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Ashes 2023 | Cummins, Hazlewood Subdue Stokes Epic As Australia Clinch Lord’s Thriller

image-ljljackaAustralian players celebrate a wicket on Day 5 (Twitter)

Australia clinched Lord's thriller amidst Ben Stokes' Day 5 rampage to go 2-0 up in the 2023 Ashes series. The English skipper punched out a rebellious 154 and formed a 108-run partnership with Stuart Broad to keep his side in the fight for a major part of the day.

However, his untimely dismissal left the tail with too much to do, and they eventually fell 43 runs short of their monumental 371-run task. 


Stokes fought hard, but falls short of an uphill task

Ben Stokes resumed England’s response on Day 5 alongside Ben Duckett at 114-4. The duo added 63 more runs to their overnight stand, which concluded when Duckett became the first victim of the day to Australia’s short-ball barrage.

Jonny Bairstow, one of the biggest benefactors from England’s ‘BazBall’ approach in run-chases, was deceived by Alex Carey behind stumps a while later.

Stokes, however, fought on and made his intentions clear by launching Cameron Green for three successive sixes. The third of those maximums also brought up his 13th Test hundred, as he moved from 78 to 101 in the space of an over.

The English skipper defied the Australian pace attack and took advantage of Nathan Lyon's absence in his defiant 108-run stand with Stuart Broad. The dynamic all-rounder looked all settled to re-create his 2019 Headingley epic before Pat Cummins and co. webbed up his run-fest with a series of well-directed short balls.

Stokes eventually succumbed to a short one after he miscued one off Josh Hazlewood, leaving his side within 70 runs from their target. His dismissal led to two more quick wickets, both off short balls, as England sank further at 302-9.

James Anderson and Josh Tongue wagged for a while before the latter eventually perished to a scorching yorker from Mitchell Starc.

Starc, captain Cummins and Josh Hazlewood all finished with three wickets each and ensured Lyon's services were not missed in the decisive innings as Australia claimed the Test by 43 runs.

The two sides will now collide in the third match of the series at Leeds' Headingley on July 6.


Brief Scores

Australia: 416 (100.4)
Steve Smith 110 (184), Travis Head 77 (73)
Josh Tongue 3-98 (22), Ollie Robinson 3-100 (24.4)

England: 325 (76.2)
Ben Duckett 98 (134), Harry Brook 50 (68)
Mitchell Starc 3-88 (17), Travis Head 2-17 (7)

Australia: 279 (101.5)
Usman Khawaja 77 (187), Steve Smith 34 (62)
Stuart Broad 4-65 (24.5), Ollie Robinson 2-48 (26)

England: 327 (81.3)
Ben Stokes 155 (214), Ben Duckett 83 (112)
Pat Cummins 3-69 (25), Mitchell Starc 3-79 (21.3)

Australia won by 43 runs.