Marnus Labuschagne has worked on in between Tests and why he’s getting into better positions in relation with his off-stump #Ashes pic.twitter.com/IPhwiGohKx
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) June 28, 2023
Warner strikes the sixth ball through cover for four!
27th over: Australia 79-1 (Warner 55, Labuschagne 4) We’re back playing, or Warner is anyway, and missing as well against Anderson. Warner contritely defends the next four balls, and is beaten on the last. Swings in, nips away. Good over from Anderson. Still got four slips in place.
Jeremy Boyce is moved by Rosie Mitchell to reminisce in kind. “Two years after the George Davis incident, I drove up overnight from Norfolk to Leeds to catch the next day of the Geoffrey’s 100th 100 match, he was either just under or just past his ton overnight. Whatever, we got there about 5.30 in the morning and, to our amazement, found the gates wide open, no one to be seen, and we were able to walk in, wander around, even onto the pitch, but not as far as the wicket. Eventually we spotted a lone security guard sleeping on a seat in one of the stands. Geoffrey scored t’runs and Thommo was bowling, the only time I ever saw him in the flesh, and awesome sight. Thommo, not Boycott.”
Rain delay, for about 90 seconds
The hovercraft comes on, then goes back off again.
26th over: Australia 79-1 (Warner 55, Labuschagne 4) There’s a delay in play as Labuschagne has split his bat defending a ball from Tongue. Not a dramatic bat-snap, maybe it cracked up near the splice? Tongue is bowling well here, gets a ball to spit back off the seam and go over the stumps! No run from the over.
25th over: Australia 79-1 (Warner 55, Labuschagne 4) Anderson to bowl, a nick from Labuschagne! But it falls short of slip. Crawley does well in the end to save runs on the half volley. Speaking of, Anderson bowls one next ball and Labuschagne drives it for two, then gets one run on a front-foot block. Warner gets two through cover. Some careful run-gathering.
Updated
24th over: Australia 74-1 (Warner 53, Labuschagne 1) The 24th over finally finishes after 45 minutes or so, either side of the lunch break. Marnus Labuschagne off the mark with a thick inside edge running fine, gone the safe side of his pads.
We’re about to get underway after lunch.
Dean Wilson and Isa Guha are currently speaking very well on TMS about the ICEC report into discrimination in cricket.
Mark Chaimungkalanont emails in. “Is it jarring for anyone else to watch the crowd in the long room, one day after reading the report on English cricket being sexist, racist and classist?”
It is, and at the same time it’s also just underlining what all of us in cricket already knew, and always did. That the power structures in the game work in one direction.
I’ve been surprised in a good way that most correspondence today has been supportive of the protest cause from earlier. No doubt it’s different at other newspapers, but still.
Peter Dobbs: “For what it’s worth, I agree with Dave Manby’s comment. People may dislike Just Stop Oil’s tactics, but their cause is cast iron!”
Oliver Jawara: “Huge fan of the Final Word and loving the OBO today. Thanks for sticking up for the obvious - protestors might be a pain in the neck but at least they have the courage of their convictions and also the scientific evidence to back them up. On other topic, great to see Australia batting under grey English skies and, so far, be grinding out progress. Will be following with you all day and looking forward to the evening pod.”
“With that wicket can we hope to hear the trumpeter knock out a Josh Tongue variation of this to get the members dancing after lunch?”
Simon Harpin, don’t give them ideas.
Given this morning’s events, Steve Pye suggests this lunchtime reading.
Lunch - Australia 73 for 1 after England chose to bowl
It was Australia’s session, but England get a vital blow before the break. Khawaja could have batted all day, and was setting himself to do just that. What he has done is ensured no alarms for his teammates during that session, and the likes of Labuschagne and Smith can set themselves for session two. After England chose to bowl, Australia getting through one down must seem a decent result to the visitors. England might have had things better, too: they dropped Warner in that session, letting him go on to a fifty. And might have missed Khawaja earlier in the session at slip, too.
WICKET! Khawaja b Tongue, Australia 73-1
Bowls him! Fine piece of work, and the new man gets the breakthrough on the stroke of lunch. The slope does its work, Khawaja sees the ball angling away, holds his bat up in a leave, but the ball comes back down the hill and hits the top of off stump!
