Ashes 2023: Nathan Lyon lashes out at Kevin Pietersen over concussion substitute theory
Nathan Lyon has lashed out at Kevin Pietersen over comments he made live on air about the potential motive of the injured spinner bravely batting despite a serious calf tear.
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An openly “shattered” Nathan Lyon has lashed out at Kevin Pietersen over a suggestion the Australian spinner would have been eligible to be subbed out of the second Test had he been hit in the head on day four.
All but resigned to the likelihood he would be ruled out for the rest of the series with a calf injury, Lyon hobbled his way to the crease at No. 11 on Saturday, making four in a 15-run stand with Mitchell Starc to help Australia set England a fourth-innings target of 371.
Lyon said he would meet with Australian medical staff on Sunday to determine the next course of action for a “decent tear in my right calf”, however he spoke like a man who knew his series was done.
“I’ve been absolutely shattered. I’ll be honest, I’ve been in tears. I’ve been upset, I’ve been hurting,” Lyon said.
“But I think that shows for me it means as I keep saying this team means everything to me and I’ll start this rehab journey now, and to get back into keep playing my role and keep loving what I’m able to do.
“This is just a little speed bump in the road, this isn’t career-defining or anything, (I’m) hungrier than ever.”
Lyon was aggrieved however to learn that England great Pietersen was among the commentators who had raised the idea that by batting, Lyon would leave himself open to being replaced in the side as a concussion substitute, which in theory would have enabled understudy spinner Todd Murphy to bowl in the run chase.
“I think (taking) time out of the game and also eking out every single run,’ Pietersen said on Sky Sports.
“They’ve been bossing this Test match and because there is so much time left in the game, they’ll think they can take the wickets.
“Imagine if he (Lyon) had been hit on the head and got concussion, he’d have got a like-for-like replacement and a world-class spinner (Murphy), based on how he performed in India, it gives food for thought,” Pietersen said.
Lyon, who was on the field when Phillip Hughes was fatally killed by a bouncer at the SCG in 2014, took exception to the remarks.
“I have heard comments that people thought I went out there to get hit in the head and I’m really against that because I’ve lost one of my mates due to being hit in the head. So I think that’s a really poor excuse or conversation being had,” Lyon said.
In any case, Lyon said he backed Murphy to perform if needed in the veteran’s absence.
“I sat with Todd in the last session there and spoke about spin bowling as we do. I have a lot of confidence in Todd. He is a great kid. He is willing to learn along the way. His stock ball is good enough in international cricket. We have seen that in India. In arguably the hardest place to bowl spin. It will be a different challenge with the England batter.
“If they do come at him, it provides Todd with a decent challenge. But a chance to leave his footmarks here in England. It is a big Ashes series, he is excited by the opportunity.
“I have told him my phone is always on, it doesn’t matter if I am sitting in the changeroom with him or I am sitting at home watching it in bed.”
STUMPS: AUSTRALIA SIX WICKETS FROM VICTORY DESPITE CONTROVERSY
Joe Barton
There’s never a dull moment in this series.
Australia will go into the final day of the Lord’s Test requiring six wickets, which would give them an ominous 2-0 series lead.
England? They need a further 257 runs to complete what would be an extraordinary record-breaking chase of 371.
The hosts claimed a giant slice of luck with Ben Duckett (50 not out) was called back after it was ruled Mitchell Starc ‘was not in control of his body’ when he claimed an excellent outfield catch.
“And for a guy who’s six foot five to make good ground like that, get your hands around it, slide on your knees and get up in one motion. I’d say that you’re pretty well in control of your body,” said Aaron Finch.
“That’s a shocking decision.”
Duckett will resume with captain Ben Stokes, who will be looking to repeat his Headingley heroics from four years ago.
Australia will have to do it without Nathan Lyon, who looked a broken man despite bravely coming out to bat.
3.59AM: STARC DENIED IN STUNNING CATCH CONTROVERSY
Australia have been denied what would’ve been a killer blow late in the day’s play – given Ben Duckett an extra life.
And it is tinged with controversy.
Duckett top-edges hook shot off Cameron Green, after which Mitchell Starc appears to take a fantastic catch just inside the boundary rope.
But just before Duckett is about to leave the field of play, he’s called back by captain Ben Stokes as the veracity of the catch is being reviewed by the third umpire.
