Moeen Ali achieves unique all-round landmark in Tests

England’s all-rounder Moeen Ali on Thursday, amassed a major milestone in Test cricket as he became just the fourth Englishman to 3,000 runs and 200 wickets in the longest format.

Moeen Ali’s 3000th run came on the second day of the ongoing fourth Ashes Test while he had completed his 200 wickets in the format in England’s three-wicket victory over Australia in the third Test.

Coming out to bat number three after England suffered an early blow in the form of Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali scored a gutsy half-century and anchored the innings.

He put on a vital 121-run partnership for the second with England’s first-innings hero Zak Crawley before Mitchell Starc finally got rid of him.

Moeen Ali scored 54 from 82 balls and smashed seven boundaries.

His 54-run knock took him past the 3000 Test runs mark and on to a total of 3,031 runs at an average of 28.06. He has scored 15 half-centuries and five centuries in Tests.

Notably, Moeen Ali became just the fourth English all-rounder to accomplish a double of 3,000 runs and 200 wickets in Tests.

He joined Ian Botham 5,200 runs and 383 wickets in 102 Tests), Andre Flintoff (3,845 runs and 226 wickets in 79 Tests) and Stuart Broad (3,640 runs and 600 wickets in 166 Tests).

In the must-win fourth Ashes Test, England booked Australia on 317 after putting the touring side into bat first.

Resuming at an overnight score of 299/8, Australia could add 13 runs for the remaining two wickets as Chris Woakes and James Anderson ran through their tail.

Woakes led the England bowling attack with a five-for, followed by Stuart Broad‘s 2/68.

In response, Zak Crawley’s super-charged 189 powered England to 384/4 at stumps on Day 2.

The right-handed opener spearheaded England’s run spree with a scintillating knock which featured 21 boundaries and three sixes.

He shared a monumental partnership of 206 runs in just 29 overs with Joe Root, who scored a brilliant 84.

At the close, Harry Brook was unbeaten on 14 with England captain Ben Stokes 24 not out.

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Zak Crawley blasts ton as England seize control of fourth Ashes Test

Zak Crawley’s super-charged 189 fuelled a dramatic England run spree on the second day of the must-win fourth Test at Old Trafford as Australia wilted in the face of an Ashes onslaught.

England were 384-4 at stumps on Thursday in reply to the tourists’ first-innings 317, a lead of 67 runs.

The home team, 2-1 down with two matches to play in the five-game series, must win in Manchester to maintain their hopes of regaining the Ashes.

Zak Crawley and Joe Root, who scored 84, shared a breathtaking partnership of 206 runs in just 29 overs.

That stand came after Crawley and Moeen Ali (54) had put on 121 for the second wicket.

At the close, Harry Brook was 14 not out with England captain Ben Stokes 24 not out.

Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have continually backed the inconsistent Crawley since joining forces last year. The Kent opener has become a standard-bearer for England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ style.

“I rode my luck at times but hit some good shots along the way,” Crawley told Sky Sports.

“I do doubt myself at times but I have to say ‘keep being me’. That is the way I play.”

The batter, celebrating his first Ashes century, added: “They (Stokes and McCullum) tell me to go out and have an impact. Sometimes I am going to have streaks of low scores but thankfully today it came off.”

There was little hint of the flood of runs to come as England reached lunch on 61-1 off 16 overs following the early loss of Ben Duckett.

Yet at tea England were 239-2, having smashed 178 runs in just 25 overs during the second session.

Crawley himself became just the sixth England batsman to score a hundred runs in a session of an Ashes Test as he advanced from 26 to 132.

“We had some clear plans to him (Crawley) but he was too good for us on a wicket like that today,” said Australia assistant coach Daniel Vettori.

“That period when he and Root got together, it was almost all-out attack,” the former New Zealand spinner added.

Zak Crawley extended his fourth hundred in 38 Tests past 150 with two superb straight-driven boundaries off successive deliveries from Australia captain Pat Cummins.

But, in sight of a second Test double century, and with Cummins running out of ideas, Crawley chopped on to all-rounder Cameron Green.

It was the end of a remarkable innings in which the 25-year-old Crawley scored at better than a run-a-ball, facing 182 deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three sixes.