England's Josh Tongue (R) celebrates taking the wicket of Australia's Usman Khawaja (C) for 17 runs. Photograph: Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images
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23rd over: Australia 71-0 (Warner 53, Khawaja 17) Change of gloves for Khawaja, after he gets them grassy and wet diving into his ground to make a single on behalf of Warner. The throw misses anyway. Anderson is bowling now. Khawaja pulls a single.
Half century! David Warner 52 from 66 balls
22nd over: Australia 71-0 (Warner 52, Khawaja 16) Warner keeps taking to Tongue! Drops down and whacks the ball through cover, back for two. Then gets a short ball and pulls it for six! Way over deep square leg, and there is the first fifty that Warner has made in England since his solitary decent score of 2019, when he made 61 at Headingley.
21st over: Australia 62-0 (Warner 44, Khawaja 16) There’s that shot from Edbgaston! Not very short, just slightly short, but Khawaja is quick to rock the pull shot away. First ball of Anderson’s over. Plays another one later in the over and finds the field. Leaves and defends the rest. He has faced 65 balls for 16 runs, Warner has faced three balls fewer and made 28 runs more.
20th over: Australia 58-0 (Warner 44, Khawaja 12) Another lucky escape for Warner. Nicks a ball off the inside edge, just past his stumps for four. Tongue with that extra pace, creates risk and creates runs. Warner misses the pull, makes contact with a flick for two runs. Ben Duckett is back on the field, seems ok.
19th over: Australia 52-0 (Warner 38, Khawaja 12) Fifty partnership up for Khawaja and Warner with a leg bye. Khawaja drives gently for a couple of runs, then sees off four balls from Broad as a picture of serenity.
18th over: Australia 49-0 (Warner 38, Khawaja 10) Here’s Josh Tongue, more pace, and immediately the runs come fast. Warner, steering one short ball away through the cordon for four, then pulling another one to the other side of the pitch for the same. Khawaja took a single to finally reach double figures after another patient stand.
Josh Tongue the first England player, says Andy Zaltzman, to play both of his first two Tests at Lord’s.
17th over: Australia 39-0 (Warner 29, Khawaja 9) The Broad v Warner Theatre is open for business! Ticket-holders have nothing to fear. Past the edge one, then twice. Warner wants a high bouncer to be called wide. He is so far out of his crease that Broad starts complaining that Warner is batting on the protected area. The umpires ignore all of them. If Broad really wants to keep Warner at home, he could Bairstow to keep up to the stumps…
MCC statement from CEO Guy Lavender: pic.twitter.com/UXj8gQ4bvk
— Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 28, 2023
Sure, and in stalling climate action, governments consistently show complete disregard for the people. Full stop, all of them.
16th over: Australia 39-0 (Warner 29, Khawaja 9) Robinson to Khawaja. A no-ball the only score from the over, though Khawaja does play a pull and a flick and can’t score with either. Rehan Ahmed still on the field replacing Duckett.
15th over: Australia 38-0 (Warner 29, Khawaja 9) Ben Duckett off the field having done himself some mischief diving to try to stop a ball. Hopefully that’s a short patch-up job. Warner is batting well forward to Broad, and shuffling further forward at times. Eventually stays back and works a couple through point. Then ends the over with a classic Warner shot, waiting for the ball and punching behind point for four.
“If we want cricket to remain a viable outdoor summer sport in Australia, we need to act urgently on climate change,” emails Neil Longmore. “A two-minute inconvenient interruption at Lord’s is nothing in the bigger picture.”
14th over: Australia 32-0 (Warner 23, Khawaja 9) A mistimed shot from Khawaja sees the ball roll back near the stumps, but he avoids disaster by chance. A couple of singles from the Robinson over.
13th over: Australia 30-0 (Warner 22, Khawaja 8) Another Warner single, this time first ball of the over. He’s been adept at this, but Khawaja gets him back on strike after an lbw shout that’s high and wide… and Warner is dropped! A proper chance off Broad, who should have had his man again. It’s Pope in the stacked cordon, the widest placed, and he leans across but doesn’t hold to a fairly standard chance. Warner gets two runs into the bargain.
