Ashes cricket 2023 Day One scoreboard: Travis Head, Steve Smith star, Bairstow pitch invader video
Australia took the honours on a chaotic opening day of the second Ashes Test thanks to the brutality of Travis Head and brilliance of Steve Smith.
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Edgbaston threw up an absolute gem of an opener to the series, and the chaotic nature of this series shows no signs of abating as it moves to Lord’s.
In a manic opening day, Australia weathered rain, pitch invaders and England’s recalled paceman Josh Tongue to put themselves in a strong position thanks to contrasting innings from Travis Head, Steve Smith and David Warner.
Armed with the 1-0 lead, Australia have a chance to take a stranglehold on the series - and put themselves in position for a first series win on English soil since 2001.
STUMPS: AUSTRALIA’S DAY AFTER TRAVBALL CARNAGE
A terrific opening day of the Lord’s Test, with Australia surging into a strong position on the back of Steve Smith’s return to form and Travis Head’s brutal powerhitting.
At 5-339, Australia will rightly feel they’ve won the day after being sent in on a seaming green-top.
But it could’ve been even more soul-destroying for England, save for Joe Root’s spirit-lifting double-blow, when he removed the dangerous Head and Cameron Green within four deliveries.
Head’s blazing 77 from just 73 deliveries ripped the momentum away from the hosts in sensational fashion, and he was the perfect foil for Smith (85 not out from 149) who bounced back from his Edgbaston failures.
He built in a fine knocks from David Warner (66), and Marnus Labuschagne (48), to set a strong platform as Australia look to consolidate their 1-0 series lead.
There’ll be some soul-searching in the England dressing room tonight. They expected more from a day where their four-strong seam attack had the ball hooping under heavy skies. But it could’ve been a whole lot worse if not for Green’s three-ball brain explosion duck off Root.
3.35AM: DOES ENGLAND HAVE ONE LAST BURST?
The second new ball is available in one over. But will England take it?
There’s just 13 minutes left in the day’s play, so there will be time for two, perhaps three, overs with the new ball tonight if England want it.
Another wicket – of either Steve Smith or Alex Carey – tonight would make the scorecard look decidedly different after the first day’s play.
3.20AM: WICKET! WICKET! ROOT LANDS EPIC DOUBLE BLOW
Travis Head’s outrageous knock comes to an end.
He departs on 77 from 73 balls, undone by his own cavalier batting – stumped after getting tangled up after charging down the wicket to Joe Root.
Smart bowling by Root, who fires a faster one out wide when he sensed Head was on the charge.
But how much damage has been done?
Head and Smith added 118 for the fourth wicket at six runs an over, lifting Australia’s run-rate for the day well above 4 and rocketing the tourists past 300.
But what now! Root gets two in the over, as Cameron Green plays a disastrous stroke third ball, mistiming a pull to Jimmy Anderson at mid-off.
What a momentum shifter that is. Truly, just suicidal batting, and evens it up the contest with the new ball available in just five overs.
3.00AM: HEAD CATCHES SMITH IN TRAVBALL BLITZ
Steve Smith is scoring at a strikerate of 52 – which is right around his career mark of 53 – but he’s being made to look downright pedestrian in the middle of Lord’s right now.
Because Travis Head is on a mission. He’s in pure TravBall mode, and has caught up to Smith despite facing fewer than half as many deliveries.
And it’s quickly ripping this Test away from England and Ben Stokes.
Head is up to 61, scoring at better than a run-a-ball, as Australia rapidly approach 300 with 20 more overs scheduled to be bowled in the day.
And Ricky Ponting is worried about the damage it is doing to England.
“They are going to have to find a way to stop this here England because this is slipping away really quickly,” the Test great said.
“We have heard about this Bazball philosophy - they will keep attacking, keep looking to take wickets.
“But if they keep doing that, then Travis Head in this sort of form, he is going to be 100 before you know it.”
2.45AM: PONTING SAVAGES ENGLAND TACTICS
Since he arrived at the crease, Travis Head has essentially been able to do as he pleases.
