Australia on the Verge of Victory in Second Ashes Test at Lord’s
With the second Ashes Test heading into Day 5 at Lord’s, former England skipper Michael Vaughan believes that Australia is still the clear favorite to come out on top. Despite England’s resilient batting in the final hour of Day 4, Vaughan feels that a few quick strikes in the first hour could seal the deal for the visitors.
England faced an uphill battle in their chase of a mammoth 371 runs for victory. The hosts were rocked early by the sensational spells of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, who picked up two wickets each to have England reeling at 45/4.
However, a valuable partnership between Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes saw England weather the storm until the close of play on Day 4. Duckett, who scored a sublime 98 in the first innings, is currently unbeaten on 50 from 67 deliveries. Stokes, known for his heroic performances against Australia, is on 29 off 66 deliveries and will look to replicate his Headingley 2019 heroics.
While Vaughan admits that the game is clearly in the hands of Australia, he remains hopeful of Stokes pulling off another miracle. However, he also highlighted the importance of Duckett in England’s fightback.
Speaking of Stokes, Vaughan said, There’s something about Ben Stokes against Australia in the chase, looks like his body is spent. He also praised Duckett’s batting abilities, stating, Thought Ben Duckett until his madness at the end played beautifully. He is a really gifted player.
On the other hand, Vaughan was critical of the performances of three young England batters – Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, and Harry Brook. He believed that their soft dismissals in the first innings ultimately put them under pressure in the second innings. While Crawley was dismissed strangled down the leg-side, the duo of Brook and Pope fell victim to magical deliveries from Cummins and Starc.
Vaughan stressed the importance for young players to capitalize on favorable conditions and convert their starts into big scores. In the first innings, all three got in but failed to make significant contributions.
As the match approaches its conclusion, Australia remains in a dominant position. However, with Stokes and Duckett at the crease, England still has a glimmer of hope. It remains to be seen if they can defy the odds and produce another miraculous comeback.
The final day of the second Ashes Test promises to be an enthralling battle between bat and ball, with both teams eager to gain the upper hand in the ultimate pursuit of victory.