It appears a clear catch, and Starc is certainly confident, but mystifyingly it’s been ruled that Starc is not in control of the ball, and in control of his body, as he completes the catch.
He certainly drags it across the turf, but he’s well in control of the ball before it gets to that point.
“I must admit I’m a little bit confused,” says Ricky Ponting.
3.45AM: GREEN RATTLES STOKES IN STIRRING BATTLE
So close! Cameron Green gets it bang on, a perfect bouncer rises steeply at Ben Stokes who pops up a chance.
However it lands safely – with Matt Renshaw, fielding at short leg and the only fielder in close, unable to make the ground in time.
That’s the first sign of life from the Australian attack since the explosive opening 15 overs when Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc ran riot.
Meanwhile, Ben Duckett completes his second half-century of the match. Can he convert this one into a century?
England have about 20 minutes left to navigate through to stumps.
3.36AM: AUSSIES ‘LOSE THEIR WAY’ AFTER EARLY FIREWORDS
Another bowling change for Australia, who have let this partnership grow and take the sting out of the attack.
So Pat Cummins turns to the tall Cameron Green, who triggered the bouncer war when he came on in England’s first innings.
He starts with two bouncers – the first a wide, and the second easily negotiated by Ben Duckett.
“Australia just lost their way a little bit here,” offers Mark Taylor.
This partnership has grown to 50, with Duckett approaching a second 50 in this Test. Green spilled a tough chance to remove the nuggety left-hander off Mitchell Starc in the opening overs of this innings.
He’d dearly like to rectify that slip-up.
3.18AM: ENGLAND GO ON THE ATTACK AGAINST HEAD
Ben Stokes has seen enough of Travis Head’s part-time spin, and has signalled his intentions.
He’s not going to die wondering. He’s been England’s miracle man before – and he’s willing to put on the cape once again.
Stokes dances down the wicket and lofts Head deep over long-on for six.
Two balls later, Ben Duckett also tries to take Lyon into the Lord’s stands but top-edges and is desperately lucky to have the ball land safely before Cameron Green can make the ground up after coming in from the boundary rope.
England are 4-70. They can ill afford to lose another wicket tonight, but these two are starting to look more comfortable at the crease… and Pat Cummins returns to his strike weapon, with Mitchell Starc returning to the attack. Here come the bouncers, I suspect.
3.05AM: FINAL HOUR OF PLAY ARRIVES
We are into the last hour of play – factoring in the additional half hour after the scheduled close of play – on this elongated fourth day.
England, to be frank, are fighting for the series right now. They’re 4-55, chasing an unlikely target of 371 and will have to put aside their Bazball mentality to try and dig in and force a draw.
Impossible? No. Unlikely? Probably.
But the early signs are that Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett are up for the fight.
At the end of his century in the first Test, it was revealed that Usman Khawaja had left more balls in that one innings than Duckett had in his 10-Test career.
But he’s fighting now, and he and Stokes are battling away at 2.4 runs an over – having added 10 runs in nearly three overs.
2.43AM: WICKET!! CUMMINS DOUBLES DOWN WITH A PEACH
What an over from Pat Cummins!
He has two in four balls – and the second is an absolute gem of a delivery, hitting the top of off-stump as Harry Brook plays all around it.
Cummins, angling back in to the right-hander, gets the ball to seam back and shatter the stumps.
It’s neck-and-neck as to which pearlier (Cummins' or Starc’s) is the ball of the day. Or even the ball of the series! Both absolutely unplayable deliveries.
Brook was dismissed with a short ball in the first innings, and might’ve had that on his mind during his three-ball stay at the crease.
England are in disarray at 4-45 when Ben Stokes joins Ben Duckett in the middle.
2.40AM: WICKET! CUMMINS KNOCKS OVER ROOT
Australia have three! And their dream session continues as Pat Cummins gets the danger man Joe Root for 18.
England are 3-41 and in a world of trouble, chasing 371.
It’s a short ball that does the damage – and they’ve been used sparingly by the Australians so far, but keep an eye on that as the ball gets older.
Cummins hits the right length and it is well directed. Root seems a touch surprised, and gets tangled up – fending the ball to David Warner at first slip.
That is a monstrous blow to England’s chase, and Root is not impressed as he makes his way back to the dressing room.
2.22AM: CAN ROOT BE ENGLAND’S SAVIOUR?
Australia has enjoyed a blistering start in search of the 10 wickets they need to take a 2-0 lead, but there’s one scalp they want more than anything.