Scoring at a run-a-ball throughout his knock, Head has barely been put under pressure – and certainly not had to contend with the short ball, a tactic that they used to some success in Edgbaston, and which India utilised in the World Test Championship final a fortnight ago.
Head is on the cusp of a half-century – and has nearly caught up to Steve Smith, who is 61 from 116 balls – and England tactics have left Australian great Ricky Ponting stunned.
“I am very surprised, to be honest, that they have allowed Travis Head to come out and play this way,” Ponting said.
“I know these are swinging and seam-friendly positions but the fact that they haven’t gone to the short ball yet is a real surprise.
“He has his runs the way that he wants to. I think early on with someone like him, you have to make him get his runs where he doesn’t want to or he is not comfortable.
“I think they have just missed a trick here so far this afternoon.”
2.30AM: UGLY STAT SUMS UP ENGLAND’S WOES
It’s been a tough day in the field for Ben Stokes and England.
Admittedly, not yet at Nasser Hussain at the Gabba 2002 levels, but tough all the same given they sent Australia in on a greentop under leaden skies.
But troubling nonetheless. Steve Smith and Travis Head have brought up their 50-run partnership, and Australia’s 250, midway through the final session of a rain-interrupted day.
And one statistic more than any other – including Ollie Pope’s dropped catch off David Warner – sums up England’s sloppy play today.
There have already been 11 no-balls, with Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes and even the normally faultless Jimmy Anderson at fault.
It’s a hangover from their costly errors in Edgbaston which were pointed out by English cricket writer Lawrence Booth
England have bowled 11 no-balls today, after 23 at Edgbaston. Sums up their scrappiness.
— Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) June 28, 2023
2.15AM: SMITH NOTCHES 50, HEAD ARRIVES WITH VICIOUS INTENT
It’s another 50 for Steve Smith – his 38th in Test cricket – and he looks well set for a big score.
He loves batting at Lord’s, scoring 215 here during the 2015 Ashes, and appears far more assured in his batting than in his two stints at Edgbaston.
A minor re-tune for Australia’s batting robot between Tests, perhaps.
Down the other end, as expected, Travis Head has got to work in quick fashion, ripping off four boundaries to race to 20 in no time at all.
Head has the potential to take the game away from you in a session, and he’s got the look of someone who wants to do that right now.
There’s still the best part of 30 overs to come – though close to a zero per cent chance that will happen before stumps today – and he’s scoring at close to a run-a-ball.
2.00AM: THE TRUTH BEHIND WARNER’S BRAVERY REVEALED
It was already a stirring knock – and his best on England soil in nearly a decade – but David Warner’s impressive 66 was even better than it appeared.
Cricket Australia have revealed Warner batted in serious discomfort throughout his innings, having taken multiple knocks to his left batting hand and fingers in the past two weeks.
He’s also dealing with a “large, very sensitive stone bruise” on the inside of his palm, at the base of his left thumb, that was suffered during catching practice.
It’s understood he’s at no risk of playing, but it just adds to the impressive nature of Warner’s backs-to-the-wall knock after being sent in on a seaming Lord’s wicket.
1.40AM: WICKET! LABUSCHAGNE DEPARTS, VILLAIN GETS KEY WICKET
Didn’t England need that! Ollie Robinson has become Australia’s No.1 villain, but he remains a huge part of this England attack – and delivers when they desperately needed it.
With the crowd, and wicket, flattening out, and just after Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith had notched their ninth 100-run partnership in Tests, he strikes.
Just a little feather through to the keeper from Labuschagne (48) denies him a half-century, in a key blow shortly after the tea break.
That brings Travis Head to the crease. Still plenty of play left in the day. And that Labuschagne wicket will throw a cat amongst the pigeons – could we see a flurry of wickets? Could Head blast some quick-fire runs to cement Australia’s place in this contest?
1.20AM: BIG FINAL SESSION LOOMS
A huge final session looms in every sense of the word. Because of rain delays, oil delays and England bowling only two overs of spin, there’s a lot of overs remaining today.
