Aussies ‘played some good cricket’
LONDON: Australia captain Michael Clarke said he could not have asked for a better performance from his team following their 405-run mauling of England in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s yesterday.
“The intent from our batsmen through the second innings was great and the execution from the bowlers was spot on,” he said at the presentation ceremony.”
Australia surprisingly lost the first Test in Cardiff by 169 runs, but stormed back to level the five-Test series at 1-1.
“We didn't really talk too much about Cardiff,” Clarke said. “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.”
Australia made two changes to their side after the Cardiff loss, bringing in all-rounder Mitchell Marsh for out-of-form Shane Watson and wicketkeeper Peter Nevill for Brad Haddin, who withrew for personal reasons.
“Mitchell Marsh
played really well,” Clarke said.
“He showed how much of a team player he is. He took two crucial wickets in the first innings. Credit to the selectors for going with their gut. It was hard on Watto (Watson), but the selectors have to work out the best 11 for each game.”
England captain Alastair Cook did not try to hide his disappointment at failing to build on the stirring win in the first Test. “To not back up our win at Cardiff is incredibly frustrating,” he said.
“Credit to Australia, they put us under pressure and we weren’t able to deal with it,” he added. “We didn’t bowl with the same discipline and control. Over the last few games, we have been three down for 40-odd and that is an area of concern.
“We have to take this on the chin. Now it’s about the character we need to show to bounce back. We came up short this week.”
Cook said the problem was not with England’s batting order.
“I don’t think it’s about where people bat, it’s down to the players, they just have to get stuck in,” he said.
“You’ve seen over the last eight days that the side which gets on top stays on top. Credit to Australia for getting ahead of the game and never letting us back in.”
Cook denied asking the Lord’s groundsman to prepare a flat lifeless pitch to negate the threat of the Australian pace bowlers. “We haven’t asked for wickets to be like this, we want good English wickets with a little bit in them,” he said.
After setting the hosts 509 for victory, the Australian pace attack carved through the top order to leave England in tatters on 64/5 at tea on the fourth day.
Adam Lyth (7), Cook (11) and Gary Ballance (14) edged catches to wicket-keeper Nevill to put the hosts in deep trouble at 42/3.
Ian Bell, on 11, was caught off bat and pad by substitute fielder Shaun Marsh at short leg, and Ben Stokes was run out for a duck in schoolboy fashion, failing to run his bat into the crease and beaten by Johnson’s direct hit.
Mitchell Johnson removed Jos Buttler for 11 with the first ball after tea, and Moeen Ali for a duck in the same over.
Stuart Broad clubbed a few boundaries to get to 25 before swatting Lyon straight to Adam Voges at extra cover.
Joe Root, on 17, was bowled by Josh Hazlewood, the ball keeping low and jagging back, and the tall pace bowler repeated the trick to dismiss James Anderson for a duck and spark wild celebrations from the jubilant Australians.
The touring side had declared on 254/2 after piling up 146 runs in the morning at the home of cricket.
The third Test at Edgbaston starts on July 29. – Reuters