Updated
12th over: Australia 26-0 (Warner 19, Khawaja 7) Robinson round the wicket, as Broad was in the last over. This over follows the trend: early Warner single, Khawaja leaves and blocks the rest. Australia will be very happy having seen out an hour and more. Only a dozen overs in that. Very thick misty cloud overhead but the ball hasn’t been behaving unplayably.
11th over: Australia 25-0 (Warner 18, Khawaja 7) That explains Broad’s brief first spell: he’s back on at the other end. Replacing Anderson. Just that the rain delay has given him a longer breather. And he starts well, a few defensive shots from Khawaja then he’s beaten on the outside edge by a very good ball. Maiden.
10th over: Australia 25-0 (Warner 18, Khawaja 7) Two interruptions so far in the first hour, then. At least England will have some excuse for their inevitable terrible over rate, even worse with four seamers. Robinson with the ball. Khawaja knocks a single to cover. Warner gets down low and plays a sweep! Well, there has been inevitable Australian comment about Robinson’s pace, and Warner treats him like a spinner. Swept hard through square for four.
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“I grow old, I grow old,” writes Rosie Mitchell. “It’s 48 years since the Headingley Test of 1975 when the friends of George Davis dug up the pitch overnight. I remember it as if it were yesterday. I was gutted without an Ashes test match to watch on proper free live TV. It had been a cracker too, with Australia set to make a good fist of chasing a big target. I was a student then, I’m safely retired now. Mr Davis was doing time for an armed robbery his friends claim he didn’t do. Maybe he didn’t: this was the age of Life on Mars policing and GF Newman’s Law and Order. Whatever, Davis was released the following year as his conviction was found unsafe. He promptly got caught redhanded on another job and was sent down for another ten-year stretch. By the time he came out again, PACE was in place so no more Gene Hunt tactics.”
Dave Manby suggests that this is the broader cause of the earlier protest.
“Maybe if the government did something they would stop protesting. Insulate Britain had a point before the energy price rises!”
Updated
Play will be back on in a minute. The umpires are coming back.
“A bit foolish of Johnny Bairstow to get involved like that,” writes Tom Kirkpatrick. “He’s a strong man, but it would be easy to pull a muscle from picking someone up like that. Better to let the staff handle protests and pitch invasions rather than getting all macho about it. But maybe the adrenaline will help him sharpen up behind the stumps, in which case I’m all for it!”
Remember Terry Alderman and his busted shoulder…
Rain delay
The rain has not been arranged by protesters, as far as I know, but it has disrupted play more successfully. The hovercraft is coming out.
9th over: Australia 20-0 (Warner 14, Khawaja 6) Anderson continues, Warner leaves a couple, sees one errant ball fly down leg side, then clips two runs through square leg.
“While it’s frustrating to have a brief delay I’d be disappointed if Stokes doesn’t voice his support for the Just Stop Oil cause when asked, if not necessarily their methods,” emails David Hopkins. “Would seem to be in the spirit of the drive to get cricket more engaged with the world at large, no?”
Moral questions aside, even self-interest says that cricket will be one of the sports most affected by climate change: heatwaves affecting player safety, increasing drought affecting the ability to even grow pitches.
8th over: Australia 18-0 (Warner 12, Khawaja 6) First bowling change, Robinson on after Broad’s brief foray. England will be annoyed at how regularly Warner has got off strike. Does so again with a leg glance. Then Khawaja reaches a little for the line, leaves the bat there outside off stump, and guides the ball to deep third. Four runs, risky though with the cordon there.
7th over: Australia 13-0 (Warner 11, Khawaja 2) Shorter ball from Anderson, Warner rides the bounce and knocks a single down behind square. The bowler is getting some shape through the air to Khawaja, but the batter sees out the rest of the over very watchfully.
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6th over: Australia 12-0 (Warner 10, Khawaja 2) Where’s that come from?! One ball after being beaten on the outside edge, Warner pulls out the lap shot to Broad. Down on his knee and lifts it over fine leg. Only gets a run. But that’s the answer, right: in 2019 he never tried to scoop Broad behind the wicket. He gets strike again, and punches another run through cover. Reaches double figures.
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5th over: Australia 9-0 (Warner 8, Khawaja 1) Another close call for Khawaja! After Warner gets a single sliced behind point, Anderson beats the other left-hander’s edge, then gets a nick to slip. Does it carry? Not quite, maybe. Just bounces in front of Root’s fingers? Could he have got further forward? No catch held, any rate.