It’ll be a two-and-a-half hour session, with 39 overs to be bowled.
But for the context of the game, it is also enormous. When you win the toss and send your opponent in, you expect – or you should expect – to have them all out by stumps.
Currently, England will have serious concerns about whether that is possible. Australia are two wickets down, with their two best batsman well set at the crease and almost 200 already on the board.
England will be looking to a special session from Stuart Broad, or for Jimmy Anderson to uncork another magic spell, otherwise the day – and even the Test – could slip away from them on Day 1.
Of course, with the speed - and volume - at which England score, they’re never out of any contest. But they appear flat in the field, and there needs to be a lift over the next few hours.
TEA: SMITH, MARNUS STRENGTHEN AUSTRALIA’S POSITION
After barely winning a session across the five days at Edgbaston – despite winning the match – Australia will feel they’ve won the first two sessions at Lord’s.
Again, they’ve lost just the one wicket – David Warner, for 66, shortly after lunch – and added 117 runs.
Steve Smith (38) and Marnus Labuschagne (45) have added 94 of them, at close to 5 runs an over, and both look at ease on a wicket that doesn’t have as many gremlins as England had hoped when they sent Australia in to bat earlier today.
Joe Root joined the attack in the 47th over.
It’s a long wait for spin for England, who went into this Test without a recognised spinner. It should again be Australia’s biggest advantage in this Test, where they have the experienced Nathan Lyon doing battle with England’s part-timer.
Root tried to shake Labuschagne up when he sent down a bouncer in his second over – complete with a stare-down – but the Australian is unmoved.
12.35AM: BROAD FUMES AT DRS
We go to DRS once again… again for an LBW against Marnus Labuschagne off Stuart Broad.
This time, it’s been given not out. But Broad gets his way, convincing captain Ben Stokes to send it upstairs.
From the first replay it appears to be a clear inside edge, but it still requires a dozen more replays before confirming the on-field decision.
“What? Was that not pad first?” cries an incredulous Broad after the decision is upheld by the third umpire.
That’s one burnt review for England, and more DRS joy for Australia.
“The very first image was inside edge to pad,” says England great Michael Atherton.
“If I was Labuschagne, I would have got a bit nervous thinking that the third umpire might have got confused him. But the right decision was made for sure and it was the first replay that was the key to that.”
England are starting to look a bit desperate now, so they’ve turned to the one bowler who has managed to unearth something today – Josh Tongue.
He’s been England’s fastest bowler, and has two wickets to his name. That, in some way, bodes well for Australia’s paceman given the speeds generated by Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
12.20AM: DRS JOY! MARNUS RIDES HIS LUCK
Another absolute stunner from England brings a wicket – almost.
Stuart Broad returns to the attack, and within a handful of deliveries is bang on the money once again – this time bringing a ball into the pads from wide of the crease.
Marnus Labuschagne fails to offer a shot and is given out LBW, before quickly reviewing.
Despite failing to offer a shot – which removes the need to be hit in line – ball-tracker shows that this one is going over the top of the off-stump.
Labuschagne is batting outside his crease, and that’s saved him here.
Meanwhile, he’s quietly compiled a handy little knock here. He’s 37 and has eyes on a 16th Test half-century, while Australia are 2-164 in this elongated middle session.
MIDNIGHT: SMITH, MARNUS, KP HAMMER ENGLAND
Australia have come out with serious intent after the lunchbreak, and even the loss of David Warner hasn’t dulled their approach.
Through seven overs, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne have added 50 runs at more than 6.5 an over.
They’ve been calculated and aggressive, and at times have taken a touch of luck along the way.
But this pair, who love batting as much as anyone on the planet, look to be in a mood. They’re chasing a bit of redemption after first-Test disappointments.
In response, Ben Stokes has brought himself on to bowl.
He knows better than anyone that he must be used sparingly, given his knee woes, but he was able to snare Smith’s wicket in quick-time in the first innings at Edgbaston.
Meanwhile, Kevin Pietersen has applied the blowtorch to England’s bowlers after a fairly lacklustre day.
