TEST IN FINAL DAY DRAMA

DM1ST

mirror.co.uk/sport MONDAY 19.08.2019 DAILY MIRROR^51

BASHES

AUSTRALIA just about had

enough gas in the tank to evade

the high velocity clutches of Jofra

Archer and escape Lord’s with the

draw that retains their 1-0 series

lead.

But with Steve Smith (below) and his

team-mates feeling the full force of

Archer’s pace and hostility, the

momentum in the series appears to

have changed on the back of England’s

latest Test debutant.

After just one Test match Archer has

left the sort of literal and psychological

scars on Australia that can decide a

series and there will be no let-up in

the gladiatorial challenge

come Thursday in Leeds.

Once Joe Root had

declared on 258-5, Archer

was at his accurate, skilful

and terrifying best as

England set off in search of

the 10 wickets they needed

to level the series following

another Test ton from Ben

Stokes.

Just like Steve Harmison before him,

here was an England fast bowler with

the hostility to strike fear into the heart

of the opponents dressing room as well

as the pace to back it up.

Australia were given a stiff

examination and just about managed

to pass this test at Lord’s by surviving

for 48 overs to finish the game 154-6

with men crowding the bat, but

England skipper Root

cannot wait to get

started again. “We

threw everything we

could at them,” he said.

“But fair play to

Australia they managed

to hold on.

“It was a fantastic effort

to try to force the win with

how much time we lost to

the weather.

“It seems the dynamic has

changed. Jofra has come in

and given Australia something different

to think about. They have to think

about how they are going to combat

him. It is different to the other options

we have in the team, it is a different skill

and a really big bonus for us.

“It is great to see someone come in

on Test debut and shake up things and

live up to the hype.”

No bowler has hit batsmen in the

body and on the helmet more than the

19 times Archer has since his

international debut this summer.

It is worth pointing out Pat Cummins

is second in the list with 12, continuing

a long line of Australian quicks who

have used the short ball to devastating

effect in the pursuit of victory.

With Mitchell Johnson watching

from the commentary box and

with Mitchell Starc itching to

get involved in this series,

the Aussies have rarely

lacked for this kind of fire-

power. But for England,

fast bowlers like Archer are

thin on the ground.

It is why Root will need to

not to get too giddy with his new

weapon and look after him as best he

can. But how can he not get excited

when his threat is this strong?

And Aussie skipper Tim Paine said:

“We’ve seen Jofra in Australia for a few

years now. We know the package that

he brings. It’s something every team

wants to have.

“We go to Leeds next week, we’ve had

a look at it, it’s something we can get

better at. It’s not all doom and gloom.”

England will leave Lord’s

wondering what might

have been had Jason Roy

managed to take the catch

offered by Travis Head at

second slip when he had

made just 22.

Instead Head was able

to marshal the Aussies to

safety with 42 not out,

while Smith’s concussion

sub Marnus Labuschagne

made a telling 59 to prove

a very able replacement.

Rattled Aussies just cling on

in Lord’s thriller but Jofra’s

fiery pace and hostility has

turned this series on it head

BY DEAN WILSON

Cricket Correspondent

@CricketMirror

s

n

En

w h m o s w

Bowlers who have hit

batsmen in the head

or on the body most

since Archer’s debut^

Jofra Archer ............^19

Pat Cummins^ ...........^12

Mark Wood .................^9

Kemar Roach ............^8

Kagiso Rabada^ ..........^7

BOWLING

BIG-HITTERS

et-up in

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BBen

With M

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th

I

not to

Labuschagne (top),

Bancroft and Wade

(below) take evasive

action against

Archer

FAST &

FURIOUS

THE SECOND TEST, LORD’S

MATCH DRAWN

FIERY Archer had the Aussie

batsmen ducking and diving

STUPENDOUS Denly takes a

flying catch to dismiss Paine

in the grille by Archer the

second ball he faced. Smith’s

‘like-for-like’ replacement was

able to continue and battled

bravely to score 59.

But there remains no

comparison between the

Bradmanesque Smith and his

six-times capped replacement.

With the next Test starting

at Headingley on Thursday, a

Cricket Australia statement

admitted that the odds of

Smith playing are “not in his

favour” – even if he is keen to

return to the crease as

quickly as possible.

“It is obviously a quick

turnaround between Test

matches,” said Smith. “I am

going to be assessed over the

next five or six days each day

• probably a couple of times a
  day – to see how I am feeling
  and progressing.
  “I am hopeful that I will be
  available for that Test match,
  but it is up to the medical
  staff.
  “We will have
  conversations, but it is
  certainly an area of concern,
  concussion, and I want to be
  100 per cent fit.
  “I have to be able to train
  probably a couple of days out
  then face fast bowling to
  make sure my reaction time
  and all that stuff is in place.”
  Aussie skipper Tim Paine,
  who was dismissed by Archer,
  thanks to a brilliant Joe Denly
  catch, said: “We were
  probably a fair way off our
  best in this Test match.
  “Part of becoming a good
  team is finding a way to come
  through – like we did in the
  last half-hour today.”

Concussed

Smith set

to miss the

Leeds Test

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