England horror show reaches lowest point in Stuart Broad shocker

The Poms suffered through one of their worst days of cricket in recent memory - but this was just absolutely cruel to Stuart Broad.

Stuart Broad reacts after Marnus Labuschagne is given not out. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Honestly, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer bloke.

As Australia went from Ashes life support to having a death-grip on the series, one moment summed up the England horror show that was day three of the Second Test.

The Aussies - who will begin day four 2/130, 221 runs ahead and in a strong position to take a 2-0 lead - were building nicely in their second innings when Stuart Broad started giving Marnus Labuschagne trouble.

Again and again he hit the Aussie No. 3’s pads. Again and again he charged towards the slips cordon, celebrating instead of turning to appeal to the umpire.

And again and again the finger stayed down - and Ben Stokes refused to go upstairs.

The first couple of times the England skipper was proven correct in ignoring his theatrical fast bowler’s pleas. Broad’s balls were missing. The big fella needed to chill.

But then came the cruel twist. With Labuschagne on 16, replays showed another Broad delivery that Labuschagne, the umpire and Stokes all missed would have crashed into leg stump.

Former England skipper Nasser Hussain couldn’t help but laugh in commentary as the harsh reality was relayed to Broad on the field.

England failed to review this decision, when Stuart Broad had trapped Marnus Labuschagne LBW. Picture: Channel 9

But while the English bowlers could feel unlucky as they only managed to claim two Australian wickets, their batters were hanging their heads in shame - or at least they should have been - after another calamitous display.

Much like England did on day two, Australia ran through the English tail in the first session, knocking the Poms over for 325 to take a 91-run first innings lead.

After England’s top four were accused of throwing away their wickets while reaching 4/278, there were more questionable shots from Harry Brook, Jonny Bairstow and Ollie Robinson that cost the Poms dearly - and saw the cricket world erupt.

“England have batted abysmally from the time that Nathan Lyon went off yesterday,” SEN commentator Adam Collins said.

“Such a daft effort .... (England) had two genuine chances to seriously hurt Australia’s attack and botched them both for no logical reason.”

Bazball is a vibe. It's a movement. It's dappled light through the autumn trees on a sunny day. It's scoring fewer runs than the opposition and looking like pure shit while doing it

— Dave (@Mesut_Ausil) June 30, 2023

Australia is now looking to build an imposing target, knowing it will have to take 10 wickets without Lyon, who has been ruled out of the match with a calf injury.

2.45am - Play abandoned

We’ve run out of time for any more cricket today. The umpires have decided the rain isn’t going away.

2.10am - Rain stops play

Stumps haven’t been called yet but a bit of drizzle and poor light has forced the players off the field.

Anymore play looks unlikely with Australia 2/130 and enjoying a lead of 221 runs. Usman Khawaja is 58 not out and Steve Smith on six.

1.45am - England horror show reaches lowest point

If there was a moment that summed up England’s day it was late in the third session when Stuart Broad trapped Marnus Labuschagne LBW but the umpire kept his finger down and Ben Stokes opted not to review.

Replays showed the ball crashing into leg stump, a bitter blow for Broad but one Aussie cricket fans enjoyed given his slightly annoying style of appealing.

The English quick has a habit of charging towards the slips cordon instead of turning to appeal to the umpire as if there’s no doubt about the decision.

He had already pleaded desperately with Stokes to review two earlier non-calls - that were both shown to be not out on replay.

But this one was and it was arguably the low point of a horror day for the home side.

Labuschagne was 16 at the time and it only cost England 14 runs as Jimmy Anderson finally broke through to remove the Aussie for 30.

Labuschagne steered a ball straight to Harry Brook at backward point to leave Australia 2/123.

12.05am - Warner the first to go

Another start for David Warner - and another missed opportunity.

To be fair to the Aussie opener surviving 24 overs of impressive English bowling in tough conditions was a valuable contribution.

But he’s now had scores of 43, one, nine, 36, 66 and 25 on this tour and is still waiting for a big breakthrough knock.

Josh Tongue, who continues to impress in this match, trapped Warner in front with a delivery that would have hit leg stump.