That of Joe Root.
Root batted masterfully in the first Test, and is their fourth-innings specialist, as pointed out by CricViz, who noted he is the only active batsmen to feature in the top 25 fourth-innings runscorers.
England have a huge challenge here with the excellent start with the ball by Australia.
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) July 1, 2023
However, Joe Root, currently at the crease, is the only current player in the top 25 batters that have scored the most runs in the fourth innings in Test match cricket.#EngvAus#Ashes2023pic.twitter.com/C7bKDIalfM
2.03AM: WICKET! STARC IS ON FIRE
Mitchell Starc is bowling some absolute heat at the moment, and he’s just ripped through Ollie Pope’s defences with the ball of the match.
An inswinging thunderbolt sends the stumps flying – ripping the middle stump out of the ground - and Pope lasts just 10 balls.
Starc has 2-12, Pope goes for 3 and England are 2-13, chasing a target of 371.
Australia couldn’t have asked for a better start.
“That’s a beauty,” says Ricky Ponting.
“That is late, late movement, not many will keep that out.”
Meanwhile, Ben Duckett looks a little bit ginger at the minute – he might have tweaked his hamstring or calf while scampering through for a quick single. One to keep an eye on.
1.55AM: OVERTURNED! DUCKETT SURVIVES WITH VITAL DRS CALL
That is a pearler from Mitchell Starc, who so nearly removes both of England’s openers within three deliveries.
Duckett is given out LBW, but wisely opts to review as Starc’s unplayable delivery swings too much – beating the bat, but taking it far enough that ball-tracker has it missing the off-stump.
It’s pitched on middle stump, and is umpire’s call for impact, but missing off-stump by millimetres.
His first wicket may have been lucky, but Starc is desperately unlucky not to have seen off Duckett.
1.50AM: WICKET! STARC LANDS EARLY BLOW
That is a freebie for Australia. Mitchell Starc moves clear into fifth spot on Australia’s all-time wicket-taker’s list, with a loose delivery down legside.
Zak Crawley chases it, but can only get a tickle of an edge down the legside to Alex Carey who takes an excellent diving catch.
That is the perfect start for Australia, landing the first blow of this runchase inside three overs.
“No worse way to get out,” says Ricky Ponting.
That is Starc’s 314th Test scalp, moving him one clear of fellow left-armer Mitchell Johnson.
1.45AM: DROPPED! GREEN DROPS SCORCHING CHANCE
England’s record runchase is underway, and it’s started with a dropped chance from Australia.
It will be England’s biggest chase – as well as the biggest chase at Lord’s. But this England team have unshakable belief in their batting lineup, and boldly believe they can chase literally any target.
They’ll put that to the Test.
And they’ve started off with a slice of luck as Ben Duckett fends at a wider one off Mitchell Starc’s first over and it flies high and wide of Cameron Green in the gully.
Green extends, and gets a hand to the chance, but it is just wide enough for the elite fielder to be unable haul in another spectacular catch.
“There’s not too many that slip through those fingers,” says Ricky Ponting.
1.35AM: GREAT’S EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE AFTER LYON HEROICS
Australian Test great Mark Taylor has paid tribute to Nathan Lyon after the injured spinner ignored his injured calf to put his body on the line at Lord’s.
Not expected to feature again this series, due to a calf injury that could sideline him for months rather than weeks, Lyon limped out to the middle for a 15-run final wicket partnership with Mitchell Starc.
He did it in the face of aggressive short-pitched bowling from England, at one point pulling Stuart Broad to the midwicket boundary.
His hobbling efforts confused everyone. What was the point, asked former England captain Eoin Morgan.
Taylor gave the answer to that one.
“It makes you feel so proud, actually,” Taylor said.
“Well done to the England cricket fans. They’re all on their feet here, I’m sure partly to praise their own side, but they love seeing courage, they like seeing bravery.
“That’s what you saw from Nathan Lyon.
“To face short, fast bowling, in a cauldron like this, stand up and play the way he did, just for the team, was a great example for Australian cricket.”
1.20AM: ALL OUT! LYON HELPS AUSTRALIA SET 371 TARGET
This is has been truly bizarre. And I can’t tell if it is the dumbest or greatest thing that could’ve happened today.
It’s possibly both.
