England had a far more effective session post tea. They may have lost four wickets but they finally got the acceleration they were looking for in driving Australia up the wall at stumps on the third day of the second Test of the Ashes at Lord’s.
Nathan Hauritz and Peter Siddle really did England a favour. When Hauritz removed Ravi Bopara for twenty-seven runs (from ninety-three balls) and Peter Siddle got rid of Kevin Pietersen for forty-four runs (from 101 balls), they had really allowed England to break free and force the issue.
KP and Bopara had slowed down England’s progress considerably and it was really upto the two of them to either accelerate or move over. England were four for 174 at that stage.
But England found more enterprising individuals on the day who stitched up a near hundred run partnership between themselves. Paul Collingwood and Matt Prior gave England the momentum and impetus they needed if they were to make the most of the next two days, with the possibility of rain on the fourth day.
While Collingwood’s half century came from eighty balls before Siddle claimed his second wicket, Matt Prior pushed matters into overdrive with his sixty-one coming from forty-two balls before he was run out. His dismissal paved the way for Andrew Flintoff, playing his final Test at Lord’s, and he remained unbeaten on an impressive thirty runs from twenty-seven balls before rain ensured that the final session would be called off before the mandatory overs were complete.
England found themselves at 311 for six at stumps on the third day, their lead extended to 521 and two more days to change Australia’s history at Lord’s.
Ashes T 2 Day 3 Lunch and Tea: England Still in Command, Aus Slow Things Down
Ashes: Russell Crowe Steals the Show Post Tea
Warne Disagrees With Ponting, as does Hauritz
Ashes T 2 Day 2 Stumps: England Have their Hands Around Aussie Necks
Queen At Lord’s, England Reign
Lee, Watson On Road to Recovery, Ponting Needs Replacements
Ashes T 2 Day 2 Lunch and Tea: Rain Halts After Team Trade Wickets
Ashes T 2 Day 1 Stumps: Aus Pick Wickets, Strauss Extends Himself
Ashes T 2 Day 1 Lunch & Tea: Strauss & England on Top, Australia Wayward
Ashes at Lord’s: Warne Resumes his Battle with Bopara
Flintoff Makes Retirement Announcement, Tests Out
Atherton: England Should not Grieve over Andrew “Second Hand Car” Flintoff
Ponting Cries Foul; Umpire Disagrees; Duncan Slams
Boycott Digs into KP, Calls him “Spoilt Child”
Flintoff, Monty in Trouble, Harmison and Onions vie for Spot, Aussies Unsympathetic
Ashes T1 day 5: England Complete a Houdini, Draw with Australia