“I don’t think that England have been at their best,” he says.
“I think that they have expected too much from this wicket. I think that when they won the toss there would have been the old cheer in the dressing-room: ‘That’s amazing’.
“You still have to do something on a wicket like this. It may look green. Conditions were overcast. There has been rain around. I don’t think that England have been at the races at all”
11.40PM: SMITH SURVIVES REVIEW, EXPLODES EARLY
This is Smudgeball.
Smith has started his innings in a manner that would make Brendon McCullum proud, cranking along at a strike rate above 160 through his first 14 balls.
But after back-to-back boundaries, England think they have Steve Smith out caught behind – and it’s given, but Smith immediately reviews.
It did seem like there was a little sound, but there is daylight between bat and ball and nothing on UltraEdge.
I’m not sure where the sound came from, and England are mystified.
Either way, Smith survives and this partnership has added 34 runs in rapid time.
11.20PM: WICKET! WARNER UNDONE BY AN ABSOLUTE PEACH
Oh lordy, that was a rocket.
David Warner is undone by an absolute peach from Josh Tongue, who beats Warner all ends up twice in two balls – the first just cleared the stumps, and went for four byes.
The second, however, splits Warner’s defences and skittles his stumps. Tongue now has both Australian openers, and has been a fine addition to England’s attack.
It ends a very impressive knock from Warner, on 66 – his best knock in England since 2015, and it’s set Australia’s innings up nicely. They’re 2-96.
A couple of cracks appear for Australia after an excellent start. And they turn to their two best batsman – Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. But both coming in after shaky performances in the first Test.
11.15PM: ENGLAND INJURY SCARE AS STAR FORCED OFF
There’s a bit of concern here for Ollie Pope, who has to come from the field after landing heavily and appearing to suffer some damage to his right shoulder.
Diving to his left to field a ball from Marnus Labuschagne, Pope lands hard with his left arm outstretched – but it is the right shoulder that is causing him discomfort.
It’s the same shoulder that has troubled Pope in the past, and after a brief consolation with teammates he is immediately off the field for a further assessment.
He was in clear discomfort, though not so much that you wouldn’t back him to return and also bat. But it could be a concern for England as the series progresses. He’s England’s No.3, and a key pillar of their batting strategy.
11PM: BACK AT IT!
Just the five-minute break, this time.
And former Australian batsman Aaron Finch is none too impressed.
“Maybe the umpires are calling it a touch too quick?” he ponders on Channel 9.
“If you are coming back after two or three minutes maybe be prepared to play a little longer.
“Umpires are getting so concerned with player safety which, if it is raining, it is difficult to play. But there are times when things happen a little too quick. Tough it out a bit.”
10.55PM: RAIN RETURNS, AS MARNUS BATTLES ON
15 minutes after lunch, and the players are off for another break.
It looks like it’ll be a short break – not a heavy downpour by any means, but enough to force players from the field.
It’s been an uncomfortable start from Marnus Labuschagne through the first 20 minutes of his innings.
A nervous edge off James Anderson fell short of the slips cordon, but the Australian has also shown more intent – and a willingness to rotate the strike.
Labuschagne doesn’t appear to be all the way back, but he’s an aggressive operator and with Warner in a mood you get the sense he wants to try to keep the momentum with Australia.
He’s already had to replace his bat, after fending a Josh Tongue bouncer away. And now he’s having another rest in the Lord’s dressing room, thanks to that fickle English weather.
10.40PM: MARNUS SEEKS ASHES REDEMPTION
We’re back from lunch, with Australia on top but ruing the loss of Usman Khawaja in the final over before the break.
His exit brings the arrival of Marnus Labuschagne, who was one of the tourists’ key disappointments in the first Test triumph.
A golden duck in the first was followed by a meagre offering in the second, and despite starting this series as the world’s top-ranked Test batsman, Labuschagne looked far from himself.
“Labuschagne looked out of form to me last week,” says Mark Taylor.
Of greater concern for the No.3, and Australia, is the increasing divide between his home and away form.