Nathan Lyon can’t walk. He certainly can’t run for singles – the one he attempted almost came by accident on a shot he thought Mitchell Starc had hit for six, and resulted in Lyon seemingly aggravating the calf injury suffered on day two.
Starc is playing one of the finest 15 you’ll ever see – thumping England’s bowlers to the boundary, but it came to almost nothing as Ben Stokes had loaded the boundary with fielders, and there was no chance of a single being run.
The Lord’s crowd booed at every denied single, Lyon leaning on his bat for support at the non-striker’s end.
Until, of course, Lyon swivelled on his good leg and pulled Stuart Broad for four to spark the Australian fans into action.
When he eventually fell, for four, he’d added 15 crucial runs with Starc, giving England a record target of 371 to chase at Lord’s.
1.05AM: ‘CAREER ON THE LINE’: LYON’S INSANE BRAVERY STUNS
Nathan Lyon is a man in incredible pain right now – but is he doing potentially career-threatening damage?
Lyon, battling on with a serious calf injury, has managed to walk through a single after Mitchell Starc comes close to hitting a six.
But at what cost? Lyon just manages to get to the other end of the wicket, hopping on one leg, before dropping to his haunches as the severity of his calf injury sets in.
The camera immediately cut to Pat Cummins on the Australian balcony, the skipper with his head in his hands at his star bowler collapsing in pain.
“This just seems foolhardy to me,” says former England captain Andrew Strauss.
“This is a guy’s career potentially on the line here.”
12.50AM: WICKET! HAZLEWOOD DEPARTS, LYON BATS
There’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity, and it looks like Nathan Lyon is preparing to straddle it.
Despite suffering a calf injury that is set to rule him out of the rest of the series – and that has reduced him to crutches the past two days – Lyon is padded up, and prepared to bat for his country.
For fear of being timed out, once the next wicket falls, Lyon has already made his way to the famous Lord’s Long Room – already having limped down the stairs from the Australian dressing room.
To what end, you might ask… He’s not going to be able to run quick singles. Or any singles.
But here we are. He hobbles to the middle, after Josh Hazlewood chips a Ben Stokes delivery to short leg.
Australia lead by 355.
Standing ovation for Nathan Lyon.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 1, 2023
He was in crutches, can't walk but still came to bat. pic.twitter.com/AO2nO9xUTM
12.43AM: WICKET! CUMMINS FALLS TO…. A BOUNCER
For the second time this innings, Pat Cummins falls to a bouncer – but this time, it’s a legal delivery.
Stuart Broad has a third as he has Cummins fending a delivery to Ben Duckett at gully.
Cummins added 11, pushing Australia’s lead past 350. Is that enough? We may soon find out.
12.30AM: CUMMINS SURVIVES AFTER NO-BALL WICKET
The short ball does it again – with Pat Cummins top-edging a hook to Harry Brook at point, but he earns a reprieve as Ben Stokes has overstepped the mark.
Stokes knew it immediately, too, turning back to the umpire before even celebrating.
He’s in his 10th over, Stokes, and he looks absolutely spent.
Australia’s lead is up to 349, meaning it has passed the previous highest successful run chase at Lord’s.
Whatever number they land on today will be a record target for England.
12.15AM: WICKET! CAREY GOES TO ANOTHER BOUNCER
Two wickets in quick succession for England, both coming from bouncers and both to Ollie Robinson.
Carey’s 73 ball – and 21-run – innings is ended by a bouncer angled in at the ribs, which he pops up to Joe Root at bat pad.
Australia’s lead has crept along to 333.
And possibly only two wickets to come for England, with Nathan Lyon no guarantee to bat with his calf injury.
“Australia have themselves in a little bit of a precarious position at the moment,” says Aaron Finch.
MIDNIGHT: A WICKET! ENGLAND WIN THE STARING CONTEST
After what can only be described as one of the most boring hours of Test cricket you will ever see, Cameron Green falls right before the drinks break.
England’s short-ball approach, and Australia’s unwillingness to engage in hook and pull shots, had put the match into something of a stalemate. Just 17 runs were scored in the hour after lunch as England’s bowlers banged it in short, and Green and Alex Carey ducked and weaved.
But Green’s patience wore thin, and Ollie Robinson wins the staring contest – as the Australian jumps into a short ball, and hooks to deep midwicket where Ben Duckett is patiently waiting on the fence.
Green departs for a painstaking 18 from 67, and Australia are 6-237…. A lead of 330.
