The Australian cricket team pulled off an incredible 43-run victory over arch-rivals England in a thrilling second Test at Lord’s to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing five-match Ashes series.
Chasing a target of 371 in the fourth innings, the England cricket team was quickly reduced to 45/4 in 12.5 overs. However, England captain Ben Stokes produced a knock for the ages at Lord’s to keep the hosts in the game.
Having accomplished a similar miracle in the Headingley Test during the 2019 Ashes series, Ben Stokes slammed his 13th Test hundred as the match headed towards another nail-biting finish on the fifth and final day.
Stokes was later dismissed by Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood for 155 off 214 balls as England lost their seventh wicket still 70 runs short of their required target.
The Australian pace attack soon wrapped up England’s second innings to register a 43-run win at the iconic venue. The Pat Cummins-led Australia earlier secured a thrilling two-wicket win over England at Edgbaston in the opening Test of Ashes 2023.
With Australia winning at Lord’s, there have been seven occasions when a team took a 2-0 lead in the five-match Ashes series since 2000.
Australia have achieved the feat on six instances, while England have recorded it only once in 2013.
During those occasions, none of the opposing teams even managed to level the five-match Ashes series 2-2.
Talking about Ashes in England, the ongoing series is the third instance when a team has taken a 2-0 lead since the turn of the century.
Under the tutelage of head coach Brendon McCullum, England needs a miracle to overturn the 2-0 deficit and win the ongoing 2023 Ashes. So, the biggest question in everyone’s mind right now is - has any team come from 2-0 down to win an Ashes series?
Has any team come from 2-0 down to win an Ashes series?
Only one team came from 2-0 down to win an Ashes series since the first edition in 1882-83.
Led by captain Don Bradman, the Australian cricket team achieved the rare feat during the 1936-37 Ashes series.
During the first Test of the 1936-37 Ashes series, England thrashed Australia by 322 runs in Brisbane to go 1-0 up in the five-match series.
The visitors continued their impressive form in the second Test as they hammered Australia by an innings and 22 runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the Ashes series.
However, the Don Bradman-led Australia accomplished the ultimate comeback in the remaining three Tests to win the 1936-37 Ashes series at home.
Australia beat England by 365 runs in the third Test in Melbourne, before registering a 148-run win in the fourth Test in Adelaide to level the series 2-2.
Heading into the final Test in Melbourne, Australia produced another scintillating performance to annihilate England by an innings and 200 runs to clinch the Ashes series 3-2 in March 1937.
The hosts won the series courtesy Don Bradman’s brilliance with the bat in the final three Tests. The legendary Australian batter played match-winning knocks of 270, 212 and 169 to help Australia stage a comeback for the ages.
Photo credit: Alamy