At home, Labuschagne is near untouchable – with nine centuries and an average of 70.5. But overseas, that is almost halved, with a return of ‘just’ 37.1 from 31 innings.
Australia needs him to be a factor in this series. And this afternoon, alongside a reborn David Warner, presents a golden opportunity to right some wrongs from Edgbaston.
LUNCH: WICKET! KHAWAJA KNOCKED OVER ON LUNCH
Beautiful delivery from Josh Tongue! That’s the ball of the morning, as England’s recalled paceman gives the home side a big boost on lunch with the wicket of Usman Khawaja for 17.
Coming around the wicket, Tongue gets the ball to seam back a long way and Khawaja – who has left so well all morning – misjudges this one, and it crashes into the top of off-stump.
That’s a cruel blow for Australia on the stroke of lunch.
After being sent in on a seaming wicket, Khawaja and David Warner had applied the blowtorch to England to take Australia into the break at 1/73.
It’s been a wild morning, with a pair of protestors causing a delay after invading the pitch, before a more conventional English delay (rain!) also stopping play.
But throughout it, David Warner has batted masterfully. This has been the David Warner of old. Pure counter-attacking against the old enemy.
He was given a life early, thanks to a bad dropped catch from Ollie Pope, but has made the most of it to be unbeaten on 53.
After the break, he’ll be joined by Marnus Labuschagne who will no doubt be looking to rebound from his lacklustre returns at Edgbaston.
9.50PM: AUSSIE OPENERS ECLIPSE 2019 HORRORSHOW, WARNER NOTCHES 50
Australia have passed 50 before lunch – with David Warner the main contributor, by some margin.
Do you want to know why that is interesting? Usman Khawaja and Warner have now recorded more 50-run opening partnerships than were produced across the entire 2019 Ashes series.
That series, with Warner, Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris all contributing to the futility, was notable for Australia’s horrific form at the top of the order – as much as it was for Steve Smith’s incredible performance in salvaging Australian innings.
It generated zero 50-run opening stands, with England’s only offering a 54-run partnership between Rory Burns and Joe Denly in the fifth Test.
Compare that to the performance of Australia’s veteran pair up top this time around. After opening with 29 runs in the first innings at Edgbaston, they put on 61 in the second innings to set up Australia’s record-breaking chase.
They’ve passed that mark already at Lord’s, with Warner unbeaten on 52 and Khawaja on 16 as Australia reach 0-70 on the cusp of lunch.
It is Warner’s 35th Test half-century, but feels like an important one given his struggles in England over the years.
9.30PM: ‘WALKING WICKET’ WARNER PUNISHES ENGLAND
It won’t be long before England’s bowlers, and their captain Ben Stokes, start to sweat.
And it’s not because the mercury is rising at Lord’s, where the players are still wearing sweaters on a chilly summer’s day.
And not entirely because Ollie Pope spilled a sitter, with David Warner on 20.
It’s because Warner is starting to hit his groove, despite the seaming, swinging ball doing all sorts of things under cloudy skies.
As former England captain Andrew Strauss explains, England have viewed Warner as a ‘walking wicket’ for a while now and after sending Australia in on a seam-friendly wicket they might have expected to already see the back of Warner.
“They would’ve seen him as a bit of a walking wicket, especially when they won the toss and elected to bowl,” Strauss said.
“The last thing they want is David Warner getting going.”
Warner has moved to 29 at a healthy strike rate, and he’s putting the pressure back on England in a big way.
“When you do win the toss and bowl first, it puts a lot of pressure on those bowlers,” adds Strauss
“There’s an expectation you’re going to take three or four wickets and everything is going to happen in a hurry but of course, Test cricket doesn’t always play out like that.”
9.15PM: DROPPED! ENGLAND GIFT WARNER A CHANCE
You can’t drop those. England will be ruing that missed chance for as long as David Warner stays out in the middle.
The Aussie opener presents the best chance of the match, against his nemesis Stuart Broad, with a thick edge to third slip.
It flies to Ollie Pope, at a good height, and should be taken but is badly fumbled.