Will that wicket, which exposes the Australian tail, be enough for England to consider the new ball? Or will the bounce-happy bowling continue?
11.45PM: NEW BALL DUE, AND IGNORED, AS BOUNCERS CONTINUE
England have been offered the new ball, and knocked it back – an indication that they are sticking to bouncers, rather than trying their luck with the new ball and the swing it could provide.
As England will remember from the first Test, the new ball can bring runs just as much as it can bring wickets – a matter Nasser Hussain believes has captain Ben Stokes worried.
“Towards the end, he was wary of taking the new ball at Edgbaston because he knew it was going to go around the park and it did,” Hussain said.
“He’s wary here. The lead is 329. For once he’s also worried about runs.”
The short ball remains an effective strategy in making the Australians uncomfortable, however.
Cameron Green has been collected on the badge of his helmet from a Stokes bouncer. He doesn’t seem terribly worried about it, and smiles through a concussion test with the team physio, before getting a replacement helmet and resuming.
11.30PM: PRESSURE ON ENGLAND’S BOWLERS
An underrated aspect of Australia’s patient (dour?) approach at the crease, and their willingness to occupy time as opposed to score rapid runs, will be the impact it has on England’s bowlers.
For the fourth straight innings, Australia’s innings has passed the 80th over – in contrast to England, who have yet to reach that mark this series.
In addition to the relentless short-ball strategy – the most physically draining, for a fast bowler – it has placed an enormous workload on England’s quicks.
Without a clear frontline spinner, after Jack Leach’s series-ending injury before the Ashes, the seam bowlers have been asked to shoulder the bulk of the work.
That’s a tough ask for 40-year-old Jimmy Anderson and fellow veteran Stuart Broad, especially so with a short turnaround before the third Test, which starts on Wednesday.
11.10PM: WHAT SORT OF TARGET WILL AUSTRALIA BE SEEKING?
A big session looms, tactically as much as anything else.
There are five sessions still to play, with all results still on the table given how quickly England can score.
Australia will be wary of that, knowing that scoring a scoring rate of 5 or even 6 an over for England is not out of the question in the Bazball era.
Australia currently lead by 314, and would generally like to have four sessions to take the England’s 10 second-innings wickets.
And, of course, Australia will be a bowler short with Nathan Lyon sidelined with a calf injury.
But how many runs would they feel comfortable leaving England to chase in four sessions?
The highest successful runchase at Lord’s was the West Indies’ 1-344 in 1984, but no others above 300.
England chased down 279, with five wickets to spare, against New Zealand last year, and did similar in 2004 when they ran down a target of 282.
10.45PM: ‘BATTLELINES DRAWN’ IN ASHES BODYLINE BATTLE
The revival of Bodyline tactics in the second Ashes Test have divided the cricket world – and the commentary box – as Australia and England wrestle with the controversial short-pitched strategy.
Australia unsettled England with a bouncer barrage that rumbled the hosts in their first innings capitulation, and Stuart Broad and Josh Tongue returned fire on day four, triggering a collapse of 3-10 that captured the wickets of Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and Travis Head.
It stifled Australia’s runscoring, and brought England back into the contest, but it wasn’t to everyone’s taste.
Legendary Australian Test captain Mark Taylor was first to call out the tactic.
“The concern the game has is if the pitches are slow, like this and fairly good for batting, this is how the players are going to play the game,” he said.
“So as soon as the ball gets a little bit older, not the swing or the seam there, they’re going to revert to just bowling short.
It’s not going to be a great game to watch. You don’t mind seeing it for a short period but the last thing you would want is this to become the norm and we see hours and hours of this.”
It was suggested that the battle lines had now been drawn for the rest of the series, but again that was a strategy that didn’t sit entirely comfortably with former England white-ball captain Eoin Morgan.
“I must admit it I don’t like it. I don’t like watching it, I find it somewhat tedious, because it’s all so predictable, isn’t it?” Morgan said.
“You know where the ball is going to be before the bowler bowls it, you know where the ball will go before he hit hits the shot.
“I find it too one-dimensional for my liking. But that doesn’t mean it’s not effective.”
Former England skipper Nasser Hussain suggested it would be a tactic that would hang around this series, and speculated batsmen are already preparing for it.
“Every batter would be heading to the nets before every Test match day having a little practice against the short ball,” he said.
“They’re all working now not on the forward defence but also on the short stuff.”
