Ashes 2023: Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope take England into tea on 145-1- Zak Crawley falls for 48

England have fought back on the morning of Day 2 of the LV= Insurance Men’s Ashes Test at Lord’s. Steve Smith was the stand out and he reached his 32nd test century. 

England took two wickets in the first half an hour's play as Australia's tail failed to wag. Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins departed relatively cheaply as England took five wickets for 65 runs. 

It was just the start to the day England needed, but the deficit over over 400 is exactly what Australia would have liked. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett had four overs to navigate before lunch, and they did so. 13-0 at lunch, still over 400 runs behind.

England got off to a positive start and Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett got stuck into the Australian bowling attack. The pair put on 91 for the opening wicket, this came to an end when Crawley tried to hit Nathan Lyon down the ground- only for him to miss and be stumped by Alex Carey.

A potentially injured Ollie Pope was next in and after a slow start he got into his rhythm. Some confident stroke play had him ticking along nicely and at tea, England are going well at 145-1 with Duckett 62 not out and Pope still in on 32.