Second Ashes Test, Lord's, 14-18 August.

[Durhamfootman]

Labuschagne did well.... very well

no idea he was going to have to bat until that morning, hardly any cricket for 4 weeks and then took a snorter full in the face first ball up.

saved the game for Australia

who do they drop?

I think he bats 3 normally.... could Khawaja open?

Australia will change one of their openers on Thursday, I'm sure of it. Bancroft most at risk as the junior partner (which is a bit of a ssiper for Durham, because he was doing great things for us), but he is managing to hang around much longer than wee Davey, even if he isn't scoring many runs...... not making anywhere near the number of mistakes as his more illustrious partner in the field either.

[sussexpob]

Can they drop Labuschagne now?

Usam into the opening position?

Bancroft is surely done. He looks very poor technically to the moving ball

[Durhamfootman]

maybe Khawaja is at risk himself. he only has 90 runs in 4 innings.

as an optimist ( ) I'll say that Labuschagne will come in for Steve Smith.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Might bring Harris in anyway if Labuschagne bats at four. Plus there's Mitch3.

Alternatively put their spinner up to four. It's worked for them before.

Maybe they'll shuffle the bowling too. Starc and Neser are waiting and Cummins and Siddle have played two in a row. Maybe Patto will return.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Batting is Burns and Stokes v Smith and Head.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Leach averages 24 with 24 wickets in six Tests.

Maybe he would have been worth taking to India after all. Not that he's a world beater in waiting, just that some dreadful selections were made for that tour.

[GarlicJam]

Labuschagne doing a good job. Tough intro...getting an immediate bang on the head.

He took his role as Smith's replacement seriously then?

[GarlicJam]

The quick turnaround tot he next test works well in England's favour here. Surely Smith is highly unlikely to play.

"Mild concussion" maybe, but with the huge increase in interest (and even care?) over brain injuries in all sports these days, surely Cricket (CA in particular here) have to be very careful with the long term risks.

Also, should the ICC be providing independent doctors at tests? Obviously team doctors will have divided loyalties - as may have been the case with Smith. "he was raring to get back out there" - enthusiasm to rejoin play is pretty typical of League/Union/AFL players who have taken massive hits and are obviously concussed.

[backfootpunch]

Wonder how many teams in the last world cup chased the target England set in that many overs.

England are going to be short with the tail in....and Australia over a 100 away. Needed to declare 10 overs earlier

Had we declared 10 overs earlier australia wouldve only needed 188ish and we could well have lost

So cant agree with that at all

We didnt win because the top order collapsed again so buttler and stokes had to be very careful in the morning

[Arthur Crabtree]

Hope Smith is OK. It looked a hell of a blow.

Looks like a Bodyline controversy is trying to blow up over the incidents of the game. I don't like it that bowlers are allowed to bowl at the batters head, whatever their justification. Sometimes it feels like injury is too likely to allow it to continue (it felt like that when Mitch1 was winning the Ashes for Australia in 14-15). I certainly think the umpires should be more willing to stop it happening. They never do (as when Cummins was peppering Archer, a lower order bat). It might make for a magnificent spectacle, but it isn't cricket.

[Alviro Patterson]

Don't think there was anything particularly wrong with Archer's delivery that hit Smith in the neck. Bowling over the wicket, banged it in short outside off-stump. Might have been a hint of an off-cutter but the ball wasn't aimed directly at Smith, who took a leg guard and moved across with a view of playing an inventive shot. There was only two shots on offer - an uppercut (had Smith stayed at leg) or leave the ball alone.

[The Professor]

What changes to expect?

A knee jerker brings in Sibley whilst Curran may see a run out in a more conservative fan's team.

[GarlicJam]

Don't think there was anything particularly wrong with Archer's delivery that hit Smith in the neck. Bowling over the wicket, banged it in short outside off-stump. Might have been a hint of an off-cutter but the ball wasn't aimed directly at Smith, who took a leg guard and moved across with a view of playing an inventive shot. There was only two shots on offer - an uppercut (had Smith stayed at leg) or leave the ball alone.

It wasn't that much of a dangerous ball. Smith's actions made it dangerous, by ducking into it. The same with the one that collected him on the arm, Smith handled it badly, imo.

[alfie]

Wonder how many teams in the last world cup chased the target England set in that many overs.

England are going to be short with the tail in....and Australia over a 100 away. Needed to declare 10 overs earlier

Ten overs earlier they would have left Australia just 180 to get... Not realistic.

[alfie]

What changes to expect?

A knee jerker brings in Sibley whilst Curran may see a run out in a more conservative fan's team.

Judging by the extreme under use of Woakes he may have a niggle ? In which case there is a spot for Curran.

Sibley picked a bad day to make a duck in the CC But Roy's position seems barely tenable. Do England keep "hoping" ; or accept that this gamble isn't working and pick someone who just might hang around for a while ? And surely Root must move back to four...Denly at least performs the "third opener" job as well as Vince did...

As for the Aussies ; presuming no Smith the sub stays where he is. Harris almost has to play on the grounds that he is not Warner Bancroft or Khawaja. And Starc will surely get a run out...Maybe Mitch Marsh comes in as a fifth bowler ?