Ashes 2019: Jofra Archer takes first Test wicket on good morning for England
Written by News on 16/08/2019
Jofra Archer took his first Test wicket as England’s bowlers made good use of favourable conditions to reduce Australia to 80-4 on the third morning at Lord’s.
The debutant fast bowler made the breakthrough 40 minutes into the session as he trapped Cameron Bancroft lbw before Chris Woakes removed Usman Khawaja in the next over.
With the floodlights on, gloomy skies overhead and a few spots of rain in the air, Stuart Broad got in on the act when he hit Travis Head plumb in front.
Steve Smith remains though and was unbeaten on 13 when some heavier rain forced the players off the field a couple of minutes before the scheduled lunch.
Resuming on 30-1, Australia started well with Bancroft and Khawaja adding another 30 to the total without encountering too many difficulties despite some fiery bowling from Archer.
However, just as a few drops of rain started to fall, Archer got his man. The ball nipped back off the seam to hit Bancroft (13) just above the knee-roll and although it looked a little high, umpire Dar raised his finger. The batsman reviewed but it was in vain as ball-tracking showed it would have trimmed the bails.
Three balls later, Khawaja (36) was gone as well. Woakes angled the ball across the left-hander and got just enough movement off the seam to find a healthy edge as the ball carried through to Jonny Bairstow.
The runs had suddenly dried up and after taking 17 balls to get off the mark, Head lasted just four more before playing back and being rapped on the pad by Broad. Joe Root didn’t miss a beat as he reviewed umpire Dar’s not out decision and DRS showed why: the ball was hitting two thirds of the way up middle stump.
England thought they had a fifth wicket when Matthew Wade was given out lbw by umpire Gaffaney off Ben Stokes, only to be saved on review as the ball pitched just outside leg.
Smith was proving as immovable as ever though, leaving patiently as England stuck to a fifth stump line outside off before flicking away any straighter deliveries.
With that battle of wills between Smith and the England bowlers still in full flow, the light drizzle that persisted for much of the second hour started to fall a little too heavily for the umpires’ liking and the session was ended two minutes early.
Watch continued live coverage of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s on Sky Sports The Ashes.
(c) Sky Sports 2019: Ashes 2019: Jofra Archer takes first Test wicket on good morning for England
