Stokes took center stage as England seemed to be cruising towards victory. However, the Three Lions’ hopes were dashed after Stokes was dismissed following a masterful knock of 155 runs. With England’s last pair of James Anderson and Josh Tongue adding 25 runs for the final wicket, they managed to delay the inevitable for a brief period.
Reminiscent of his iconic 2019 Headingley knock, Stokes reached his century with a flurry of three consecutive sixes off the bowling of Cameron Green. The English skipper, fueled by Jonny Bairstow‘s controversial run-out on the final day, unleashed an onslaught on the Australian attack. Stokes, who was on 62 off 126 balls when Bairstow departed, unleashed a barrage of boundaries in the following overs, targeting Green in particular. He struck three fours in Green’s over, followed by a first-ball four and three consecutive sixes in the next over, eventually reaching his 13th Test century.
Aside from Stokes, Ben Duckett played a crucial role, scoring 83 before becoming the first dismissal of the final day with the team score at 177. Stuart Broad contributed 11 runs and provided vital support to Stokes, as the duo shared a crucial 108-run partnership for the seventh wicket. After Stokes’ departure, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood each took a wicket, finishing with three wickets apiece. Mitchell Starc also made his presence felt with three scalps, including the final wicket of Josh Tongue.
With Australia now holding a 2-0 lead in the series, England faces an uphill battle to stage a comeback in the remaining matches. The Ashes rivalry continues to captivate cricket fans globally, and the third Test promises another enthralling battle between the two cricketing powerhouses.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
I wasn’t joking about calling Ben Stokes the most competitive bloke I’ve played against. Innings of the highest quality but Australia is too good at the moment
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 2, 2023
A gutting end to another sensational Test match…
Australia lead-
in the series.#EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/doJmO5VWmG
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 2, 2023
The amazing run continues at Lord’s for AUS
It’s 127 years since they last lost batting first
#Ashes #ENGvAUS
— Glenn Mitchell (@MitchellGlenn) July 2, 2023
What a Match..
What a Innings by stokes.
Test Cricket at its best.. ❤
Well played England..
Congratulations Australia..
Koi nahi yaha se bhi Eng 3-2 se jeet sakta ha.. ❤❤#Ashes pic.twitter.com/ZQyIdPKFTG
— Hสᴍzส ᴍehสℝ(@Hamza___56) July 2, 2023
Surprising amount of outrage from those that were “only concerned about the entertainment, not the result”….#Ashes2023 #Ashes #ENGAUS
— Ed (@terkey76) July 2, 2023
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