The Ashes 2013: 5 reasons why Australia can win the 2nd Test at Lord's

4. Middle-order shuffle

Ed Cowan could be replaced and a new middle order spells a fresh start for Aussies

Australia’s failure in the first Test can largely be put down to the failure of the middle order. Ed Cowan and Michael Clarke failed to find their feet in both the innings and that hurt Australia massively as the responsibility of scoring runs fell upon the lower order.

Cowan is likely to face the axe as Usman Khawaja looks set to play at Lord’s, but Michael Clarke will need to get his act right. He has the added responsibility of being the captain of the side. He remains the best batsman is this squad and needs to match his opposite number in making the largest contribution with the bat.

Australia cannot win this series without Michael Clarke getting around 500 runs in the five match series. His consistent batting record augurs well for Australia, and after two consecutive failures, he might on the verge of a big innings.