England’s 336-3 became 351-4 when Root was bowled for 84 by a Josh Hazlewood ball that kept exceptionally low.

By contrast, Stokes was then hit on the helmet by a Hazlewood delivery that reared off a length.

Australia’s woes were compounded when Starc, who led their attack with 2-74 from 15 overs, left the field after landing heavily on his left shoulder making a diving stop.

Moeen, in red-ball retirement until the start of this series, earlier became just the fourth England player to complete the Test ‘double’ of 3,000 runs and 200 wickets.

He was caught for 54 by a diving Usman Khawaja from a fierce pull off Starc.

Travis Head’s part-time off-breaks yielded an expensive 0-48 in six overs. Australia had dropped Todd Murphy — the first time in 11 years they had no specialist spinner in a Test side.

In the morning, Australia were bowled out after resuming on 299-8, with none of their batsmen making more than the 51 achieved by both Marnus Labuschagne and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh.

Chris Woakes wrapped up the innings to finish with 5-62 — his first five-wicket Ashes haul.

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Stuart Broad becomes second pacer to take 600 Test wickets

MANCHESTER: Stuart Broad on Wednesday became only the second pacer to amass 600 Test wickets during the fourth Ashes Test against Australia on Wednesday.

Right-arm pacer Broad achieved the milestone when he removed Australia’s Travis Head in the 50th over of Australia’s first innings.

He started the fourth Ashes Test with 598 Test wickets to his name but soon moved to 599 when he removed Usman Khawaja lbw before getting Head caught by Joe Root at the boundary.

“Never in my dreams did I think this would be a thing,” said Broad.

“Michael Vaughan was the skipper that gave me my first cap and my ultimate feeling there in Sri Lanka was never that this was the end game but instead that I wanted to win series and create memories.

“Some players feel like they have achieved what they wanted to after getting a Test cap and I’ve been fortunate enough to create memories. Never did I think I would be up there with the greats of the game.”

Notably, Stuart Broad is only the second pacer to take 600 wickets in Test cricket. His countrymate James Anderson was the first quick to achieve this feat.

Broad is now fifth on the list of highest wicket-taker while Anderson sits well at third.

Sri Lanka’s legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan tops the list with 800 wickets, followed by Shane Warne (708), James Anderson (688) and Anil India’s Anil Kumble (619).

Stuart Broad, 37, is the highest wicket-taker in the ongoing Ashes series with 18 wickets and has performed consistently well for England.

Broad’s 600 wickets have come at an average of 27.57 and consist of 20 five-wicket and three 10-wicket hauls. He has the most number of wickets against Australia (149) in 39 matches.

Australia are currently leading the Ashes 2-1, having won the first two Tests before England made a comeback at Headingley to keep the series alive.

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David Warner retained as Australia unveil Playing XI for fourth Ashes Test

MANCHESTER: Out-of-form opener David Warner managed to retain his spot in Australia’s Playing XI, which did not feature a spinner, for the fourth Ashes Test against England.

David Warner, whose poor record against England pacer Stuart Broad continued in the ongoing Ashes, led by Australia 2-1, managed to retain his place in the team’s lineup.

Warner could score a mere five runs and fell twice against Broad in England’s three-wicket loss in the third Ashes Test.

Furthermore, Stuart Broad has had Warner dismissed 17 times in Tests and, if he does another double over Warner in the fourth Ashes Test, he will equal the record for most dismissals by a bowler against a single batsman at this level, held by Australia great Glenn McGrath, who claimed the wicket of former England captain Mike Atherton 19 times.

Despite the opener’s poor form, Australia captain Pat Cummins confirmed Tuesday that Warner would continue to open alongside Usman Khawaja as his men aim to win the Ashes series in England for the first time since 2001.

Cummins backed his decision by asserting Warner’s role in three fifty-plus partnerships for Australia was crucial for the Ashes holders while expressing his confidence that a big score from him is “just around the corner”.

“Davey didn’t have his best game last week at Headingley but prior to that, I think he’s looked really good –- he’s had three fifty-run partnerships which can be rare over here in England,” Cummins told reporters.