LUNCH: AUSTRALIA BUILD LEAD AMID BODYLINE DEBATE
A fascinating session that seemed to be trundling along before England reverted to the fearsome short-pitched Bodyline tactic that triggered a 3-10 collapse.
Usman Khawaja (77), Steve Smith (34) and Travis Head (7) all fell to bouncers in quick succession, sparking debate about the merits of the tactic.
Stuart Broad picked up the scalps of Khawaja and Head, while youngster Josh Tongue drew a mistimed hook from Smith.
Former Australian Test captain Mark Taylor is certainly not a fan of it, arguing it does not produce good cricket – and isn’t one for the fans.
But it worked for England, who arrested Australia’s seemingly relentless charge on day four.
Despite the collapse, Australia still managed to extend their lead to 313 after the first session, with the unbeaten Alex Carey (10) and Cameron Green (15) steering Australia to lunch.
10.05PM: AUSSIES SETTLE BEFORE LUNCH
After the Broad-Tongue bounce barrage, Australia took a few blows – and lost a few wickets.
But that tactic takes a lot out of your bowlers, and England have brought back 40-year-old Jimmy Anderson, for whom the sustained short-pitch strategy is not compatible.
His return results in Alex Carey taking the shackles off a touch, in a partnership that had provided 5 runs from 3 overs, he hits a boundary down the ground off a length ball from Anderson.
The veteran responds with three bouncers.
Australia lead by 299.
9.50PM: WICKET! HEAD FALLS TO ROOT SCREAMER
England’s Bodyline tactics have thrown Australia’s innings into disarray, with Travis Head the latest to fall victim.
Stuart Broad lands another pin-point bouncer, and Head fends the ball to the legside – it takes a stunning one-handed catch from Joe Root at bat pad to finish him off.
He scores just 7, and Australia have lost 3-10 in quick time.
Australia are 5-197, with a lead of 288. But England have found some fight, and it’s come in the form of aggressive short-pitched bowling.
9.35PM: KP HITS BACK AT ‘DUMB, BRAINLESS’ CRITICISMS
England’s batsmen have been subjected to all manner of criticism since their first-innings implosion, when the likes of Harry Brook and Joe Root fell to short-pitched bowling.
Despite the bouncer barrage, England ploughed on with their aggressive style and were dismissed in comical fashion, in Brook’s case at the very least.
That wicket drew a mystified look from England great Sir Geoffrey Boycott in the stands, and condemnation that they were “batting without brains” on Twitter.
He was not along in his critique, but after watching Australia’s Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith falling to bouncers in quick succession on Saturday, Kevin Pietersen felt the urge to defend England’s batsmen.
“Is it just the wicket and it is difficult for the batters to face because there isn’t the true bounce? It just looks tough,” Pietersen said.
“You’ve got a guy like Steve Smith who is playing so beautifully, in control of his game and you see the position he gets into.
“He has been able to ride the ball on a few occasions and it has been easy but that delivery kicks off a length, hits the top of his bat and gets caught.
“It is very difficult for the batters. It is not that dumb. It is not that brainless.”
9.25PM: WICKET! SMITH FOLLOWS KHAWAJA
Steve Smith has also fallen victim to the short-pitched stuff, lifting a Josh Tongue bouncer down the throat of Zak Crawley.
Smith had handled everything comfortably, but top-edges this latest bouncer – perhaps the extra pace from Tongue his undoing.
Smith is out for 34, and Australia have lost 2 for 3, and the game has turned on its head.
Travis Head should’ve also been out first ball, but for a shocking dropped catch by Jimmy Anderson off his first ball – off a slice to gully that burst through his hands.
Two new batsmen at the crease now, Head and Cameron Green.
9.20PM: WICKET! KHAWAJA BOUNCED OUT
The short-ball system works!
Australia have been peppered with short stuff all morning, and without too many concerns, but Stuart Broad is introduced into the attack and has an impact straight away with a serious of bouncers directed at Usman Khawaja.
He strikes Khawaja on the upper arm to unsettle Australian opener, and follows it up with another accurate bouncer – which Khawaja top-edges to fine leg.
He goes for 77, with Australia’s lead up to 278.
That brings Travis Head to the crease. This could be fireworks.
9.10PM: BAIRSTOW CALAMITY SUMS UP ENGLAND’S WOE
There have been many things that England will regret in this Test – mostly their approach to swinging wildly at the short ball.
