It is hard to imagine that England hold the upper hand in the game. Australia clearly look dejected but is the England effort being sympathetic of their visitors?
England’s two prolific cricketers in this match, the second Test of the Ashes at Lord’s, Alastair Cook and England captain, Andrew Strauss, returned back to the pavilion and left the job of putting up a huge target for the Australians to two batsmen who are clearly struggling to find the middle of the bat.
Australia frustrated England in the morning’s session before lunch as the sun came out in all his glory, burning away some memories of Australia’s horrendous day in the field on the second day when they found themselves 156 for eight at stumps. The numbers improved greatly after Nathan Haurtiz with twenty-four runs to his name and Peter Siddle with thirty-four runs pushed Australia along to 215. But it still meant that Australia had failed to score the runs to avoid the follow on, trailing by 210 runs.
It was another matter that Strauss decided not to enforce the follow on. Perhaps it was the manner in which the Australians batted on the morning of the third day’s play that Strauss did not want to squander a perfect batting day. Another reason could have been to allow his bowlers to freshen up while chalking up the runs and letting them loose in the fourth innings on a pitch he would hope would deteriorate as soon as England finished batting.
There was some sameness in that England went into lunch at fifty-seven for no loss. But post lunch, the scenario changed significantly as the two openers were cleaned by Nathan Hauritz in successive overs as England were seventy-four for two.
But thereafter started the grind. Kevin Pietersen is going through a tricky patch, where runs are not coming at will. Whether it has to do with his losing his form or because of the Achilles Heel problem he suffered recently, it meant that Pietersen chanced his arm once too often. Only Australia failed to capitalize on his tentativeness.
Ravi Bopara has been getting the stick from Shane Warne, beyond the boundary line. However, matters on the field have not improved significantly for him either. He has been unable to impress upon the Australians in the first Test at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff and now in the second Test at Lord’s thus far. With two batsmen struggling to peddle the run rate at the required anticipation by their team and the crowds, it has meant that England have not been able to rub it into the Australians that the lead was getting insurmountable, even with Australia helping with missed run out opportunities, silly dropped catches by none other than Australian captain, Ricky Ponting himself.
England went into tea at 130 for two, leading by 340 runs but only seventy-three runs in the session between lunch and tea. Australia know England are not running away. But England need to worry the Australians if they are to put them under mental pressure before putting them under pressure with the ball.
Ashes: Russell Crowe Steals the Show Post Tea
Warne Disagrees With Ponting, as does Hauritz
Ashes T 2 Day 2 Stumps: England Have their Hands Around Aussie Necks
Queen At Lord’s, England Reign
Lee, Watson On Road to Recovery, Ponting Needs Replacements
Ashes T 2 Day 2 Lunch and Tea: Rain Halts After Team Trade Wickets
Ashes T 2 Day 1 Stumps: Aus Pick Wickets, Strauss Extends Himself
Ashes T 2 Day 1 Lunch & Tea: Strauss & England on Top, Australia Wayward
Ashes at Lord’s: Warne Resumes his Battle with Bopara
Flintoff Makes Retirement Announcement, Tests Out
Atherton: England Should not Grieve over Andrew “Second Hand Car” Flintoff
Ponting Cries Foul; Umpire Disagrees; Duncan Slams
Boycott Digs into KP, Calls him “Spoilt Child”
Flintoff, Monty in Trouble, Harmison and Onions vie for Spot, Aussies Unsympathetic
Ashes T1 day 5: England Complete a Houdini, Draw with Australia
