More heroics from Ben Stokes were not quite enough to help England pull off a miraculous chase at Lord’s after Australia clinched the second Ashes Test by 43 runs to move 2-0 up in the series.
Stokes blitzed 155 to propel the hosts into a position of strength after Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal but top-edged Josh Hazlewood when England were 70 runs short of a record-breaking 371 target.
It left too many runs for England’s tailenders and Mitchell Starc wrapped up victory for Australia when he sent Josh Tongue’s leg stump cartwheeling away during an extended afternoon session.
There will not be much time to reflect on another adrenaline-fueled Ashes Test, with the third match of the series set to start on Thursday at Headingley.
View from the dressing roomSuperhuman Stokes
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Pumped up after Bairstow’s wicket, Stokes switched into six-hitting mode instantly. Cameron Green felt the full force of his destruction with one over going for 24 after three maximums brought up a sensational century.
Stokes went from 62 off 126 balls to a 13th Test hundred 16 deliveries later. Before and after lunch he picked his moments with a succession of pulls for six followed by singles repeatedly turned down with Australia’s field spread trying to protect the boundary rope.
Talk of Headingley rumbled on at the home of cricket but Stokes’ superman effort could not get England over the line with a top-edge against Hazlewood presenting Alex Carey with a simple catch – a far less controversial involvement for the Aussie gloveman.
No keepers union here…
England pursuit of 371 took a drastic twist at the end of a 52nd over which proved match-defining. After Bairstow had ducked under Green’s bouncer, he went to meet Stokes in the middle of the wicket but turned around in horror to see Carey’s throw from behind the stumps had dislodged the bails.
Bairstow had been under the impression that the ball was dead only for Carey to have other ideas and after some deliberation between the two umpires and both teams, TV umpire Marais Erasmus had to decide if Bairstow was in or out of his crease.
Television replays showed Bairstow was clearly out of his crease and he was subsequently given out stumped for 10, which sparked boos from a suddenly partisan Lord’s crowd. Tensions spilled over at lunch when MCC members clashed with Australian duo David Warner and Usman Khawaja in the Long Room and three members were subsequently suspended following allegations of “abusive and aggressive” behaviour.
Broad makes his point
Stuart Broad walked out after Bairstow’s dismissal ready for a fight and immediately told Carey he would be “forever remembered” for the stumping. Words followed with Marnus Labuschagne and the pair repeatedly sparred during Broad’s brave 125-minute spell at the crease.
On numerous occasions at the end of an over, Broad would ask Carey and the other Australian fielders in close proximity if he was OK to walk to speak with captain Stokes in the middle of the crease.
Broad also played his part in a 108-run partnership with Stokes, contributing 11 but more significantly wearing a number of bouncers, having taken a nasty blow to the jaw in the first innings. His gutsy batting displays, coupled with his five wickets for the Test, could help him retain his place at Headingley.
Can Ben follow Don’s lead?
Only once before has a team fought back from two down in an Ashes series to win 3-2. Don Bradman’s Australia team achieved the feat on home soil during the 1936-37 series.
After England won the first two Tests emphatically, Bradman almost single-handedly refused to give up on the urn and scores of 270, 212 and 169 inspired the most remarkable of turnarounds with three successive victories.
If anyone can repeat the trick, it is Stokes.
Attention turns to Leeds
England announced their squad for the Headingley Test minutes after defeat was confirmed and Rehan Ahmed and Matthew Potts have been left out of the 15-man squad.
Changes are expected, with James Anderson set to drop out after struggling during the first two matches and Mark Wood should be ready after building up his workload during the past week.
Moeen Ali is also fit again after the burst blister on his right index finger at Edgbaston and it leaves Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum with a decision to make. Vice-captain Ollie Pope must be assessed after he injured his right shoulder at Lord’s.
England head to Leeds with total clarity. It is win or bust.
Barbados Pride soar into CG United Super50 final after commanding 153-run win over T&T Red Force
Barbados Pride delivered a clinical performance to storm into the CG United Super50 Cup final, as they hammered defending champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by a massive 153 runs in their semi-final clash at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Wednesday.
This victory propelled the Pride—who last tasted glory in the 2016-17 season and reached their last final in 2017-18—into contention for their seventh title.
Scores: Barbados Pride 339-7 (50 overs); Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 186 all out (36.3 overs)
After being sent in to bat, the Pride’s openers, Zachary McCaskie and Leniko Boucher, laid the foundation with a scintillating 142-run partnership. McCaskie, the more aggressive of the pair, entertained with a blistering 94 off just 82 deliveries, smashing six boundaries and six towering sixes.
However, his departure, courtesy of Mark Deyal, did little to disrupt the Pride’s momentum.
This, as Captain Raymond Reifer joined the fray with a brisk 65 and added another crucial 50-run stand with Boucher, who contributed a steady 69 off 84 balls in a knock that had seven boundaries. Reifer's 60-ball knock, which included six fours and a six, epitomized controlled aggression that applied further pressure to the Red Force bowlers.
Even when Boucher fell to Deyal and Kevin Wickham (14) went to spinner Khary Pierre, Reifer, and Roston Chase (43), on return from West Indies duties, added another 50 for the fourth wicket.
Chase’s quick-fire 31-ball knock, which had only two fours and a six, ensured the Pride capitalized on the foundation laid by the top order.
Reifer eventually became Deyal’s third scalp, and Chase went to Shannon Gabriel, but the damage was already done as the Pride were at 297-5 at that point. The lower order contributed the remaining runs to the daunting total.