But Jonny Bairstow’s selection could be near the top of the list.
His performance behind the stumps will, again, have people talking about whether England have erred in bringing the hard-hitting keeper back in place of the more sure-handed Ben Foakes.
Bairstow batted well in the first Test, but let himself down with key errors with the gloves – and he’s followed that up with some sloppy work at Lord’s, while also struggling with the bat.
And now he’s leaking byes – an unsuspecting victim of England’s short-ball strategy.
Bairstow is finding the short ball harder to deal with than Smith or Khawaja 🤣
— jimbo (@cricketjim1) July 1, 2023
Meanwhile, it’s drinks and Australia have been mostly untroubled in the morning session so far. The sun is out, the ball is doing very little and England are having to bend the back for a bouncer barrage that is not troubling Steve Smith or Usman Khawaja all that much.
Australia have added a further 53 to build their lead to 274, with Khawaja moving to 76 and Steve Smith 31.
8.55PM: SMITH’S ABSURD CIRCUS SHOT
Smith is showing England how to navigate the short ball. And in typical Smith style, he’s doing it in a rather unique fashion, as Australia push their lead well past 250.
Smith backed away from Robinson, trying to clear space for a shot through the offside, but was followed by a bouncer – which produced one of the most bizarre shots you’re likely to see.
A tennis-style swat into the ground, which threw Smith so off balance that he ended up on his backside, did the job. He survives, and even has the chance to practice the shot again… while flat on his back.
It’s a real “you’re probably wondering how I got here” type record-scratch moment.
steve smith 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/uj504MUSc8
— . (@cricandfun) July 1, 2023
Steve Smith practicing a shot while lying flat on his back may end up being my favourite moment from this entire series. #Ashes
— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) July 1, 2023
8.40PM: ENGLAND ADOPT AUSSIE SHORT-BALL PLANS
England fell into the short-ball trap again and again and again in their first innings disaster.
With Steve Smith, unbeaten on 23, starting to find his groove England have turned to the same strategy – putting catchers on the legside and winding up the bouncers.
“Let’s see if Australia gets sucked in like England were,” says Michael Atherton.
“Already I think we’ve seen Australia will have a rather different approach to England. As we saw at the end of the previous over, Khawaja just gently lean and duck out of the way. Smith is doing the same.”
8.20PM: KHAWAJA GETS GOING EARLY
Usman Khawaja has peeled off his first boundary of the morning, moving to 63. Where will it end today?
Certainly he’ll have another century in mind, and will have plenty of time to get there. Australia could be looking at a declaration around tea time, giving themselves a shot at four sessions to bowl England out – while minimising the possibility of a successful runchase.
But to do that, they will need to score some runs early today. Scoring quickly is in the blood for the English, these days. For better or worse.
Australia currently leads by 232 – and without any risk-taking, 400 would certainly be achievable by tea time.
With the sun breaking through, these are the best conditions Australia have enjoyed at the crease for the entire second Test. So it could be time to make hay while the sun shines, for Khawaja and Smith.
8.05PM: MASSIVE DAY AWAITS AUSSIES
A slight delay – and a huge day ahead, for Australia, England and the series as a whole.
Owing to the rain that forced an early finish last night, there are 98.2 overs to be bowled today, and they’ll get every opportunity to do it with elongated sessions and a late finish.
Australia start the day with a 221-run lead, with Usman Khawaja (58) and Steve Smith (6) at the crease – and eight wickets in hand.
They have a firm grip on the game – and, according to Test great Mark Taylor, the series if they get it right today.
“It is a big day for both sides but if Australia win today, and go very close to winning the match and taking a 2-0 lead, they’ll be hard to beat (in the series),” Taylor said.
“England have to win today and win it well.”
7.50PM: LIGHT RAIN MEETS AUSSIES AT LORD’S
What’s the weather like, I hear you ask?
There’s been rain around this morning – but our man on the ground, CODE’s Dan Cherny, has positive news on the start time.
“There’s been very light rain here this morning and the covers are coming off again,” he says.
“Looks like we should still be able to near on time - a five minute delay.”
The first session will go until 1:20pm local time (10.20pm in Australia’s eastern states).
7.30PM: PICTURE SUMS UP ENGLISH FARCE
A picture says a thousand words – and this one of England great Geoffrey Boycott might say even more than that.
