Mitchell Starc sparked an England collapse at Lord’s on Sunday earlier than Ben Duckett was given a controversial reprieve because the hosts maintained their bid for a outstanding win within the second Ashes Test. England have been 114-4 at stumps on the fourth day, nonetheless needing an additional 257 runs to succeed in a goal of 371. Left-handed opener Duckett, who made 98 within the first innings, was 50 not out and captain Ben Stokes unbeaten on 29, with England seeking to stage the five-match sequence at 1-1. Starc, recalled following Australia’s thrilling two-wicket win in final week’s first Test at Edgbaston, diminished England to 13-2.

And they have been in dire straits at 45-4 when Australia captain Pat Cummins struck twice in an over.

Duckett then appeared to fall for precisely 50 when he miscued Cameron Green to superb leg, the place a sliding Starc held a superb catch just for the ball to the touch the turf.

Third umpire Marais Erasmus, to Australia’s seen despair, disallowed the dismissal as a result of Starc had grounded the earlier than he was in charge of his physique and so had not accomplished a good catch.

At the shut, England might nonetheless consider a win that might be virtually as inconceivable as their one-wicket victory over Australia at Headingley in 2019, when Stokes hit a surprising unbeaten hundred.

Starc had Zak Crawley ‘strangled’ down the legside, wicketkeeper Alex Carey holding a superb diving catch.

But there was no denying the left-arm quick bowler’s ability when he cleaned up Ollie Pope with a 90 mph inswinger that began outdoors off and smashed into center stump.

And Starc would have had Duckett lbw for 5 however for a assessment that fell narrowly within the opener’s favour.

But Cummins had Joe Root fending to David Warner at first slip for 18 because the England star turned the most recent batsman this match to fall to the brief ball.

Three balls later Cummins, seeking to turn out to be the primary Australia captain in 22 years to win an Ashes sequence in England, bowled Harry Brook with an excellent supply that straightened off the seam to hit the highest of off stump.

World Test champions Australia ripped by means of England’s top-order regardless of being with out Nathan Lyon.

The off-spinner, showing in his one centesimal consecutive Test, was not on the sphere having surprisingly limped out to bat at No 11 regardless of struggling a extreme calf harm whereas fielding on Thursday.

Yet for all of the 35-year-old’s bravery, Lyon was struggling to run. And with runners now not allowed in Tests, Starc repeatedly refused singles to a deep-set discipline with a view to defend Lyon.

The brave Lyon’s defiant 4 off 13 balls ended when he holed out off Stuart Broad, the veteran paceman taking 4-65 as Australia have been dismissed for 279 of their second innings.

Lyon departed to a pat on the again from Stokes, who bowled 12 overs straight by means of, and a standing ovation from the group. His gutsy effort was additionally a testomony to Australia’s regard for England’s run-chasing potential.

National document

In the previous 12 months, Stokes’s males have achieved three of England’s highest fourth-innings run chases, together with a nationwide document 378 towards India at Edgbaston in 2022.

The most any aspect have made to win within the fourth innings of a Test at Lord’s, nonetheless, is West Indies’ 344-1 in 1984.

Australia resumed on Saturday morning on 130-2 however then misplaced three wickets for 10 runs in slumping to 197-5 as a trio of batsmen have been bounced out.

Usman Khawaja, who made 141 and 65 at Edgbaston, began the hunch when out for 77 after spooning a Broad bouncer straight to superb leg.

It was an out-of-character shot by the left-handed opener, who had repeatedly ducked the bouncer earlier in a 187-ball innings that includes 12 fours.

Steve Smith, recent from 100 in Australia’s first-innings 416, then hooked a Josh Tongue bouncer straight to deep backward sq..

Several England batsmen had been criticised for falling to a blatant short-ball ploy, however Australia had a sizeable lead earlier than they succumbed to a barrage of bouncers.

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