Second Ashes Test. Lord's.

[K]

The broadcaster (I don't know who that commentator is) shows that Lyon is aiming at footmarks outside Stokes's off stump, and those footmarks are mainly caused by Siddle's follow-through.

Holding and Lloyd agree that there's no problem there. Siddle has to follow through somewhere, Holding says.

.....

The partnership reaches 40. The lead is 119. This game is looking like a draw right now.

Wade has a lot of band-aid on his hands.

[K]

Appeal for LBW by Cummins. Not out. It's going down leg. They don't review.

Holding cannot understand how Paine was unsure of the LBWs standing up to the stumps to Lyon yesterday, and why he refused to review them.

Cummins beats Buttler outside off to end the over.

Another maiden.

[K]

Now Hazlewood.

Holding: "Very, very economical, Josh Hazlewood."

An LBW appeal first up. Not out. They're thinking about it.

They review with zero seconds left.
Right on the buzzer!

Doesn't look like a bad shout.

Joel is explaining it in great detail. He judges it an inside edge.

Not out. Review lost.

(It was pitching outside leg anyway, but they didn't get to that. The pitching outside leg was much clearer to me than the inside edge, because there was a mess as bat, pad and ball came together.)

[K]

Buttler defends in a way that makes it look like the ball kept low, but it's just because he shuffles on the crease and doesn't come forward. Think about how he was bowled in the last Test.

Holding: "It was not that low."

[K]

Stokes edges wide of Warner at slip for another 4.

Warne: "This is the length. ... Encourages the drive."

Repeat: Smith is being subbed out, after waking up feeling dizzy.

Athers thinks this has had a psychological effect on the game.

Warne suggests it's affected Paine's field for Lyon, which is quite defensive. But Warne typically pushes for more attack in all circumstances. Sometimes that's not the best way forward.

Warne: "Having four men on the fence, I don't quite understand."
He says he doesn't mind so much for the fast bowlers.

[K]

Athers says Buttler is trying to play Lyon off the back foot. He says with Lyon's overspin that's probably a good strategy.
...

When Buttler drives, Athers says, he doesn't do it with the classical elbow. He drives with the wrists, like a hockey strike. Athers tells us Buttler played hockey in his youth.

Yes, you can definitely see the similarities to hockey technique. Great commentary, Athers!

[K]

Warne says he's seen Labu bowl and he might come on.

Imagine that! A historic concussion sub coming on and bowling Oz to victory!!

[K]

Stokes smokes Hazlewood straight for 4. If Hazlewood had been able to deflect it on to the stumps, Buttler would have been run out.
...

Buttler edges for 4.

Warne is starting to think about totals to set.

[K]

Nasser says it's been a definite policy of England to play Lyon on the back foot.

---------------------

Now Siddle.

Nasser: "He's bowled well in this series. ... Four dropped catches."

He beats Stokes hanging his bat out to a ball that went down the slope.

[K]

Time to check out the lunch menu...

Meanwhile the England lead reaches 150.

And Stokes is approaching a very lucky 50.

Stokes is advancing down the pitch to Siddle. Siddle is ready for it.

Nasser: "Good contest."

[K]

Stokes reaches 50.

Very lucky. Oz have been a bit sloppy.

And then Buttler cover drives for 4 to bring up the England 150.

[K]

Here's the lunch menu:

Day 5 -- https://twitter.com/HomeOfCricket/statu ... 5398091776

Maybe go vegetarian and have the mushroom and spinach risotto.

I can't make out the small print for that dish: "with shaved..."??

[K]

Last over before lunch from Lyon. It hit the edge of the footmark and scuttled, but past the stumps of Stokes.

England are looking to make this a wicketless session.


Lyon beats Buttler now.

And next ball, Buttler hits it in the air just a metre or so away from Lyon.

Lunch.

England 4/157.

Nasser: "They wanted a quiet session. They've got a quiet session."

Taylor on the missed opportunities: "They are coming back to bite Australia."

[K]

Odds:

Draw 89%
England 7%
Oz 4%

[K]

Nasser suggests England might want to set 250 in 50 overs.

Healy thinks they need more overs, so 230 in 60 overs.

But the draw is a heavy favourite, though Oz will have to get there without Smith.

Taylor: "Australia really need a wicket."
He says Smith's absence is a "massive plus" for England.