England and Australia are fighting tooth and nail in the 2nd test match for the Ashes 2023. On Saturday, England were set a target of 371 to win and the English team went into stumps 4 wickets down. All the focus was on Ben Stokes the English captain who had played a blinder in 2019 to win the Leeds test match. Win for Australia on the other hand will give the World Test Champions a 2-0 lead after having won the 1st test match at Birmingham by 2 wickets.
Jonny Bairstow’s run out causes furore –
Jonny Bairstow came into bat at the fall of Ben Duckett with England still needing 194 runs. The wicket keeper batter was batting on 10 when he got a short ball from Cameron Green. Bairstow ducked under the ball and that’s when the entire drama started.
Once the ball sailed past the head of Bairstow, Alex Carey the Australian wicket keeper threw the ball and it hit the stumps. Bairstow was walking to have a word with Stokes and the Australians appealed.
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— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 2, 2023
England crowd cries foul –
The Australian team were quick to go up for appeal as they all came to Alex Carey to appreciate him for his awareness. The English crowd though was having none of it as they roundly booed the Australian team. Even Jonny Bairstow stood shocked and surprised.
Huge boos were heard when the third umpire gave the decision in the favor of the Australian team. Bairstow had to walk back to the hut after having scored 10 runs off 22 balls with one four to his name. England at that stage needed 178 runs.
Stokes powers his way to a century –
Stuart Broad joined Ben Stokes as the pair added 50 runs for the 7th wicket before lunch. Stokes was in aggressive mood as he went after the Australian bowlers and was not out on 108 off 147 balls with 9 fours and 4 sixes. He got to the 3 figure mark in style with a six as the entire Lords cricket ground stood to applaud him.