“We back Davey, absolutely. We know how tough it can be to open over here. He’s doing all the right things, he’s shown some great signs and I’m sure a big score is just around the corner,” he added.

Meanwhile, young spinner Todd Murphy, who replaced injured Nathan Lyon in the third Ashes Test, was dropped from the side.

Murphy’s exclusion meant Australia would go into a Test without the services of a frontline spinner for the first time in 11 years.

Cummins further shared that Josh Hazlewood would replace Scott Boland while all-rounder Cameron Green will replace Murphy.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has already unveiled their Playing XI for the must-win fourth Ashes Test, making just one change as their all-time leading wicket-taker James Anderson returned to the hosts’ lineup.

PLAYING XIs

Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Josh Hazlewood.

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

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James Anderson returns to England’s Playing XI for fourth Ashes Test

LONDON: Veteran pacer James Anderson has been recalled to England’s Playing XI for the fourth Ashes Test against Australia.

Experienced pacer James Anderson was added back to England’s Playing XI and replaced Ollie Robinson, who struggled with back spasms in the third Ashes Test at Headingley.

James Anderson, who could pick three wickets in the first two Ashes Tests at 75.33, was short of his best after returning from a groin injury, sustained while playing for Lancashire in the County Championship.

Another key change to England’s lineup was a shuffle to their batting order with Moeen Ali to bat at No. 3.

The spin all-rounder, who reversed his Test retirement for the Ashes, batted at No. 7 in the first innings of the third Test before being promoted to No.3 in the second inning.

The change in Ali’s batting position, enables Harry Brook to bat at his favour spot of No.5.

Although Ali could only make five in his new role but Brook’s 75 in his favoured spot vindicated the move.

Besides Ali’s promotion, England retained the same batting order with Ben Stokes at No.6 with wicketkeeper batter Jonny Bairstow to follow.

“We thought that him coming in at No. 3, he was able to impact the game more than he would be at No. 7,” stated Stokes.

“I just love the fact that Mo is willing to put himself in those situations; that he wants to get out there and help the team in a positive way… Mo going to Baz and saying, ‘I want the opportunity’ is everything that we’re about as a team.”

Ben Stokes-led England are eyeing a miraculous comeback in the Ashes remainder and will have to imitate an 86-year-old record of Don Bradman’s Australian side, which shrugged off the 2-0 deficit to win an Ashes series.

England Playing XI for fourth Ashes Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

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England keep Ashes hopes alive with thrilling third Test win

England kept their Ashes hopes alive on Sunday as Harry Brook made an impressive 75 before the recalled duo of Chris Woakes and Mark Wood completed a thrilling three-wicket win over Australia in the third Test at Headingley.

The hosts’ victory reduced Australia’s lead in the Ashes to 2-1 with two Tests to play.

England were struggling at 171-6 — still needing 80 more runs to reach a target of 251 — after Mitchell Starc had removed skipper Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow in quick succession after lunch on the fourth day of the third Ashes Test.

It was then that Brook was joined by Woakes, playing his first Test since March last year.

But with Australia eyeing a win that would have given them the first Ashes series success in England in 22 years, Brook and Woakes shared a stand of 59 that took the hosts to the brink of victory.

The situation was as much a test of Brook’s sometimes fallible temperament as his undeniable talent. But it was one the 24-year-old, in just his 10th Test, passed for the most part on his Yorkshire home ground.

There was, however, a further twist when Brook fell for 75, skying Starc (5-78) to Australia captain Pat Cummins, who nearly collided with the bowler as he took the catch at mid-off.

England still required 21 to win but fast bowler Wood, fresh from his quickfire 24 in the first innings, got the target down to 12 when he hooked Cummins for six.

Player-of-the-match Wood, who took 5-34 in Australia’s first innings, then carved Starc for four in the manner of a top-order batsman.

Woakes then blazed Starc through point for the winning boundary to finish on 32 not out, with Wood unbeaten on 16.

“It is absolutely too soon for all-rounder status!” Wood joked. “I’m happy down at number nine. I think that is too high and any higher I’m definitely getting a nose bleed.”

England now have a chance to become just the second team to win a Test series from 2-0 down after the 1936/37 Australia side, inspired by batting great Don Bradman, that won an Ashes 3-2.

