THE GAME CHANGER
Yes the Lord’s Test ended in a draw, but newcomer Archer has given England the momentum and mindset to win the series
Everything has changed now. the whole dynamic of this Ashes is different because the remarkable Jofra Archer has transformed the biggest series of them all.
yes, the second test at Lord’s was drawn yesterday and, yes, Archer only took five wickets in the match. But that tells nothing like the full, thrilling story.
it ended in the Lord’s gloom just before 7.30pm with Australia desperately hanging on for the parity here that just about keeps their advantage intact.
But where england were under huge pressure and had questions to answer after being demolished at ‘Fortress edgbaston’, now they have real hope. they are still one down with three to go and still have big concerns over their batting but there is all to play for.
And that is because of a newcomer who has achieved pretty much the impossible by making a bigger impact here than he did at this famous old ground in that tumultuous World Cup final.
We said before the game this was the most anticipated test debut since Kevin Pietersen took his bow here in the first game of what became the greatest of all Ashes series in 2005. it was not just the scintillating pace and hostility that saw Archer force Steve Smith to withdraw with delayed concussion after one of the great fast bowling spells on Saturday and then hit his replacement Marcus Labuschagne in the head yesterday second ball.
it was also the tone Archer set that seemed to inspire england to their best batting of this series yesterday. they then gave Australia a real scare once Joe root had forced the tourists into an unexpected battle for survival without the best batsman in the world.
A last day that began with england still in danger of going two down and seeing any realistic hope of regaining the Ashes disappear ended with them well on top and looking forward eagerly to the third test that starts at headingley on thursday.
it was their day from the moment news broke that Smith was out after waking up with concussion symptoms — making Australia’s questionable decision to allow him to return to the crease on the fourth day after suffering a sickening blow on the back of the neck from Archer look even more irresponsible.
Smith insisted yesterday he still hoped to return on thursday but surely cricket needs to take head injuries more seriously and he cannot be allowed by Australia to play in Leeds. his likely absence could have the biggest impact of all on this series.
Ben Stokes produced the solidity so lacking in so much of england’s batting before suddenly and quite brilliantly accelerating to reach his seventh test century — allowing root to make a challenging declaration. Australia were set 267 to win in 48 overs.
Stokes combined with Jos Buttler to guide england a long way towards safety, reaching 50 off 106 balls, then he took the attack to Australia in an unbroken partnership of 97 with Jonny Bairstow that saw him race to three figures off only 160 deliveries.
the odds on a final day when 10 more overs were lost to rain were still firmly on a draw. But Archer and his perfect foil Jack Leach, impressing after replacing Moeen Ali, combined to put real pressure on Australia by taking six wickets between them.
none will have been more satisfying than that of David Warner, who is having a truly miserable time on his return to test cricket after the sandpaper scandal. Warner had been dismissed cheaply three times out of three by Stuart Broad in this series and now Archer got in on the act by having him well caught by rory Burns to the first ball he bowled at the opener.
the new superstar of world cricket followed this by sending Usman Khawaja back before providing a warm welcome for the first concussion substitute in test history.
Labuschagne could never have imagined he would be spending his Sunday trying to save the test for Australia, let alone being floored second ball by another brutal Archer bouncer that thudded into his helmet grille and sent him to the ground.
yet he should take great credit not only for jumping straight back up like a boxer shocked to be felled in a heavyweight contest but also for showing resolve and character in going on to a half century that did so much to save his team.
it took a low catch from root at midwicket via a deflection off short leg to dismiss Labuschagne when he swept Leach — but the wicket was not without controversy.
third umpire Joel Wilson, who had a nightmare in the middle at edgbaston, made perhaps his best decision of the series by confirming what was surely a clean catch. this despite the usual problems of foreshortened tv images casting doubt where none really existed.
When captain tim Paine — still struggling to justify his place in this Australian team — fell to a quite stunning diving catch by Joe Denly at midwicket off Archer with seven overs left, england were still in the hunt for an amazing win. But once the umpires decided it was too dark for Archer to continue with four overs remaining the game was pretty much up.
england were left to rue the bad drop by Jason roy which saved travis head at 22. Only roy will have concerns today when england pick their squad for headingley, but the selectors will not want to give up on him just yet. the best thing they could do is swap roy in the order with Denly and give him a better chance at four.
the one thing they have got wrong with hindsight is not putting faith in Archer at edgbaston when he insisted he was fully fit.
As it is, he still has time to win the Ashes for england.