4th over: Australia 8-0 (Warner 7, Khawaja 1) Warner finding a couple of runs off Broad, two through cover point, one through square leg, then Broad nearly nicks off Khawaja, swing up the slope away from the bat. Lovely.
3rd over: Australia 5-0 (Warner 4, Khawaja 1) A soft edge from Khawaja, along the ground to slip. Then he leaves Anderson, a ball swinging very close to the off stump. Plays the next couple! Cat and mouse.
Bairstow changes his shirt and returns to the field where there is a lovely moment between him and Khawaja showing his appreciation for the quick thinking an action. Bairstow should never have had to put himself in that position, but he did it brilliantly.
— Dean Wilson (@CricketMirror) June 28, 2023
Bairstow finally got a catch! #Ashes
— Smokie Dawson (@smokiedawson) June 28, 2023
An instantly iconic image.#Ashes2023 pic.twitter.com/7mqF1Y97O5
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) June 28, 2023
2nd over: Australia 5-0 (Warner 4, Khawaja 1) We’re back playing, with Stuart Broad bowling. Khawaja takes a few balls then glances a single. Warner is not dismissed from the two balls he faces, which you could tell most people in the crowd were hoping for.
The ground staff are tidying up, after lots of booing from the stands. Only two protestors involved. Presumably it’s climate related, though yet to confirm. Easy to criticise that movement and its methods, though the object of mitigating planetary disaster seems a pretty reasonable one given just how apathetic most of us are towards it.
Protest interruption
A couple of protestors have made their way onto the field, but they haven’t made it all the way to the pitch. Security head them off, and Jonny Bairstow gets himself involved as well, hauling one of them most of the way off the ground himself. There’s some orange powder thrown around the place, maybe its dye that would be activated with water. But it’s still dry, and the ground staff have got some leaf blowers out to send it away.
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1st over: Australia 4-0 (Warner 4, Khawaja 0) Four slips, James Anderson with the ball under cloudy skies, and the over has most things. A beaten edge as Warner flays, a middled shot for four through as Warner goes after width, and a ball that comes in to hit the pad.
Players out on the field and we’re ready to go.
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Here is the Test Match Special overseas listening link.
In the meantime, we had a terrific Women’s Ashes Test over five days at Trent Bridge. The fourth day especially was a classic, with the result completed later. These are my Day 4 and 5 pieces if you want a sense of that.
Tim de Lisle wrote a good measured piece after all that, I thought.
Here’s some of the Edgbaston summing up filtered through England’s former capatain and current player.
So that means two changes: Josh Tongue in for Moeen Ali, four seamers for England, and Mitchell Starc in for Scott Boland, partly to give him a break after playing the WTC final and Edbgaston back to back, and partly because England lined him up with the bat.
It was always going to be what England would try. They partly got away with it, while other days they might not. Have to say I’m surprised by this line about Australia being surprised.
Teams
We finally have an Australian XI. We knew England’s yesterday.
Australia
David Warner
Usman Khawaja
Marnus Labuschagne
Steven Smith
Travis Head
Cameron Green
Alex Carey +
Mitchell Starc
Pat Cummins *
Nathan Lyon
Josh Hazlewood
England
Zak Crawley
Ben Duckett
Ollie Pope
Joe Root
Harry Brook
Ben Stokes *
Jonny Bairstow +
Stuart Broad
Ollie Robinson
Josh Tongue
James Anderson
England win the toss and will bowl
There we go! Batting last was the key to England’s outrageous successes over the last year. And bowling first on a cloudy morning on a green one could be a very useful thing as well.
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live OBO of day one of the second Ashes Test from Lord’s. Play should get under way at 11am local time (8pm AEST in Australia).
The dust has barely settled on the drama of Edgbaston and it has been a highly interesting week regarding the methods of England and the more conventional approach of the Australians. Apparently somebody is right and somebody is wrong, even though it was a match won by the second-barest of margins thanks to Australian captain Pat Cummins pulling the result out of the fire.
The second act promises more of the same contrast in styles, with the hosts backing in their methods and the tourists not convinced by the suggestion that England were the moral victors in Brum.
