England look to talisman Stokes as Australia fume over Starc 'catch'
We need another miracle, Ben! England look to talismanic captain Stokes – as Glenn McGrath brands decision to overturn Mitchell Starc’s ‘catch’ a ‘DISGRACE’
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England are praying for another Ben Stokes miracle at Lord’s today – four years after his Headingley heroics.
The hosts closed the fourth day of the second Test on 114 for four, needing an England record 371 to win and stop Australia going 2-0 up, with captain Stokes unbeaten on 29.
England had been left reeling on 45 for four by Australia’s quicks before Stokes and Ben Duckett guided them to stumps, with Duckett controversially recalled late on after the umpires adjudged that Mitchell Starc had grounded a boundary catch.
Former Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath branded the decision ‘a disgrace’.
In the third Ashes Test at Headingley in 2019, England entered the decisive day on 153 for three with Stokes at the crease – and he went on to score 135 as they famously chased 359 to win by one wicket.
Ben Stokes will lead England’s almighty fightback from the crease after a crazy fourth day
Mitchell Starc’s ‘catch’ to get out Ben Duckett was sensationally overturned by third umpire
After stumps, the umpire team were swarmed by the visitors as boos rang out across Lord’s
‘There is always hope when Ben is there,’ said England batting coach Marcus Trescothick.
‘If we can get a good start and someone can get a big score, we will definitely be challenging to knock this score off.’
Controversy around Duckett’s recall added late drama. Starc caught a top edge but scraped the ball along the ground as he landed.
But Australia legend McGrath blasted: ‘That is the biggest load of rubbish that I’ve ever seen. If that’s not out, every catch I’ve ever seen taken should not be out.
‘That is a disgrace. I’ve seen everything. That is ridiculous. If that’s England taking that catch, that is out!’
Asked about Duckett’s late reprieve, Trescothick compared the impact of technology in cricket to VAR. ‘It’s the same situation with VAR in football, which we all know is a difficult one,’ he said. ‘It’s understanding the rules and seeing a different part to it.
‘At the time, you see the clean catch and it looks ok and there’s no issue but then you put the technology on and you see the ball along the floor and you start to question it. It’s part of the game. We know technology is there. Let’s trust in the process.’
Duckett – who reached a half-century just before the controversy – had to wait on the field for the decision to be made
Law 33.3 states that ‘the act of making a catch shall start from the time when the ball first comes into contact with a fielder’s person and shall end when a fielder obtains complete control over both the ball and his/her own movement’.
Trescothick insisted that despite losing four wickets in the final session, the England dressing room still believes. ‘We know the history don’t we? We’ve talked about it many times. Headingley and other occasions where he’s (Ben’s) been the stalwart of the innings and holding it together,’ said Trescothick.
‘So while Ben Stokes is there, us in the England changing room along with the rest of guys like Jonny Bairstow, Ben Duckett and the tailenders know that we’ve still got a chance.’
West Indies will not feature in a World Cup for the first time after Scotland stunned the two-time champions with a seven-wicket win in a qualifying Super Six contest in Harare yesterday.
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