Warner is on just 20, and starting to make some inroads today.
“That is as simple as it gets at third slip. Massive moment for David Warner,” says former England captain Andrew Strauss.
9.00PM: BROAD FIRES UP LORD’S AFTER RAIN DELAY
It was little more than a 10-minute delay for the brief shower, and immediately after that break Stuart Broad has the ball jagging back a mile.
He nearly chops Usman Khawaja in half with a ripper from around the wicket.
But, as he did last Test, Khawaja holds firm. He’s a master of leaving the ball. And across both innings he was stubborn in sticking to his slow-scoring rates.
He’s on that hard graft once again, and has just 7 from 34 balls after 11 overs.
Warner has been the aggressor, and Australia are 0/25.
8.50PM: RAIN HALTS AUSSIE CHARGE
Time for an actual cricket update, with the Lord’s protestors presumably already removed from one of cricket’s most beautiful grounds.
Unfortunately they’ve been replaced by rain, which has forced players off inside the first hour.
And, with the earlier 10-minute dela, England have only been able to churn through nine overs so far.
It’s been a hard graft for Australia’s openers so far. As predicted pre-match, the green Lord’s wicket and healthy cloud coverage have returned Jimmy Anderson’s superpowers.
Anderson wrote that the dry Edgbaston wicket proved his ‘kryptonite’ but he has certainly enjoyed life out in the middle today.
Through five overs he’s conceded just 8 runs, and had one tough Usman Khawaja chance put down off his bowling when Joe Root let a low offering slip through his fingers.
It’s been a tricky start, but Warner (14 not out) and Khawaja (6 not out) have survived the early carnage – protestors and all. If they can see off the new ball, and perhaps escape the clouds at some point today, they’ll feel very pleased with their efforts.
8.25PM: PONTING’S ALL-TIME SLEDGE AFTER WILD SCENES
What an absolutely chaotic opening to the second Test.
Normally when I say that, Australia have lost three wickets or – in the Bazball era – perhaps someone has teed off and hit a 20-ball half-century.
Not today. The chaos is all around a pair of protestors who invaded the Home of Cricket, brandishing ‘JUST STOP OIL’ T-shirts, and armed with flares.
They made it to the centre wicket, and clashes with players, before being hauled from the ground.
One of the protestors was even manhandled by England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, who lifted the invader up off the turf and walked him all the way to the boundary rope.
After a difficult Test behind the stumps in Edgbaston, it prompted Test great Ricky Ponting to quip he was off to a better start in London.
“A good start from Jonny this morning. Chucked it up over his shoulder,” Ponting said.
“I wasn’t game enough to say it earlier on... But the one chance that’s come his way, he’s held onto so far.”
Meanwhile, in the actual cricket, Joe Root has put down a very tough, low chance off Usman Khawaja.
That could be costly. Khawaja was Australia’s ironman in the first Test, but on just 1 he gets a thick edge to Root at first slip.
Jimmy Anderson is making the ball sing, here. These conditions are much better than those on offer in the first Test for the seamers.
8.10PM: BAIRSTOW HAULS PITCH INVADER OFF LORD’S
Incredible scenes at Lord’s, as a pitch invader rushes onto the pitch after just one over of play – letting off a flair and causing a major disruption.
England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow picked the protestor – who was wearing a ‘STOP OIL’ t-shirt – up off the turf and manhandled him off the field, where he was dealt with by security.
Back to the cricket…. It seems like there’s a lot of swing early.
Second ball to Warner, and he chases a wide one from Anderson that hoops away from him.
“That’s a nervous shot,” says Ricky Ponting.
A more confident stroke two balls later brings a four, as he jumps all over a half-volley and opens his account with a sweetly struck cover drive to the boundary.
8.00PM: WARNER’S NERVOUS START
There were shades of the David Warner of old at Edgbaston, particularly in his second-innings 36.
But a green-top at Lord’s, under overcast skies, presents a much different proposition.
And that, according to veteran first-class batsman Callum Ferguson, will be giving Warner some nerves as he walks out to bat.
