2nd Ashes Test Day 5: Australia beat England by 43 runs and go 2-0 up

Pat Cummins-led Australia take a 2-0 lead in the Ashes 2023 after a thrilling win over Ben Stokes' England on Day 5 of the Lord's Test on Sunday. Overcoming Ben Stokes' magical hundred, the Aussies won the match by 43 runs. They earlier won the first match by 2 wickets.

Chasing a target of 371, England were done and dusted with half of their side back in the hut with just 177 on the board. It soon became 193/6 with a controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow as the Aussies were set for a big win. But long stood England's captain Stokes, who fired in sixes and fours to the short ball ploy of Australia. He brought England within touching distance of another famous win as he made 155 off 214 but when he went out, England's hopes went along with him. Despite Josh Tongue and James Anderson's fight, the Aussies wrapped the hosts at 327 to seal the



game.

After opting to bowl on a green pitch at Lord's England gave away probably too many to the visitors. Steven Smith's 32nd century helped Australia amass 416 runs as he played with the England lineup.

England tried replicating Australia with a different approach but could manage to score 325 with Ben Duckett being the top scorer at 98. In the second innings, Australia had an upper hand with a lead of 91 and scored another 279 with Usman Khawaja's 77 to set a target of 371. Australia tore England's top order and scalped four wickets in the final session of Day 4 to send them reeling at 45/4. But Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett rebuilt the innings, adding 132, before Duckett fell. Jonny Bairstow walked back after a controversial dismissal and Stokes' aggressive approach found the hosts within touching distance but fall 43 short.