Deyal stood out for the Red Force with figures of 4-53, but his efforts were insufficient to stem the tide.
Facing a mountain of runs, the Red Force faltered early and never recovered. The only bright spot in their reply was a 68-run second wicket partnership between Tion Webster and Amir Jangoo (16). Webster’s aggressive 56 off 47 balls, which featured eight boundaries and a six, gave fleeting hope before he became the fourth wicket to fall with the score at 91.
After Webster’s dismissal, Deyal (34) and Isiah Rajah (28) added a brief 53-run stand for the seventh wicket, but the Red Force were ultimately bowled out for a paltry 186 in just 36.3 overs.
Dominic Drakes led the Pride’s bowling charge with 3-24, with Chase (2-40) and Kemar Smith (2-42) also doing some damage.
The Pride’s dominance sets up a highly anticipated final against the winner of the Jamaica Scorpions versus Leeward Islands Hurricanes semi-final, scheduled for Thursday.
Finish well: Andre Coley eyes redemption, momentum as Windies gear up for Bangladesh Test
West Indies Head coach Andre Coley is exuding quiet confidence as his team prepares for their upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh.
With the matches—scheduled for November 22-26 in Antigua and November 30 to December 4 in Kingston—marking the final home series in the current World Test Championship cycle, Coley is determined to see the Caribbean side end the year on a high note after recent setbacks.
The West Indies are coming off a disappointing tour of South Africa, where they failed to capitalize on key moments and eventually lost that two-match series 1-0 after the first game ended in a draw. Reflecting on those matches, Coley stressed the importance of learning from the past and seizing the opportunity to close out this series on a strong note.
“Coming off the disappointment of the South Africa series, we put ourselves in a position to close out that series, and we didn’t. So the opportunity is there for us to do so against Bangladesh now, and it is very important for us to come up with a winning result on home soil,” Coley said in a pre-series interview.
“We’ve always had exciting and challenging series against Bangladesh, and this series offers a chance to create momentum as we head into tougher assignments in Australia and Pakistan,” he added.
Coley and his team, which includes players from the regional 50-over tournament and recent white-ball series, are currently in Antigua fine-tuning preparations ahead of Friday’s first day.
Despite initial weather disruptions, Coley pointed out that the team has had productive sessions, with all players fit and ready for action.
While West Indies boast a strong home record against Bangladesh, Coley is keen to keep his squad grounded. He recognizes the challenges posed by Bangladesh and the added intrigue of familiar faces on the opposition side, including Bangladesh Head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, a figure Coley knows well.
“Each match brings a different opportunity. We have players who’ve been successful against Bangladesh, both home and away, but we also have some new players who wouldn’t have played in any of those series. So it’s an opportunity for senior players and emerging players to show what they are capable of and what we are capable of as a team,” Coley noted.
The series against Bangladesh serves as a vital stepping stone beyond the larger context of the World Test Championship, as West Indies sit at the foot of the standings in ninth on 20 points.
Still, with four matches left in the cycle, Coley is focused on building a cohesive unit capable of competing at the highest level.
“This series is about putting everything together from the last year and a half and ending the year in good form,” he declared.
That said, the Jamaican highlighted the importance of fan support, especially during the festive season. Cricket remains a unifying force in the Caribbean, and Coley hopes that fans will rally behind the team.
“I know that the West Indian fans really want us to do well and have been supportive in their own way because cricket means a lot to the region and the fans are very passionate about the game. Despite the nature of our squad, emerging and experienced players, everyone in the squad wants to do well, so I want to encourage the fans to come out and support us and give us that extra boost of encouragement at home,” Coley ended.
Global Super League announces schedule change ahead of 2024 Tournament
The ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) has announced a schedule adjustment ahead of its inaugural tournament, which is set to take place at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. The final will now be held on Friday, 6 December 2024, while the match between Hampshire Hawks and Victoria has been rescheduled to 10:00 AM on Thursday, 5 December 2024.
The tournament, featuring five teams—Guyana Amazon Warriors, Hampshire Hawks, Lahore Qalandars, Rangpur Riders, and Victoria—kicks off on Tuesday, 26 November 2024.
Sir Clive Lloyd, Chairman of the GSL, explained that the schedule changes were made in consultation with Cricket West Indies to avoid potential clashes with preparations for the West Indies' ODI series against Bangladesh.
“While the squads for the West Indies ODI series against Bangladesh have not yet been announced, we wanted to ensure that there was no chance of a clash between the conclusion of the GSL and the preparations for that series,” Lloyd said. “This decision has been made after discussions with Cricket West Indies to ensure the integrity of both the West Indies vs Bangladesh series and the GSL.”
Ticket holders for the affected matches can still use their existing tickets for entry. Those unable to attend the rescheduled games will be eligible for a full refund.
Revised Schedule for the 2024 Global Super League
26 November, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Lahore Qalandars
27 November, 7:00 PM: Hampshire Hawks vs Rangpur Riders
29 November, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Victoria
30 November, 10:00 AM: Hampshire Hawks vs Lahore Qalandars
1 December, 10:00 AM: Rangpur Riders vs Victoria
1 December, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Hampshire Hawks
3 December, 7:00 PM: Victoria vs Lahore Qalandars
4 December, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Rangpur Riders
5 December, 10:00 AM: Hampshire Hawks vs Victoria
5 December, 7:00 PM: Lahore Qalandars vs Rangpur Riders
6 December, 7:00 PM: Final – First Place vs Second Place
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