ENG vs AUS – 2nd Ashes Test Prediction 28 Jun 2023

The upcoming second Ashes Test between England and Australia is scheduled to take place at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. Australia currently holds a 1-0 lead in the five-match series following their thrilling victory at Edgbaston last week.

• In the closely contested opening game at Edgbaston, the Australian team emerged victorious, thanks to the composed batting performance of their captain, Pat Cummins, who held his nerve in the fourth innings to secure a commanding finish.
• As England prepares for the second Test, there are valid concerns surrounding their renowned Bazball approach, which encountered difficulties in the series opener against Australia.
• With the visitors holding a 1-0 lead and being the reigning champions of the World Test Championship (WTC), anticipation builds for an exciting contest in the upcoming match.

ENG vs AUS – 2nd Test – Venue Details

Venue: Lord’s, London

Date: June 28th 2023

Time: 11:00 (local)

ENG vs AUS – 2nd Test – Team Previews

England

In the opening Test, England made the decision to bat first, showcasing their renowned ‘Bazball’ strategy as Joe Root played a remarkable innings, scoring a century and guiding his team to a first-innings total of 393/8 before declaring. Australia responded with a solid performance, led by Usman Khawaja’s splendid century, allowing them to reach 386. Australia’s bowlers then performed well, dismissing England for 273.

On the first day of the match, Ben Stokes received praise for an early declaration. However, in hindsight, a few additional runs at that stage could have put England in a stronger position to pursue victory on the final day. Nevertheless, the team’s management remains committed to their approach, emphasizing their intention to maintain a positive and proactive mindset in the upcoming match.

In the previous summer, England demonstrated resilience by bouncing back against South Africa, albeit against a weak batting lineup. Their only other defeat since then was a narrow one-run loss to New Zealand in Wellington. Overcoming a 1-0 deficit at the beginning of a home Ashes series presents a unique challenge and serves as the ultimate test for the philosophy behind the Bazball ethos (or cult?) that has been established.

Australia

Australia believes there is significant room for improvement in their performance. England may regret not capitalizing on a Test where Labuschagne and Smith only managed to contribute 35 runs combined. As they head to Lord’s, England possesses a base of knowledge they lacked before Edgbaston, and their team is satisfied with how their tactics held up under pressure.

Labuschagne faced difficulties against Broad’s new outswinger at Edgbaston, resulting in his first golden duck in Test cricket. In his past 17 innings, he has recorded just two fifties, averaging 33, which falls below his exceptional standards.

Australia has narrowed down their options to a 12-man squad, with the final decision likely to involve choosing between Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland. England had success against Boland at Edgbaston, where he conceded nearly six runs per over, but the presence of grass on the Lord’s pitch could keep him in contention.

ENG vs AUS – 2nd Test – Probable Playing XI’s

England: B Duckett, Z Crawley, Ollie Pope, J Root, H Brook, B Stokes (Cap), JB Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, J Tongue, O Robinson, James Anderson

Australia: DA Warner, US Khawaja, MR Labuschagne, S Smith, TR Head, Cam Green, A Carey (wk), P Cummins (Cap), NT Lyon, JS Hazlewood, SC Boland

ENG vs AUS – 2nd Test – Pitch Report and Toss Prediction

The pitch at Lord’s is expected to provide a balanced playing surface, favouring batsmen with good conditions. Ben Stokes’ preference for flat pitches suggests that batsmen can expect a rewarding experience. Additionally, it is unlikely that the pitch will undergo substantial changes over the course of the five-day Test match.

ENG vs AUS – 2nd Test – Win Prediction

It is going to be another nail-biter but we expect Australia to come out on top once again.