Ben Stokes heroics in vain as Australia beat England in Ashes thriller at Lord's
Ben Stokes’ heroic 155 was in vain as Australia clinched a thrilling and controversial win over England in the second Test at Lord’s to take a commanding lead in the Ashes.
After England slipped to 193-6 in pursuit of 371, Stokes threatened to produce another miracle to rival Headingley 2019 as he smashed nine fours and nine sixes in a stunning century.
A partnership worth 108 with Stuart Broad took England to within 69 runs of an astonishing victory but Stokes, who was dropped three times, was finally removed by Josh Hazlewood.
England lost their last four wickets for just 26 runs and will rue a controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow earlier in the day, with the wicketkeeper stumped off a pace bowler as he dozily strolled out the crease.
The incident sparked boos that would remain throughout the day but Australia held their nerve at a raucous Lord’s, eventually winning by 43 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Only one team in history has come from 2-0 down to win the Ashes, meaning England have a mountain to climb ahead of the third Test, which starts on Thursday at Headingley.
World Test champions Australia, meanwhile, are on the verge of retaining the Ashes and winning a Test series in England for the first time since 2001.
Needing another 257 to win at the start of the day with six wickets remaining, England made good progress through Stokes and Ben Duckett, who brought up a 100-run partnership in the opening hour.
Duckett, who made 98 in the first innings, looked on course for a maiden Ashes century but got a faint edge on a bouncer on 83 that was caught one-handed by Alex Carey.
Carey was instrumental in Bairstow’s controversial dismissal five overs later, collecting a bouncer and then hitting the stumps with an underarm throw as England’s wicketkeeper left his crease.
England were dismayed by the unusual but legitimate dismissal, with Broad telling Carey he would be ‘remembered forever’ for the incident and Lord’s erupting with chants of ‘same old Aussies, always cheating’.
Regardless of the controversy, England were slipping to defeat at 193-6 but Stokes gave his team fresh hope before lunch, smashing three successive sixes on his way to a 13th Test century.
Australia should have claimed the crucial wicket of Stokes when, for once, he miscued a pull shot but Smith failed to take a fairly routine catch in the deep.
Stokes punished Australia as he hit two sixes in a row off Starc and largely kept Broad off strike, with the pair adding 100 of which Broad contributed just 10.
Australia looked rattled and their plans faced criticism as Stokes brought up his 150 but they finally ended his resistance when he top-edged Hazlewood to Carey.
More short-ball bowling removed Ollie Robinson and Stuart Broad for an admirable 11 from 36 balls, while England’s fate was finally confirmed when Starc bowled Josh Tongue.
More to follow…
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