After suffering a devastating loss in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston, England’s ground staff at Lord’s are determined to bounce back in the second Test. Edgbaston’s slow pitch received heavy criticism for favoring England’s aggressive batting style but hindering their fast bowlers’ performance against the Australians. Veteran bowler Stuart Broad labeled it as “soulless”. In response, the ground staff at Lord’s have prepared a greener wicket, expected to offer more movement off the seam.
Although the pitch looks green now, it will undergo further maintenance before play, which might remove some of its color. But there is hope that this new pitch will provide a fair advantage to the fast bowlers. In fact, Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson have been the most successful bowlers at Lord’s in England’s previous four Tests, with 14 wickets each. The top 11 bowlers on the list are all fast bowlers, highlighting the potential impact they can have on this ground. Meanwhile, spinner Jack Leach has struggled to make an impact, with only five wickets from his last three Tests at Lord’s.
On the Australian side, there is uncertainty surrounding the selection of fast bowler Mitchell Starc. Despite being left out of the squad for the Edgbaston Test, Starc is unsure if he will be included for the Lord’s Test. He revealed that he has received no indication from the selectors or coaching staff, leaving his place in the squad up in the air. Starc believes he is currently bowling better than he was during the World Test Championship final against India, where his rhythm was slightly off. He hopes that his hard work in training will pay off if he gets the chance to play.
In other news, Australian F1 driver Oscar Piastri joined the training session at Lord’s, bringing a unique addition to the team’s preparations. However, it is clear that Piastri will not be making his Test debut anytime soon.
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
