Ashes analysis: three things England must do better in the second Test at Lord's

Australia stars Steve Smith and Nathan Lyon offer blueprint for success

Steve Smith acknowledges the crowd after his second century at EdgbastonCredit: Gareth Copley

Second Test: England v Australia
Sky Sports Cricket & Main Event, 11am Wednesday

England made a fantastic start to the 2019 Ashes series, reducing Australia to 122-8 on day one of the first Test at Edgbaston.

However, things swiftly went downhill for the hosts as Steve Smith's twin centuries set up a 251-run win for the Aussies and England head to Lord's for the second Test without the injured James Anderson and the out-of-form Moeen Ali.

This week's ominous weather forecast in London has prompted a deluge of money for the draw with bet365 cutting the stalemate from 6-1 to 11-10.

But, rain permitting, here are three areas in which England must improve if they are to come from 1-0 down in the series to regain the Ashes:

Get Steve Smith out early

Admittedly that is easier said than done but England must hone their plans against the most relentless Ashes runscorer since Don Bradman.

Smith scored 286 runs in the first Test, has ten centuries in his last 29 innings against England, and is returning to a venue where he made a match-winning 215 in the 2015 Ashes.

His ungainly technique means bowlers always feel as though they have a chance of getting him out but a Test average of 62.96 suggests otherwise.

Chris Woakes eventually had Smith caught behind with a full, swinging delivery in the second innings at Edgbaston and that has to be the primary tactic at Lord's, where a gloomy weather forecast should encourage the quick bowlers.

Jofra Archer's pace and the left-arm spin of Jack Leach are new weapons for England in their battle with the Aussies' champion batsman.

Perhaps Leach will prove to be Smith's kryptonite – the Australian averages only 37 against left-arm spinners, who dismissed him cheaply three times in six innings in last year's series in South Africa.

Bookmakers aren't expecting England's bowlers to subdue Smith. He is as short as 6-4 to top-score in Australia's first innings and 6-1 favourite to be man of the match while spread firm Sporting Index quote his series runs at 660-680.

Keep Australia's run-rate in check

The Aussies scored at 3.52 and 4.34 runs per over in the first Test, compared with England's 2.75 and 2.78, and the home bowlers need to put the squeeze on the tourists at Lord's.

As he did in the 2017-18 Ashes down under, Australia spinner Nathan Lyon comprehensively outbowled his counterpart Moeen at Edgbaston, finishing with match figures of 9-161 from 63.5 overs while Moeen took 3-172 from 42 overs.

Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Joe Denly were also expensive in the first Test but Australia's experienced seamer Peter Siddle put in a great shift in England's first innings, giving little away as he ended up with 2-52 from 27 overs.

Spinner Leach has a crucial role to play if England are to dry up the runs and apply pressure on the Australia batsmen but in-play punters can expect the Aussies to attack him at a venue where Moeen had match figures of 3-216 in the 2015 Ashes.

Avoid middle-order batting collapses

While Anderson's injury and Moeen's poor form forced England to reshuffle their bowling attack, the batting unit is likely to be unchanged from Edgbaston.

The first Test featured a rare century from an England opener – Rory Burns's gritty, if slightly fortunate, innings of 133 – but Jason Roy, Joe Denly, Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow all failed to deliver significant runs.

Burns, Root (57) and Ben Stokes (50) had steered England to 282-4 in reply to Australia's first-innings 284. They were swiftly reduced to 300-8, though, before a late rally hauled them to 374.

They cannot afford any more collapses at Lord's but punters should be wary of backing England to pile up the runs at a venue where they were bowled out for 85 by Ireland last month.

They are 10-11 to claim a first-innings lead and Hills offer the same price about an England batsman making the highest score of the match.

In-play bettors should keep in mind England's capacity to self-destruct with the bat even when the pitch flattens out.

They stumbled from 171-1 to 303 all out in the second innings against Ireland at Lord's and Australia's bowlers know that wickets usually beget wickets when the home side are batting.