“Like any good top-order player a few nerves when you’re walking out onto a greenish wicket,” Ferguson said.
“He knows this line-up, the English bowlers, prefer a green wicket. And they have a hell of a green wicket.
“They have a hell of a challenge ahead but they have a bit of form on juicy wickets in the past, the Australian top order. We saw it at the Gabba last year so they know they can do it.”
Warner and Usman Khawaja are out in the middle, with the lights on at Lord’s, as the first Test gets underway.
7.45PM: ENGLAND’S BAZBALL U-TURN?
Before the series, England captain Ben Stokes asked for flat, dry wickets so his Murderer’s Row of big hitters could cash in at a rapid run-rate and blow Australia away.
It was the Bazball revolution, and everyone had to embrace it or prepare to get run over.
And it was served up in Edgbaston, where the flat wicket was criticised heavily – including veteran English seamers Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad.
However, after just one Test – and a batting masterclass from Usman Khawaja, before a stunning matchwinning partnership between Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon – that strategy has already been discarded.
So much so that Stokes opted to bowl first on the green Lord’s deck, raising the eyebrows of former Australian Test captain Mark Taylor.
“The pitch is fairly green, which is a change of tactics for me for England,” Taylor said.
“They said they wanted flat, even pitches. This one is even, but it’s even with plenty of grass on it.
“All of a sudden they’re now thinking about more aggressive bowling than they were about aggressive batting so a slight change in the England tactics but I don’t mind seeing that.”
7.30PM: AUSTRALIA LOSE TOSS, BAT FIRST AT LORDS
England captain Ben Stokes has won the toss – and, looking at the juicy bowling conditions, sent Australia in to bat on a green deck.
That means we have a spicy couple of hours coming up for David Warner and first-Test hero Usman Khawaja.
As reported earlier by Dan Cherny and Ben Horne, Scott Boland has been replaced by Mitchell Starc, while England have gone with an all-pace attack.
“The overhead has played a massive part in this (bowling first),” says Stokes.
7.15PM: STARC FOR BOLAND… THE RIGHT CALL?
We’re 15 minutes from the toss – and having the Xis confirmed – but as Ben Horne and Daniel Cherny have reported it seems Australia will be making just the one change from their first Test matchwinners.
Mitchell Starc, unlucky to miss out at Edgbaston, looks set to be recalled in place of the equally unlucky Scott Boland for the second Test.
It’s an interesting switch.
On face value, Starc’s qualities might have served Australia better on the flat Edgbaston wicket rather than a Lord’s Test where the ball is expected to do more in the air and off the deck.
There’s no denying Starc’s wicket-taking qualities – he can break a game open at any point – and Boland was below his best in Birmingham.
But I would’ve loved to see Boland working his magic with the famous Lord’s slope, and the overcast conditions which look like they’ll linger for first few (and, perhaps, four) days of the Test.
With Starc, Australia gets a point of difference in their attack, and Nathan Lyon could be the biggest beneficiary: with Starc’s footmarks giving him a big target to aim at.
7.00PM: FANS OUT IN FORCE FOR DAY ONE ACTION
It’s the hottest ticket in town (perhaps outside of Taylor Swift)!
And at the home of cricket, where tradition is everything, that means lining up in the dreary early morning at London – usually with an egg and bacon tie, rather than an egg and bacon roll.
6.45PM: TRICKY QUESTION FACING ASHES SKIPPERS
To bowl… or not to bowl?
That is the question facing Australia’s Pat Cummins and Ben Stokes, a little over half an hour from the toss - and with a bit of drizzle in the air.
What will Lord’s offer? After a flat, dry deck in Birmingham, players have been treated to a lot more grass on the wicket at Lord’s.
Then again, the common refrain when it comes to playing in England is if you want to know whether the ball is going to swing or not – don’t look down (at the wicket), look up (at the cloud cover).
So what will Cummins and Stokes be mulling over at the toss? Bat or bowl?
Well, the weather updates coming out of London could tempt them into giving their fast bowlers first crack on a wicket that looks like it might offer a touch more for the quicks than last week.