“No hesitation,” said Stokes when asked if England can win the series. “It’s nice to get over the line in this one and keep our hopes alive.”

Cummins, reflecting on where the game had gone against Australia, said: “Day one we lost six for 20-odd, yesterday the sun was out and we probably missed an opportunity as well. Just a couple of key moments.”

But the fast bowler insisted world Test champions Australia would have time to regroup ahead of the fourth match at Old Trafford starting on July 19.

“We’ll take a few days off and go and recharge the batteries,” said Cummins.

England resumed on 27-0 after Australia were dismissed for 224 in their second innings on a rain-marred third day.

After a promising stand of 42 from the England openers, Starc had Ben Duckett lbw for 23.

England then sent in Moeen Ali after Brook had made just three runs at number three during their first-innings 237.

Moeen, however, was bowled for five trying to drive a 90 mph Starc delivery that flattened the left-hander’s leg stump.

Zak Crawley made a confident 44 only to fall in familiar fashion when, having driven Mitchell Marsh for four through cover point, he was caught behind next ball on the drive.

Yorkshire favourite Joe Root was then dismissed for 21 shortly before lunch when he gloved Cummins to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

Stokes had revived England’s first innings with an 80 that rekindled memories of his stunning 135 not out in a remarkable one-wicket Test win against Australia at Headingley four years ago.

But his exit for only 13 left England 161-5 and that became 171-6 when Bairstow played on to Starc.

New batsman Woakes had, however, previously rescued England from a dire position in a run chase with a stunning 84 not out as they recovered from 117-5 to reach a target of 277 in a three-wicket win over Pakistan at Old Trafford in 2020.

And he gave Brook excellent support before crunching the winning runs himself.

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Stokes and Moeen revive England’s Ashes bid

England captain Ben Stokes’s dynamic 80, his latest dashing innings kept the hosts’ Ashes hopes alive before Moeen Ali struck twice in quick succession in the third Test against Australia at Headingley on Friday.

Australia were 116-4 in their second innings at stumps on the second day, a lead of 142 runs, as they looked to go 3-0 up in the five-match series and secure a first Ashes campaign triumph in England since 2001.

Mitchell Marsh, who had already marked his first Test in nearly four years with a brilliant run-a-ball 118 in Australia’s first-innings 263, was 17 not out, with Travis Head unbeaten on 18.

Australia had been in command at 68-1 on Friday only for off-spinner Moeen to take two wickets for two runs in nine balls while removing Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith — two of the world’s top three-ranked Test batsmen.

England had slumped to 142-7 at lunch.

But all-rounder Stokes’s brilliant knock took England to 237 all out, a deficit of just 26 runs, despite Australia captain Pat Cummins’s 6-91.

Fast bowler Cummins, however, was happy with Australia’s position at stumps.

“Overall to have a lead is a great effort,” he told the BBC. “Stokes batted well and (Mark) Wood put some into the stands too.”

He added: “Just when one team gets ahead the other team takes a wicket. I’m sure the fans are loving it, but I wouldn’t mind a few less stressful days.”

Ben Stokes also hit a blistering 155 in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s last week as England suffered a 43-run defeat.

Friday’s innings revived memories of Stokes’s Ashes heroics at Headingley four years ago, when his astounding unbeaten century guided England to a remarkable one-wicket win.

Stuart Broad then removed David Warner for the 17th time in Tests, the left-hander caught in the slips for one.

England, however, were a bowler light with paceman Ollie Robinson missing because of a back spasm and Australia were grinding them down until Moeen’s double strike.

Labuschagne, dropped on 33 when under-fire wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow couldn’t hold a tough chance, hadn’t added to his score when to his next ball he carelessly swept Moeen to deep square leg.

Smith, in his 100th Test and just days after his fine hundred at Lord’s, was then out for a mere two when he whipped Moeen straight to midwicket as the bowler took his 200th Test wicket.

“When Robbo (Robinson) had a spasm I knew I’d be bowling a fair bit,” Moeen, who at stumps had 2-34 in 17 overs, told Sky Sports.