It left Australia 1/63 with a lead of 154 runs.

Valuable opening stands of 73 and 63 for Khawaja and Warner in some of the toughest batting conditions of the match #Ashes

— Daniel Brettig 🏏 (@danbrettig) June 30, 2023

Most balls faced by an Australian opening pair for 1st wicket partnerships in both innings of a test in England:
320: Hayden & Langer, Oval 2005
284: Warner & Khawaja, Lord's 2023
282: Katich & Watson, Oval 2009#TestCricket#Bazball#Ashes#Ashes2023#ENGvAUS#ENGvsAUS#Warner

— Eye of Sauron (@cricketsauron) June 30, 2023

11.20pm — Australia survive testing first hour

After an exciting morning where Australia tore England’s heart out, Australia are playing sensible Test cricket.

While it’s not as swashbuckling as the Poms’ style, Australia scored 47 runs from the first 20 overs in difficult conditions for batting.

England has really bowled well under the cloud cover as the ball moves about but, like early in Australia’s first innings, hasn’t been rewarded for its effort.

Usman Khawaja was given a life when he cracked one straight at Jimmy Anderson at midwicket and the English bowler saw it too late to have any chance.

England have failed to take a wicket inside the opening 20 overs in both innings in this Test match.

The last time this happened in England was at Headingley in 2012 against South Africa. #EngvAus#Ashes2023

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) June 30, 2023

9.30pm — England collapse in spectacular fashion

Australia will lead by 91 heading into the second innings after England capitulated.

Starting the day at 4/278, England collapsed to 325 all out.

Travis Head claimed the wickets of Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson with his offspinners, while Pat Cummins cleaned up the tail.

The last three wickets fell for one run and it was 6/47 in the morning session.

9.06pm — There goes another one

Jonny Bairstow is out after Josh Hazlewood stuck two balls after drinks.

Bairstow just chipped a ball straight to Pat Cummins and England have now lost 3/33 and now need the tail to get the side closer to Australia.

It’s a massive turn around as England were only four down.

8.45pm — Ricky Ponting does it again

Ricky Ponting has once again pulled out the crystal ball and absolutely nailed Australia’s best chance at getting wickets well before the Aussies struck.

At the start of England’s innings when Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett started piling on the runs with Australia trying to pitch it up to use what swing was on offer, Ponting the Oracle re-emerged when he called for his countrymen to bowl short.

“Just talking about its lack of short balls that the Australians have used so far, they are trying to pitch it up and make the use of this new ball and use whatever seam movement in the surface,” Ponting said at the time.

“I still think every now and then you have to try to set up your full-length deliveries. What I mean by that using your short ball early in the over and sit the batsman back in his crease. Just get him thinking about the bouncer.

“The other thing about Crawley, you know that he will take it on. Deep square is now back potentially looking at bowling the short ball or attacking his stumps full.”

While Crawley was eventually stumped by Alex Carey off Nathan Lyon, Australia’s bowlers short ball barrage has turned the game once again.

By stumps, Ben Duckett for 98, Ollie Pope for 42 and then Joe Root for 10 all fell to short balls.

On day three, Australia struck twice early with Harry Brook slapping a short ball to Pat Cummins at cover.

When did Bazball become a licence to do dumb stuff?! Surely, there’s still an element of attrition left in Test match batting. #Ashes

— Andrew Wu (@wutube) June 30, 2023

Ricky Ponting has called it yet again. Perfectly directed short ball by Starc, but more brainless batting by England when you can tire the bowlers with no Lyon available. Playing right into Australia's hands.#Ashes

— CricBlog ✍ (@cric_blog) June 30, 2023

8.38pm — Starc strikes again

Harry Brook is back in the pavilion just after scoring his 50.

Australia’s short ball barrage claimed another victim as Brook slapped a ball to Pat Cummins as England have lost 2/15 to start the day.

Michael Atherton said that if England continued to play these shots, “they should expect quite the barrage” for the rest of the series.

8.23pm — Lyon’s series may not be over

Nathan Lyon’s injury may not be as bad as first thought.

