Australia hold firm to grab a draw in Ashes second Test
Australia retained their 1- 0 lead in the Ashes series against England after the thrilling second Test match at Lord’s ended in a draw yesterday.
Ben Stokes made a brilliant century and England declared on 258-5 before Jofra Archer claimed two early wickets to give the hosts the sniff of an unlikely victory. But Marnus Labuschagne, replacing Steve Smith as Test cricket’s first substitute, made 59 and Travis Head an unbeaten 42 to lead the Australians to safety and keep them 1-0 up in the series.
Smith was ruled out of the final day suffering from concussion after being struck on the neck by an Archer bouncer on Saturday and Labuschagne was hit on the helmet by the second ball he faced from the Barbados-born fast bowler.
Labuschagne, 25, was able to continue batting, however, showing courage and composure under intense pressure to reach his second Test fifty in his sixth match. Stokes scored 115 not out, hitting three sixes and 11 fours, as the hosts added 162 runs to their overnight score to give themselves a chance of levelling the series.
After resuming on 96-4 following another rain delay, Stokes and Jos Buttler dug in to take England to 157-4 at lunch.
Buttler fell for 31 but Stokes went on the attack and brought up his seventh Test century, adding a quickfire 97 with Jonny Bairstow who finished unbeaten on 30.
Archer removed David Warner and Usman Khawaja to continue his fine Test debut as England reduced Australia to 46-2 at tea. When spinner Jack Leach trapped Cameron Bancroft lbw for 16 England sensed the chance of pressing for victory but with Archer tiring they struggled to cause problems for the batsmen.
Labuschagne was caught by Joe Root off Leach, the England captain diving forward to clutch the ball before a lengthy video review to confirm it had not touched the ground.
Matthew Wade tamely prodded the first ball of Leach’s next over to Buttler at short leg but captain Tim Paine survived the hat-trick delivery.
Paine pulled Archer towards square leg and Joe Denly produced an astonishing one-handed catch, leaping to his left, to leave England needing four wickets in seven overs.