The Ashes 2023: 2nd Test (Day-2) Match Report (England vs Australia)

Day 2 of the England vs Australia’s second test of the Ashes 2023 at Lord’s, saw a strong bounce back from the hosts when they posted 278/4 on the score board in response to the visitors’ huge total of 416 runs. Ace opener Ben Duckett played a stupendous knock of 98 runs in “Bazball” style, though fell short of his century by a margin of 2 runs.

The Ashes 2023, 2nd Test (Day-2): How Australia posted a huge total

The Australian side began their day with Steve Smith & Alex Carey on the pitch at a score of 339/5. Continuing his top-notch performance, Smith yet again proved his class by hitting another hundred in the Ashes 2023. Both batters barely added 12 runs to the total when Carey got leg before by Broad at a score of 351 runs. Soon after Carey departed, Australia lost its seventh wicket in the form of new batter Michael Starc who got caught behind by having a thick edge on a delivery by Anderson.

Continuing his centurion knock further, Smith fell prey to Tongue by getting caught by Duckett in the gully. The remaining tail-ender batters could add 23 to the total before Australian innings ended at a massive score of 416. Skipper Cummins once again played a crucial knock of unbeaten 22.

The Ashes 2023, 2nd Test (Day-2): How England bounced back

The English bowlers made a strong come back by wrapping up the Aussies in a quick manner where the visitors could only add a mere 77 runs to their total for a loss of five wickets and that too within a 90-minutes of game play. Both Robinson & Tongue seemed impressive by claiming three wickets each. It appeared as if their plans against the Australian batters worked far better than day one.

The English side adopted yet again an aggressive way to counter reply the visitors. Both the openers gave a sparkling start to their team by putting a 91-run partnership for the first wicket before Crawley (48 runs) got stumped out by Carey on the leg side on a spin delivery by Lyon. This proved to be England’s best first wicket partnership in the Ashes since 2011. Next came Ollie Pope who continued England’s innings in the similar fashion. He played an easy 42-run innings before he got caught out by Smith on the boundary when he played a hook shot on a bouncer by Green.

Having added just 20 runs to the total, Ben Duckett lost his crucial wicket with a top edge on a short ball by Hazlewood which got him caught out by Warner at fine leg. Duckett departed for 98, falling two runs short of his ton which would have placed him on the Lord’s Honours Board. At a score of 222 runs, Root (10 runs) got out by Starc in a controversial catch by Smith where the ball appeared to have touched the ground.

After Root’s departure, Harry Brook along with the skipper Ben Stokes built a much needed partnership of 56 runs before the end of day’s session. Brook remained 5 runs short of his fourth test fifty which hopefully he will complete on the coming day. Brook remained fortunate when at a score of 25, his straight forward catch got dropped by Labuschagne at square leg on a short ball by Cummins. Both Brook & Stokes remained unbeaten at a score of 45 & 17 respectively whereas England trailed Australia by 138 runs at the end of the day.

The Ashes 2023, 2nd Test (Day-2): Match Details

Venue: The Lord’s Cricket Stadium

Dates: 28 Jun to 02 Jul

Toss: Won by England, Chose to Bowl first

Umpires: Ahsan Raza (PAK) and Chris Gaffaney (NZ)

TV umpire: Marais Erasmus (SA)

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)

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