Overcast in London today. A bowling day? Time will tell. Our Australian Sports Tours group is ready for action! 😊ðŸðŸ‡¦ðŸ‡º @HomeOfCricketpic.twitter.com/kCBOQRfJvS
— Martin (@hammersaint) June 28, 2023
Overcast morning in London. Could be an interesting decision at the toss if it stays this way #Ashes#ENGvAUSpic.twitter.com/BQ7wR2gtxY
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) June 28, 2023
6.00PM: AUSSIES MAKE BIG SELECTION CALL
Mitchell Starc has replaced Scott Boland in Australia’s XI for the second Test at Lord’s.
The Aussies are otherwise unchanged as they seek to go 2-0 up in the series. - Daniel Cherny and Ben Horne
PIDGE: ASHES OVER IF AUSTRALIA WINS LORD’S TEST
Glenn McGrath famously declared Australia would sweep England before the 2005 Ashes series - a prediction which would end in disaster.
The Australia spearhead ripped through host at Lord’s before his pre-series prediction was brought crashing down in the warm-up at Edgbaston, with the big quick ruled out of the series with an ankle injury.
Australia would go on to lose the second Test and series, with McGrath’s infamous ‘5-nil’ gibe keeping him company on the boundary for six weeks.
In a column for the BBC, McGrath believes the 2023 edition will be just as crucial, seeing no way back for England should Australia win at Lord’s.
“The last time a team came from behind to win the Ashes was in 2005, a series I was right in the thick of,” writes McGrath.
“We were 1-0 up heading into the second Test at Edgbaston, a match I sat out after the infamous incident of treading on the ball in the warm-up.
“We lost a thrilling Test by two runs, but I will always maintain that the series would have been won had we got over the line that day.
“The same is true now. If Australia win at Lord’s, the Ashes are done and dusted.
“England arrive at Lord’s with more pressure on their shoulders. If they lose, I can’t see a way that they get back into the series.”
PITCH, SELECTION UPDATE
- Jacob Kuriype
Australia is yet to make a call over the make-up of its attack for the second Ashes Test, with selectors mulling a choice between left-arm tyro Mitchell Starc and right-arm workhorse Scott Boland.
Leading the series 1-0, Australia faces England at Lord’s – starting Wednesday, 8pm AEST – still riding high from a famous two-wicket victory and with a big decision to make between Starc and Boland. England meanwhile has banked on Joe Root to carry its spin bowling load.
Partly cloudy conditions with a top of 24 degrees are expected on Wednesday but rain is forecast for days two and four of the Test.
By his own admission Starc underwhelmed in the World Test Championship final but the left-armer is confident he has found his rhythm again after two hard weeks of training.
Boland meanwhile copped plenty of stick from the England batters in the opening Test, conceding more than five runs per over in each innings while doing minimal damage.
Boding in Boland’s favour are visibly different conditions for the second Test, with the Lord’s pitch sporting plenty of green grass. It promises more assistance to the seamers than Edgbaston’s flat surface provided, making airspeed less important.
“I hear a whisper Mitchell Starc might come in because of the way England play Scott Boland. If there’s lateral movement and it looks like it’s going to do anything, I think they have to play Boland once again and go with the same team,” Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket’s Ashes preview.
“They should have used Starc at Edgbaston because it was flat.”
England confirmed its XI on match eve, with bustling seamer Josh Tongue replacing spinner Moeen Ali. Ali struggled with a blister on his spinning finger in the first Test, but England’s decision to call up Tongue instead of young leggie Rehan Ahmed suggests they are expecting seaming conditions.
The selection means Root will carry the bulk of the spin-bowling load for England.
“He’s gone from strength to strength and the more responsibility that I’ve tried to give him with the ball, I think has brought out another side of Joe,” England captain Ben Stokes said of Root’s spin bowling.
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, James Anderson
Australia XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Had, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
Originally published as Ashes cricket 2023 Day One scoreboard: Travis Head, Steve Smith star, Bairstow pitch invader video
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