LONDON: England thrashed Australia by 347 runs to win the second Test at Lord’s with more than a day to spare on Sunday as the Ashes-holders went 2-0 up in this five-match series.
Only once in Ashes history has a team come from 2-0 down to win when Australia, inspired by Don Bradman, cricket’s greatest batsman, did just that to triumph 3-2 on home soil in 1936/37.
And given batting remains this Australia side’s Achilles heel, they will do well from this position to stop England retaining the urn.
Australia, set a mammoth 583 for an improbable victory, were dismissed for 235 on the fourth day.
The tourists’ last-wicket pair of James Pattinson and Ryan Harris held firm for more than an hour, with England claiming the extra half hour.
But with just three balls left in the day’s play, off-spinner Graeme Swann had Pattinson, who had frustrated England with the bat in their 14-run first Test win at Trent Bridge, lbw for 35 to the acclaim of a capacity and sun-drenched crowd.
Swann finished with innings figures of four wickets for 78 runs for a match haul of nine for 122.
The scale of Australia’s task was clear from the fact that no side have made more to win in the fourth innings of a Test than the West Indies’ 418 for seven against Australia at St John’s in 2002/03.
Joe Root starred with both bat and ball, making 180 in England’s second innings 347 for nine declared before the occasional off-spinner took two wickets shortly before tea to spark an Australia middle-order collapse.
England had resumed Sunday on 333 for five, already a lead of 566, with Root, attacked by now sidelined Australia batsman David Warner in a Birmingham bar in June, hitting the tourists where it hurt.
There was no immediate declaration with Root given the chance to turn his second Test century into 200.
But when he holed out off Harris, to end a 338-ball innings including 18 fours and two sixes spanning nearly eight hours, England captain Alastair Cook called a halt.
Australia, shot out for just 128 in their first innings, lost their first wicket Sunday inside seven overs when Shane Watson was lbw to James Anderson to add to his numerous collection of leg-before exits.
And 24 for one soon became 36 for three.
Swann struck fifth ball on Sunday when left-handed opener Chris Rogers played no shot to a delivery that didn’t turn but carried on to hit his off stump.
Swann then had Phil Hughes lbw for one.
Not for the first time, Australia captain Michael Clarke came in with his side in dire straits.
And he should have been out for two only for wicketkeeper Matt Prior to miss the stumping chance off Swann.
It seemed Australia might at least deny England a wicket in Sunday’s second session.
But Root’s dream match continued when he removed both Clarke (51) and Usman Khawaja (54) for one run in 11 balls.
The 22-year-old, bowling from around the wicket, spun one outside Clarke’s pads with the star batsman obligingly turning the ball to Cook, who had just stationed himself at leg slip.
Soon afterwards left-hander Khawaja nicked a sharply spun Root delivery to Anderson at second slip.
Then seamer Tim Bresnan had Steven Smith, off a thin inside edge, well held by Prior off what became the last ball before tea.
Smith challenged the verdict but, in Australia’s latest unsuccessful brush with the Decision Review System (DRS), he was given out again.
There was yet more DRS controversy after tea when Ashton Agar was caught behind off Bresnan, with England immediately reviewing South African on-field umpire Marais Erasmus’s original not out decision.
The Hot Spot thermal imaging system did not appear to show a nick but third umpire Tony Hill was convinced there was a noise and a clear deflection.
A stunned Agar eventually walked off before Brad Haddin, with no reviews left, was lbw to Swann.
After a couple of dropped catches – including one by the otherwise faultess Root – Anderson bowled Peter Siddle with an off-cutter to leave Australia on the brink of defeat. (AFP)