One England’s greatest batsmen, and a famously slow scorer, was aghast at Harry Brook’s dismissal on day three.
If the picture didn’t perfectly encapsulate his thoughts, he added on Twitter that England were ‘batting without brains’.
Yes it does, batting without brains. Chatting to my captain Mike Brearley https://t.co/gJMmUEPrbn
— Sir Geoffrey Boycott (@GeoffreyBoycott) June 30, 2023
7.00PM: THE ONLY WINNERS IN BAZBALL’S ‘ENTERTAINMENT’ LIE
It’s the most talked about aspect of the this Ashes series – and the biggest buzz word in the cricket world – but England’s shambolic batting in the second Test, in stark contrast to Australia’s traditional scoring approach, has put the blowtorch on Bazball.
In the wake of England’s first Test defeat, a thrilling two-wicket win to Australia, England’s players were adamant the loss didn’t sting as much as it might’ve in the past because of the joy the match had brought the fans.
But after a day of frustrating, wasteful dismissals and another Usman Khawaja masterclass, the question must be asked: are you still entertained?
“The biggest irony about this is BazBall is now failing it’s primary objective: to entertain,” mused Twitter user Thecricketmen.
“The only people entertained by this are the Australian press and public.”
Writing for the Guardian, respected cricket journalist Jonathan Liew accused England of playing with a ‘self-protective cowardice masquerading as bravery’.
He also suggested the true hero of the series, to date, has been Australia’s first-Test matchwinner Khawaja – whose patient compiling of runs in trying conditions has been the polar opposite of England’s cavalier attitude.
“Bazball’s foundational principle is sound and admirable: that sport is not simply about winning, but style and fun, making memories, leaving a mark. But, you know, maybe try both?” Liew wrote.
“What we are seeing here instead is a kind of nihilism, a self-protective cowardice masquerading as bravery.
“We hear a lot about bravery in the context of this England, but has there been a more courageous cricketer on either side than Usman Khawaja, fearlessly weathering everything England have thrown at him, trusting unswervingly in his technique and his method in alien conditions? Is there not a courage in refusing to be indifferent to the prospect of defeat?
“Lock your heart away and it will never be broken. “We’re in the entertainment business, not the sporting business,” Stokes likes to say, and when you follow that thread to its natural conclusion perhaps this is the result: a team fatally committed to the bit, that has actively begun to seek adversity in order to conquer it. On they roll, swishing and swiping, grinning in their bucket hats, feverishly chasing their next buzz.”
6PM: ENGLAND GREATS TURN ON BAZBALL
England’s commitment to ‘Bazball’ is testing the patience of former players and fans after another careless batting display left their Ashes hopes hanging by a thread.
Captain Ben Stokes and Harry Brook walked out to bat at Lord’s on Friday with the second Test nicely poised despite a chaotic final session the previous evening.
But the home side slumped from 278-4 to 325 all out, giving Australia a precious first-innings lead of 91.
Once again, England were the architects of their own downfall.
Ollie Pope, Ben Duckett and Joe Root all gifted their wickets to Australia, even though the visitors’ short-ball plan was blindingly obvious.
England had a nightmare start on the third day when Stokes, who had played responsibly the previous evening, was dismissed by Mitchell Starc off the second ball.
England, in their previous incarnation - and most sides in Test history - would have taken stock and re-built. But not this team.
Brook, who made 50, threw way his wicket after an ugly swipe to a Starc delivery ended up in the hands of Australia captain Pat Cummins.
“Shocking shot,” former England captain Michael Vaughan told the BBC.
“England clearly like losing. Yesterday they gifted Australia three wickets.
“They arrive on day three, the pitch is doing a bit more. To see that wicket and Australia now know they are bowling to the tail.”
Again England did not learn.
Jonny Bairstow, the last recognised specialist batsman, chipped the ball tamely to Cummins off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood.
Ollie Robinson charged down the track to part-time spinner Travis Head and got an edge. Stuart Broad missed a sweep against the same bowler.
Alastair Cook, who skippered England to two Ashes series wins, said there was “a sense of shock around the ground”.
“We keep going back to that spell, how precious Test match runs and sessions are,” he said.
“We’ve all watched enough cricket, when you get in positions, it is so precious and you have to realise how precious that is and treasure it.”
Originally published as Ashes 2023: Nathan Lyon lashes out at Kevin Pietersen over concussion substitute theory
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