* Former Test captain Mark Taylor gives his rating and opinion on every one of Australia’s players performances in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.
Australia survived an epic knock from England captain Ben Stokes to win the second Test by 43 runs, taking a vital 2-0 lead in the series.
The two teams will head to Headingley for the third Test with the home side needing to win all three of the remaining matches to reclaim the urn.
AS IT HAPPENED: The Ashes second Test, day five
READ MORE: Australia survives Stokes’ remarkable heist attempt
ASHES HIGHLIGHTS: Broad’s swipe at Aussies after Bairstow drama
Here are my player ratings and thoughts from what was a thrilling Australian win:
Second Test Day 5 Highlights
DAVID WARNER (8/10): I thought the first day, that was really tough. That partnership between him and Uzzie (Khawaja), even though Uzzie only got 17, it got Australia to lunch and that was quite big.
USMAN KHAWAJA (8/10): “What he’s done very well is that he is very single-minded, he’s got very good focus. He’s not getting sucked into playing the game that he’s not used to playing. Test match cricket is trying to go up a level obviously under this new England regime, but Uzzie at the age of 36 feels he’s got his style of play and he’s going to stick with it and who could argue with him?
MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE (7/10): A pretty good game (with) two starts. Not a great shot in the second innings. When Australia batted they definitely got the worse of the conditions, so they all did pretty well.
STEVE SMITH (9/10): I interviewed him and he said he left a few out there. He looked good in both innings and he’s such a perfectionist that I can’t give him 10 because he knows that he could’ve made more.
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TRAVIS HEAD (8/10): He was good on day one. I think he makes life easier for people like Steve Smith. Because he’s more of an aggressive player and wants to move the game on it allows people like Steve Smith to go at their own pace. I suspect that Smithy rather likes batting with him because he can go and play the game that he likes to play and Trav plays his game and the scoreboard is ticking over nicely.
CAMERON GREEN (6/10): It worries me a bit when he first comes to the crease. He seems to be having trouble getting going in his innings. I think everyone knows how well he can hit them (but) he hasn’t quite found his pace when he first gets to the crease yet, so it’s an area of his game that he’ll need to work on. Once again some handy wickets with the ball and a very good catch to remove Ben Stokes in that first innings and those catches are just crucial.
ALEX CAREY (9/10): He had a terrific game. Obviously would’ve liked to have made a few more, but his glovework was impeccable in this game. I think he just gets better every time I watch him. The stumping to remove (Zak) Crawley in the first innings was crucial, the catch down the leg side today, obviously the controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow. What he’s doing is he’s thinking all the time about how he can contribute to Australia’s performance.
Bairstow stunned by Carey’s act
MITCHELL STARC (8.5/10): A really good performance. A couple of crucial wickets in that second innings with the new ball. That’s what we love to see. That one that bowled Ollie Pope was a beauty, probably the ball of the series so far. That just gets you going. Just that extra bit of pace and bounce and that left arm variation just adds to Australia at the moment. A welcome return to the Aussie side.
PAT CUMMINS (8.5/10): Another good all-round game for Pat with bat and ball and also in the field. It wasn’t easy today, but (he) found a way around that lunch break just to settle the game down a bit, change tactics, bowl a bit wider to Ben Stokes, just keep him quiet for an over or two. It was getting away from them before lunch, but had that chance to regroup after lunch time and came out and changed the game.
Lyon’s heroics come to an end
NATHAN LYON (8/10): I know he didn’t do a lot, but he got that wicket of Crawley in the first innings, then hobbled around and came out to bat. Just talking to him you can see how much playing Test cricket means to him and I think that bleeds right through the team. Even though he didn’t bowl a ball in the second innings you sense the guys were lifting for him as well. I reckon he’ll do a very good rendition tonight of the Southern Cross song.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD (8/10): Not quite at his best in the first innings, but big wickets today of (Ben) Duckett and Stokes, the game-changing wickets. It was a big day for him today.
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