Ashes 2nd test: Smith’s magic and Eng’s method punctuate Day 2

LONDON, June 29

Opener Ben Duckett hit 98 as England raced to 278/4 in an another high octane “Bazball” batting display to continue their Ashes fightback on Day 2 of the second Lord’s Test today after bowling Australia out for 416 on a memorable day’s action.

In the latest extraordinary display of modern-day Test cricket, England enjoyed their best Ashes opening stand for 11 years and rattled to their total at almost five-an-over. However, the counterpoint of their all-action approach meant they also gifted key wickets when well-set batsmen refused to back down in the face of Australia’s somewhat desperate short-pitched approach.

England, so flat yesterday, began the day much more purposefully as Australia resumed on 339/5 with Steve Smith on 85, as Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson quickly removed Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc. However, Smith, who yesterday became the fourth Australian to pass 9,000 runs, pressed on to claim his 32nd Test century before finally departing for 110 via a superb catch by Duckett at second slip to give Josh Tongue his third wicket.

Brief scores: Australia: 416 (Smith 110, Head 77, Warner 66; Tongue 3/98, Robinson 3/100); England 278/4 (Duckett 98, Crawley 48, Brook 45*; Lyon 1/35). Reuters 

Steel Smith

12 Smith racked up his 12th Ashes century, making him only the second batter behind the great Donald Bradman to do so

32 Smith became the fastest batter to reach 32 Test hundreds, managing the feat in 174 innings, pipping Ricky Ponting’s 176 and Sachin Tendulkar’s 179

3176 It took him to fourth on the all-time runs list in Ashes cricket with 3,176, overtaking compatriot Steve Waugh (3,173)

2014 Test runs scored by Smith in England. Only three other visiting players have scored 2000-plus runs in England Bradman (2,674), Allan Border (2,082) and Viv Richards (2,014)