Ashes 2019: Australia hold on as England fall short in dramatic final day at Lord’s
The match was drawn to leave Australia 1-0 up heading to Leeds for the third Ashes Test
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Your support makes all the difference.Follow the latest updates live from the final day of the Ashes Second Test where both England and Australia harbour faint hopes of a victory.
Ben Stokes’s century has given England an outside chance of victory after he smashed his way to three figures, with Nathan Lyon taking the bulk of the punishment. The call came soon after Stokes reached his century to declare on 258-5, setting Australia an appetising 267 to win and 48 overs remaining in the day.
Australia also lost star batsman Steve Smith to a concussion, after he was struck on the neck by a Jofra Archer ball yesterday, and he will also miss the third Test at Headingly under the new ICC laws that rules players out for at least six days following a head injury. Follow the live updates below.
When is it?
The second Test takes place on 14-18 August at Lord’s.
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports The Ashes and Sky Sports Main Event from 10am on each day’s play.
Odds
England to win: 14/1
Australia to win: 15/4
Draw: 1/2
Prediction
Draw: With rain expected to washout most – if not all – of Wednesday and Saturday and severely hamper the rest of the second Test, it’s difficult to look beyond the draw and Australia maintaining their 1-0 advantage.
DROPPED!
Jason Roy knows he's screwed this up, England have no margin for error here in pursuit of victory.
Stokes gets the edge Head, it's a sitter for Roy at second slip.
Australia move on to 104/3, 163 more needed for victory.
That one turned!
Leach with a beauty outside leg stump that darts back across Labuschagne and beats the stumps too.
Then an appeal, Labuschagne sweeping, pitched outside leg stump.
Australia 111/3, require 156 more to win vs England
Stokes back into the attack.
Head now looking settled. Now on 30 as the partnership grows to 63 runs.
A maiden for Stokes. Back to Leach? The game is drifting now though, England desperate for inspiration.
Here comes Joe Root.
The captain bowling now and Labuschagne tucks in, running for three.
Head now whips one back of a length for four! Not the change Root would have hoped for.
Four dot balls end the over. Drinks.
Australia 130/3, require 137 more to win vs England
Beautiful drive from Labuschagne into the off side off Leach.
This one is grinding to a halt, the partnership has ballooned to 83 runs.
An impressive cornerstone for Australia to take to Leeds if Smith is to be ruled out.
WICKET!
Labuschagne goes for 59 (99), he's livid!
We'll check this one, did it carry?
OUT!
It looks not out, it bounces into Root's hands, but the third umpire maintains it bounced off the underside of Root's fingers.
It's terribly unlucky for Labuschagne, who sweeps with the ball bouncing off Buttler's thigh and towards Root.
Labuschagne has some words for Root on his way off. Soft signal working in England's favour.
Australia 132/4.
WICKET! Australia 138/5, require 129 more runs to win
There goes Wade! He follows Labuschagne, he makes just one.
Easy catch for Buttler, Leach does the trick.
Australia 139/5, require 128 more to win vs England
England sense a chance here and Archer is back and getting stuck into Paine.
Plenty of short stuff, as you'd expect.
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