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The Ashes

Australia hold out to stay one-up but Jofra Archer's aggression revives England

Betting analysis of the rain-affected second Ashes Test draw at Lord's

Jofra Archer was superb for England in the second Ashes Test against Australia at Lord's
Jofra Archer was superb for England in the second Ashes Test against Australia at Lord'sCredit: Stu Forster

1 Jofra Archer provides England with fear factor

Jofra Archer ascended the one-day international ranks rapidly to World Cup hero this summer and has now made his mark for England in the Test format.

The Barbados-born bowler engaged in one of the battles of the series with Steve Smith, forcing the world's best Test batsman to retire hurt on 80 before returning to add 12 runs to his tally.

Archer had already struck Warner on the forearm and had Marnus Labuschagne down in the second innings as he blended ferocious speeds reaching 96mph with the uneven bounce of the Lord's surface.

The paceman is an intimidating component of the England attack and enjoyed a superb second Test, in which he took 2-59 and 3-32.

2 David Warner's Test troubles continue

It's an age-old adage in cricket that a player's performance in the field can be impacted by their showings at the crease and vice versa and David Warner is experiencing that first hand.

The Aussie batsman spilled two vital catching opportunities in the slips, firstly failing to dismiss Joe Denly but, more damagingly, dropping Ben Stokes on six before the number five went on to make 115 not out.

Warner posted three and five in his two innings at the home of cricket and cuts a figure seriously lacking confidence in Test cricket.

3 Both sides reliant on middle-order maestros

Of the eight individual innings from England's opening pair Rory Burns and Jason Roy and Australia top two Cameron Bancroft and Warner, only one surpassed the half-century mark.

Roy's struggles to transition to red-ball cricket continued as Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins limited him to a duck and score of two and, despite average totals of 53 and 29 from Burns, England were largely reliant on their middle-order.

Jonny Bairstow was among the best performers in the first innings with a knock of 52 before Ben Stokes did what he does best with 14 boundaries scored on the way to his unbeaten 115. He was ably assisted by Denly's 26 and Buttler's 31.

The situation is the same for Tim Paine's men, who continue to lose early wickets, only for Smith to bail them out lower down the order. He fired 92 this time around while Usman Khawaja's first-innings total of 36 was only one less than the four Australia openers combined.


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