The Ashes 2013: 2nd Test at Lord's - 5 key contests to watch out for

England cricket team during a training session at Lord’s

The Ashes move to the home of cricket for the second Test match after England took a 1-0 lead in the series with a 14-run victory at Trent Bridge.

Lord’s has been a hospitable venue for the Australians who have won 16 of their 36 matches, losing only 6 matches here. However, England’s recent record at the venue is only tarnished by a single loss to South Africa last year excepting which they have won every Test played here since 2005.

Meanwhile, the Queen and bright sunshine are expected to arrive on Day 1 as English summer finally feels like one and that would make the Australians more comfortable. The surface at Lord’s is expected to be dry but with a sufficient amount of pace and bounce to excite the quicks.

The wicket at Lord’s has the tendency to ease out in favour of the batsmen as we approach Day 3. It will be intriguing to see which way the fortunes incline at the toss.

Both the teams have had a bit of thinking to do ahead of the game. According to the news reports, Australia will be leaving out Ed Cowan after his disappointing performance with the bat in the first match. Usman Khawaja who averages just below 30.0 in his 6 Test matches and has only a fifty to his name will be replacing him.

Australia will also tweak their bowling attack, leaving out Mitchell Starc whose contributions were restricted to small energetic bursts in the first Test. The replacement is Ryan Harris in the reports as of now, but Australia also have option of choosing either Jackson Bird or James Faulkner.

England, on the other hand, have the tough task of making a call on Steven Finn, but he might get another chance as he is familiar with conditions at Lord’s.

Here are five contests that we can watch out for at the 2nd Test:

5. Graeme Swann vs Steven Smith

Swann dismissed Smith in the first Test. He will be looking to exact revenge

Steven Smith repaid the team think-tank in some sense with his performance in the first Test at Trent Bridge.

He did not put up a match-winning performance, but he applied himself to a difficult task of rescuing Australia from a top-order meltdown in both the innings.

He was especially good in the last session of the first day when he ensured that Australia did not suffer further damage by the close of the day. He attempted to unsettle Graeme Swann by using his feet and succeeded. The off-spinner got his revenge in the second innings as he trapped Smith leg-before wicket.

The battle will be renewed at Lord’s.

4. James Anderson vs Shane Watson

Shane Watson at the top of the order has a rather unenviable task of facing James Anderson

Watson’s been at the centre of the controversy that has erupted due to Mickey Arthur’s controversial comments. Michael Clarke has brushed aside all allegations regarding a rift with the all-rounder.

Watson will be keen on getting some key runs on the board especially when Darren Lehmann has handed him the critical job at the top of the order. Chris Rogers is a good foil for his naturally aggressive style and the two looked the part in the second innings at Trent Bridge where they put up 81 runs together.

However, Watson will have the huge challenge of James Anderson to face in order to achieve his target. He looked nervous on Day 1, perhaps because of the occasion, as he flirted with swinging deliveries outside his off-stump and Anderson will be probing the corridor of uncertainty once again.

3. Kevin Pietersen vs Ashton Agar

Australia will be targetting Kevin Pietersen’s supposed weakness against left-arm-spin again

Ashton Agar might have monopolized the limelight after the first Test match for his batting exploits, but he was originally drafted into the team as a left-arm spinner who could possible negate the threat posed by Kevin Pietersen.

The right-handed batsman who has multiple gears in his repertoire, as he exhibited in the second innings with an innings of 64, which was constituted in two halves; he was defensive and resilient at the close of Day 2 as he partnered Alastair Cook, but came out firing in the morning session the next day.

He is considered to be vulnerable to left-arm orthodox spin and Agar has proved that he has the wherewithal to deliver the goods as he ended up with two key scalps in the second innings.

2. Alastair Cook vs James Pattinson

Pattinson removed Cook in the first innings of the fist Test

A lot was said and written about the battle between Mitchell Starc and Alastair Cook ahead of the first Test but Starc failed to find his radar in the first innings. It was James Pattinson who delivered the critical wicket of the English captain, prompting the middle-order to be exposed.

Pattinson’s ability to use his stock delivery that dips into Alastair Cook, becomes a fine weapon when the delivery holds its line. Cook’s wicket is certainly the single most important in the English batting line-up as he is the most effective anchor player. If he gets runs, he increases the potential of the entire line-up.

Cook managed to be compact in the second innings and patiently paved his to a half-century which helped his team set a challenging target. In the possible absence of Mitchell Starc, Pattinson will be the one out for his blood.

1. James Anderson vs Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke got a peach of a delivery from Anderson in first innings of the first Test

The defining moment of the first match was the dismissal of Michael Clarke in the first innings. The captain failed to open his account on the first day of the Ashes Test as he was at the end of a dream-delivery from Anderson who eventually finished with 10 wickets in the game.

Michael Clarke is, arguably, the best batsman is Australia’s ranks. He saved the face for Australia in India when the team was under immense pressure and he needs to do the same at Lord’s.

Anderson, on the other hand, will be doing what he does best. The kind of dismissal he effected in the first match must necessarily play on his mind and Anderson can exploit that element of psychological pressure.