The Aussie offspinner has not suffered a tear as Cricket Australia released a statement.

“Nathan has been diagnosed with a significant calf strain. He will require a period of rehabilitation after this match is concluded. A decision regarding his availability for the remainder of the series will be made at the conclusion of the game,” the statement read.

But with this Test in day three and seemingly `all but certain to go five days, it doesn’t leave much time with four days between games as the third Test starts on July 6 at Headingley.

8.03pm — Hell of a start from Starc

It’s taken just two balls on day three for Australia to strike with Mitchell Starc getting Ben Stokes caught in the corden.

Stokes was looking to turn the ball onto the leg side but a leading edge saw it go to Cameron Green in the gully.

What a start for Australia and Stokes is out for 17.

7.10pm — Horror news Australia doesn’t want to hear

It may be worse than the Glenn McGrath moment. Photo: Twitter and Getty

Australia is waiting on scans for Lyon’s injury but team doctor Peter Brukner isn’t confident.

“He’s basically out of the Ashes, I’d think,” Brukner told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“I don’t think we’ll see him again this series. It’s a disaster.

“It clearly was quite a severe one from the amount of disability he had straight away. It’s probably a pretty significant injury, I’d think.

“The likelihood is it’s a significant muscle tear of the gastrocnemius – the bulky calf muscle. “That will be associated with a significant amount of bleeding.”

6.45pm — Ashes history repeats in disastrous fashion

Just when everything seems to be going well, there’s always a fall around the corner.

Day one was Australia’s day but not much went right for the visitors on day two.

Although they hit 416 all out in their first innings, Australia lost 5-77 in the morning session.

England then teed off, getting to 4/278 by stumps.

And it got worse for Australia when in his 100th consecutive Test, Nathan Lyon went down with a calf injury.

Former Aussie captain Mark Taylor was concerned it could be a series-ending injury for the spinner and he was seen on crutches before the game.

The Australians have arrived 80 minutes before play as Nathan Lyon struggles with his team mates on crutches following his calf injury yesterday. @SEN_Cricketpic.twitter.com/a1lRWLIofm

— Adam White (@White_Adam) June 30, 2023

It’s all too familiar scenes. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

While Australia has Lyon’s heir apparent in Todd Murphy warming the bench, he’s not yet the proven matchwinner Lyon has been and can’t play the remainder of the match.

But as Lyon went down with the injury, social media was awash with comparisons to Glenn McGrath in the 2005 Ashes when the big quick stepped on a stray ball during warm up before the second Test.

McGrath tore ankle ligaments to miss the second Test of that series, before playing in his third, although returned his worst ever Test figures in the first innings, before taking a five-for in the second innings.

He then missed the fourth Test with an elbow injury before returning for the fifth, as England claimed a 2-1 series win and ended the 18 year drought.

That was the first series Australia had lost since 1986-87 — a run of eight straight Aussie series victories.

Steve Smith admitted after play that Lyon’s injury “is not looking good — hopefully I won’t have to bowl too much.”

Australia had won the first test in 2005 as well. Photo by Tom Shaw/Getty Images

Social media was calling Lyon’s injury “a Glenn McGrath moment” and has made Aussie fans nervous.

Journalist Mark Gottlieb tweeted: “Nathan Lyon popping his calf is giving me some real ‘Glenn McGrath steps on a cricket ball’ vibes. I’m feeling very nervous right now.”

The Daily Mail’s Lawrence Booth said: “There were shades of Glenn McGrath’s 2005 injury as lethal Nathan Lyon limped away … the Aussie spinner gives crucial control to their attack and his loss could be HUGE.”

DJ Trevor Nelson said: “Nathan Lyon just helped off the pitch with a calf injury is like when Glenn McGrath got injured years ago in the ashes. Could be a massive game changer. I’m going to Lords on Saturday. Can’t wait.”

The Age’s Andrew Wu commented: “We saw the 2005 Ashes series turn on Glenn McGrath’s ankle. Could the 2023 series have turned on Nathan Lyon’s calf? Haven’t ever seen him in such physical or emotional distress. The bitter irony of it happening in his 100th consecutive Test.”