Obdurate opener Usman Khawaja then eventually fell for 43 when caught behind after being squared-up by Chris Woakes.

England had resumed on 68-3, with Joe Root 19 not out and Bairstow, whose controversial stumping exit at Lord’s in the second Ashes Test provoked a furious row, unbeaten on one in front of their Yorkshire home crowd.

Star batsman Root, however, fell for his overnight score to just the second ball of the day when he tentatively edged Cummins to Warner at first slip.

Bairstow then exited for 12 when he flat-footedly drove at left-arm quick Mitchell Starc, with Smith holding a sharp second-slip catch.

But fast bowler Wood, having taken an impressive 5-34 on Thursday, hit Starc for a six, four and another six off his first three balls during a rapid 24.

Ben Stokes, in at 68-4, was reprieved twice on 45 off successive deliveries from off-spinner Todd Murphy.

Starc dropped Stokes in the deep before Murphy — called up after Nathan Lyon’s Ashes tour-ending calf injury at Lord’s — failed to hold a hard-hit return catch.

Stokes went to fifty in style by driving Murphy for six and promptly repeated the dose next ball.

He launched Murphy for another six before he holed out to end a 108-ball innings featuring six fours and five sixes.

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England’s Ollie Pope ruled out of Ashes remainder

LONDON: England’s top-order batter Ollie Pope has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing Men’s Ashes series with a dislocated right shoulder, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Tuesday.

“Scans in London on Monday revealed the full extent of the injury and he will miss the rest of the summer campaign and will require surgery,” said ECB in a press release.

“He will work closely with the England and Surrey medical teams in respect of his rehabilitation.”

Despite Ollie Pope’s exclusion, the ECB opted not to call up a replacement for the third Ashes Test, which starts at Headingley on Thursday.

Meanwhile, middle-order batter Dan Lawrence, who is a part of England’s squad for the third Test, is all set to slot in at No.3 in Ollie Pope’s place.

“England will not call up a replacement for the third Ashes Test, which starts at Headingley on Thursday.”

Notably, Pope left the field twice due to injury after diving to stop the ball on both occasions. He, however, batted at his usual No.3 spot in both innings.

It is worth mentioning here that Ollie Pope, who averages 34.45 from 38 Tests, has previously dealt with shoulder issues, spending significant periods recuperating after dislocating his left shoulder twice.

He has scored 90 runs in two matches in the ongoing Ashes series, having started England’s Test summer with a maiden double-century against Ireland at Lord’s.

Ollie Pope’s exclusion marked a fresh blow to England’s Ashes campaign, who are 0-2 down in the five-match series.

Ben Stokes-led England are eyeing a miraculous comeback in the Ashes remainder and will have to imitate an 86-year-old record of Don Bradman’s Australian side to shrug off the 2-0 deficit to win an Ashes series.

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Australia win second Ashes Test despite Ben Stokes century

Australia won a rancorous second Ashes Test at Lord’s on Sunday by 43 runs despite a stunning century from England captain Ben Stokes that went into overdrive following the controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow.

Ben Stokes made a remarkable 155 before he was dismissed with England 70 runs shy of a steep target of 371.

England were eventually dismissed for 327 as holders Australia, bidding for a first away Ashes series win in 22 years, went 2-0 up in the five-match campaign.

But it was the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow shortly before lunch on the last day that riled the England team and the crowd alike.

Bairstow, the last of England’s specialist batsmen, fell in bizarre fashion for 10 when he wandered out of his ground after ducking a Cameron Green bouncer and quick-thinking wicketkeeper Alex Carey under-armed the ball onto the stumps.

Bairstow thought he had secured his ground by tapping his bat behind the crease.

Australia captain Pat Cummins could have withdrawn the appeal, but third umpire Marais Erasmus ruled Bairstow had been stumped, with England now 193-6.

A usually sedate Lord’s crowd reacted in fury with a chant of “Same old Aussies, always cheating” in a reference to Australia’s 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.

Incoming batsman Stuart Broad told Carey “you’ll be forever remembered for that”.

But a spokesman for Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) the owners of Lord’s and the guardians of cricket’ Laws, told AFP that Bairstow had been given out correctly.

