Cynical England got what they deserved in second Test at Lord’s

ENGLAND tried to kill the second Test by doctoring the pitch. It failed. Now, Robert “Crash” Craddock expects them to resort to new tactics to regain the series lead. Join the LIVE blog to have your say.

England v Australia: 2nd Investec Ashes Test - Day Four

ENGLAND got what they deserved at Lord’s.

They came into this series with a cynical plan to blunt Australia’s great fast bowling strike weapons with featherbed pitches for the second series in a row.

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But in doing so they only showcased their own shortcomings.

The 8-10kmh extra pace that Australian fast bowlers such as Mitchell Johnson had over their fast bowling rivals at Lord’s was just enough to extract something from a deck which look billiard table flat when England bowled on it.

MATCH REPORT: Johnson destroys England at Lord’s

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We tip England’s next move may be to roll the dice at the opposite end of the scale and produce a spicy greentop that gives all bowlers, theirs included, a chance.

Many provocative issues have been spotlighted by Australia’s barnstorming victory, including ...

Will Peter Nevill keep the gloves for the third Test?

— Australia’s selectors have a most delicate question to confront when Brad Haddin returns from an absence triggered by a family health issue. Should he reclaim his position from impressive debutant Peter Nevill or should they stick with the new boy? Maybe the answer is to give Haddin his spot back then change the baton at the end of the series.

— No-one has worked out how to get Steve Smith out. Plans have come and go including bowling wide of his off-stump. Nothing bothers him. He can play patiently or aggressively, off both feet on both sides of the wicket. Bowl wide and he will belt you through the off side. Put it on the stumps and he will whip you off his pads.

Mitchell Johnson appears to be over his hoodoo of playing England in England.

— Mitchell Johnson is a streak bowler and once he finds form he normally maintains it for the series. Good luck England. You will need it.

— Chris Rogers has been magnificent in the first two Tests and hopefully the dizzy spell he suffered at Lord’s will not cost him his Test place. If it does then, against all expectations, Shane Watson could be back in the team.

— England have problems everywhere. Their fast bowlers are getting tired and their batsmen are fading fast.

Ian Bell looks a shadow of the player he was in his prime. Adam Lyth looks intimidated by the aura of playing in the Ashes. Gary Ballance has a decent Test record but is suddenly struggling.

Ben Stokes gets run out in comical fashion.

Ben Stokes is promising but his air-headed run out on Sunday shows how much the strain of series is having on him.

England will make changes but they have few decent options.

— Josh Hazlewood is developing nicely into the bowler Australia always hoped he would be. His five wickets at Lord’s were only one fewer than Johnson. He is steady and reliable and has the world at his feet.

— Australia need more from Michael Clarke and Adam Voges in the top order but there is still plenty of time for them to tidy up their numbers. Clarke did well as a captain but as a batsman his numbers have faded in recent times.

Originally published as Cynical England got what they deserved in second Test at Lord’s