Gone in 37 overs, Australia roar back into Ashes
LONDON: Australia dealt England a humiliating Ashes defeat at Lord’s on Sunday, winning by 405 runs to level the five-match series and deliver a wounding defeat from which England may struggle to recover.
The match ended with more than a day left after Australia dominated every session.
The tourists declared just before lunch on Sunday after a quickfire 254-2 in their second innings to set England a massive 509 runs to win.
It was clear England would struggle, but the team collapsed in ignominious fashion to 103 all out as Australia’s rampant bowling attack exposed serious flaws in England’s batting.
The series is now level 1-1 with three matches to play.
Mitchell Johnson was the standout Australia bowler, taking three wickets in each innings with his fierce, short-pitched deliveries. Set a massive 509 runs to win, England was 64-5 at tea.
The 169-run victory in Cardiff looks a long time ago now to England.
Both of England’s openers were back in the pavilion within half an hour of lunch.
First the hapless Adam Lyth edged a fast delivery from Mitchell Starc to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill in a repeat of his first innings dismissal. Lyth managed 7 runs - 7 more than his first innings dismissal - and England are still struggling to find a successful opening partner for captain Alastair Cook.
Johnson then came on to bowl and Cook wafted his bat at a wide delivery to also be caught behind for 11.
With Starc, Johnson, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh bowling hostile short-pitched sessions, England’s batsmen looked scared and wickets tumbled.
Gary Ballance, his feet trapped inside the crease, was the third wicket for Australia with Marsh’s first delivery. Balance also edged to Nevill, giving the debutant wicketkeeper his third catch of the innings.
Ian Bell is in dreadful form and it showed as he struggled against the pace attack. He was eventually undone by the gen- tle spin of Nathan Lyon, who induced a simple bat-pad catch.
A few minutes later the humiliation was complete when Ben Stokes, who scored 87 in the first innings, was run out for a duck. Stokes did not bother grounding his bat and his foot was in the air as he gained his crease. CLARKE HAILS WIN AGENCIES ADDS: Australia captain Michael Clarke was delighted. “The intent from our batsmen through the second innings was great and the execution from the bowlers was spot on,” he said.
“We didn’t really talk too much about Cardiff. Our focus was playing our best cricket here. We didn’t play our best there, but now we can look in the mirror and say we played some good cricket here.”