London: This time, there was no miracle or noteworthy escape. Ben Stokes, the hero of Headingley and the victor of the 2019 World Cup final, scored one of the most amazing innings in the 146-year history of Test cricket, but at 3.14 pm on a particularly chilly fifth day, he slumped over his bat, dejected, and eventually broke down.
An all-rounder who played in Leeds four years ago burnt his picture onto Australians' retinas had been reliving the devastation caused that day and more. Stokes continued to withstand the bouncer barrage and smash sixes into the Tavern Stand like an iron behemoth, but England and their supporters still held out hope that they could reach the target of 371 runs and tie the series after two Tests.
However, as Stokes attempted to hit his tenth six, he was caught off a top edge by Josh Hazlewood and out for 155 from 214 balls. With the exception of a few pockets of spectators wearing canary yellow, Lord's was in disappointment as England was seven wickets down and still needed 70 runs to complete their enormous job. For Pat Cummins and his excellent Australian team, a 2-0 series lead was within reach. The match was duly decided an hour later and by a score of 43 runs when Mitchell Starc sent Josh Tongue's leg stump flying.
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From England's current situation, only one team has ever won the Ashes; that team included a player named Don Bradman and wore baggy green caps on their heads. Even if the third Test at Headingley is only three days away, perhaps such thoughts can be put off for a little while. Another Ashes epic has been witnessed over the last five days, and its dramatic conclusion was filled with enough drama and controversy to inspire a Channel 9 documentary 45 years from now.
Given that Nathan Lyon has been on crutches since day two of the match and that Australia won, Stokes would have been the key player if Australia had won. Stokes, the incident that led to one of the ugliest hitting displays ever witnessed in NW8, and Stuart Broad's most recent performance as the Ashes' top irritant. The incident occurred just before noon when wicketkeeper Alex Carey run out Jonny Bairstow, who was later called stumped, at the end of the 52nd over.
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Bairstow had just allowed a short ball from Cameron Green to find Carey when, in a moment of forgetfulness and under the impression that the ball was dead, he strayed outside of his crease. Prior to Bairstow's departure, Carey had already underarmed the ball towards the stumps, pinging the bails off when his shy hit the coconut. After Australia filed an appeal and TV umpire Marais Erasmus announced the outcome, chaos broke out in St. John's Wood.
However, this time the touring team had no such ideas, and Lord's exploded in fury, with chants of "Same old Aussies, always cheating" resonating throughout the rest of the match. England was 193 for 6, falling 178 runs short of their target after losing Ben Duckett for a clever 83 and by a brilliant Carey's catch. The beginning of a diplodocus tail emerged. On the stump microphones, Broad was heard saying to Carey, "That is all you will be remembered for."
Stokes burst like Krakatoa at the other end and did it by deed rather than speech after having ground and steered his way to 62 by this time. He launched an absolutely mesmerising attack on Australia's bowlers, scoring 38 runs off just 16 balls and thumping Green for six, six, six - the number of the beast, by a man in beast-mode - to get his 13th Test hundred. By lunchtime, England had 243 for 6, needing 128 runs, as the players headed back to the pavilion and nasty exchanges between some MCC members and the visitors took place.
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After Stokes sent Hazlewood's second pitch of the match over the long-on boundary, a tense game of cat and mouse ensued, with the England captain farming the strike while the fielders were dispersed in all directions and Broad riding one or two bouncers at the end of each over as needed. Broad, the scamp, made it a point to plant his bat behind the line every time the ball soared to the cherubic Carey.
The partnership between Stokes and Broad, which added up to 108 runs in 122 balls for the seventh wicket (93/11 respectively, plus extras), was as lopsided as the outcome of the Russian election. Australia appeared to be returning to its Headingley mindset when Steve Smith, the first innings' centurion, botched a catch off Stokes when he was on 114. Both Englishmen had demonstrated bravery in the face of danger, despite having their helmets crunched, going through concussion tests, and in Stokes' instance, taking a direct elbow from Cummins.
However, with fewer runs needed than when Jack Leach memorably entered the battle four years ago, it was already all but over. Carey started the procession by safely pouching Stokes in a move that will undoubtedly go down in history back home. It helped Australia gain a commanding lead, but the Ashes series is now more intense than ever.
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