An Australia team spokesman later alleged players had been “verbally abused” and “physically contacted” by irate MCC members in the Lord’s Pavilion during the lunch break.

Stokes, then on 62, hit out and on 77 he slammed a fierce pull back at Cummins which the fast bowler dropped.

Stokes then hooked Green for three sixes off successive deliveries — the second dropped over the boundary by Mitchell Starc — to complete a stunning 142-ball hundred.

Stokes accepted Bairstow had been out but he also told the BBC: “Would I want to win a game in that manner? The answer for me is no.”

Stokes hit nine fours and nine sixes in all but said his aggression had not been motivated by anger at Bairstow’s exit but by his “best option” being to take the fielders out of play.

Cummins insisted there was “nothing untoward or sneaky,” about Bairstow’s dismissal.

“Jonny was leaving his crease every ball,” he said. “He did it four or five balls. You’re meant to stay in your crease in cricket. Bairstow has tried it with a lot of our guys.”

At lunch, England were 243-6, with Stokes a remarkable 128 not out.

Stokes continued his spectacular assault two balls after the interval by lofting Josh Hazlewood for a brilliant straight six.

Two balls later, however, he was dropped at deep backward square when Smith grassed a routine chance before he was again missed on 114 by a diving Carey

Ben Stokes struck two more sixes off Hazlewood, the second a remarkable one-handed hit.

Australia were without Nathan Lyon after the off-spinner, who had limped out to bat at No 11 on Saturday, was off the field with the severe calf tear he had suffered while fielding Thursday.

Stokes, however, was unable to repeat his heroics of 2019 when his astounding unbeaten century secured a thrilling one-wicket win in an Ashes Test at Headingley, with England reaching a total of 359 — still their highest fourth-innings winning chase against Australia.

He fell when he skyed Hazlewood to Carey to end a 214-ball innings.

Ben Stokes walked off to a standing ovation but at 301-7 the game was all but up for England.

Ollie Robinson and Broad, who made 11 in a stand of 108 with Stokes, fell in quick succession before Starc ended the match by bowling Josh Tongue

England now have a mountain to climb heading into Thursday’s third Test at Headingley.

Only once have a team come from 2-0 down to win a Test series, when an Australia side inspired by batting great Don Bradman, recovered to take the 1936/37 Ashes 3-2.

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Mitchell Starc returns to Australia’s Playing XI for second Ashes Test

LONDON: Left-arm speedster Mitchell Starc has been recalled to Australia’s Playing XI for the second Ashes Test against England.

Experienced pacer Mitchell Starc was added back to the reigning World Test Champions Playing XI and replaced Scott Boland, who was targetted by the English batters in the first Ashes Test in Birmingham.

Earlier in the first Test of the ongoing, Australia captain Pat Cummins opted to leave out Mitchell Starc, who went for aplenty in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against India at the Oval and lost his spot to right-arm pacer Josh Hazlewood, who returned to the side after recovering from Achilles and side issue.

However, at the commencement of the second Ashes Test on Wednesday the hosts England opted to bowl first. Australia’s Test captain Pat Cummins shared his team’s lineup which included Starc.

Meanwhile, England had already unveiled their Playing XI for the second Test which marked the return of young pacer Josh Tongue and replaced Moeen Ali, who suffered a blister on his right hand’s index finger during the first Ashes Test which saw England succumbing to a narrow two-wicket defeat after Pat Cummins’s masterclass.

Tongue’s inclusion meant England went with an all-pace attack for the second Ashes Test at Lord’s which “offers more to the seamers”.

“We turned up here and have seen a lot of grass on the wicket, it is a bit green,” said Ben Stokes.

“Traditionally Lord’s offers more for seamers and with how Mo’s finger has recovered, actually recovered really well, I thought we would get more with four seamers and went with Tongue,” he added.

Unlike England, Australia decided against an all-pace attack and kept Nathan Lyon in their lineup, who became the first specialist bowler to appear in 100 consecutive Tests.

Additionally, Nathan Lyon is five wickets away from becoming the eighth bowler to claim 500 Test wickets.

Playing XIs

England: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jonny Bairstow (wkt), Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, James Anderson.

Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wkt), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (capt), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

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