| Venue: Lord’s Dates: 28 June – 2 July |
| Coverage: Ball-by-ball Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, Radio 4 LW, online, tablets, mobiles and BBC Sport app. Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website. |
England hope an all-pace attack can utilise a green-tinged Lord’s pitch for the second Ashes Test as they look to level the series against Australia.
Having vowed to go “even harder” at Australia after losing the first Test, England have chosen seamer Josh Tongue.
Tongue, who took 5-66 against Ireland at Lord’s on his Test debut earlier in June, replaces off-spinner Moeen Ali.
However, Australia may also bolster their fast bowling ranks with left-arm quick Mitchell Starc expected to play.
Moeen, who struggled with a cut spinning finger in the first Test loss at Edgbaston, was fit to play having bowled in the nets during the week.
But there remained a concern that he would be susceptible to a recurrence of the injury and that, coupled with the conditions and ongoing management of captain Ben Stokes’ own persistent left knee problem, led England to the decision to go for an all-pace attack.
“We turned up at Lord’s and saw there was quite a lot of grass on the pitch and thought we would get more out of our fourth bowler being Josh Tongue,” Stokes said.
Tongue, 25, will win his second cap after making his debut against Ireland on the same ground at the beginning of June.
Stokes admitted England wanted to pick Mark Wood, but felt he was not able to get through a five-day Test having not played any cricket for more than two months. The hope is he will be ready for the third Test at Headingley next week.
Worcestershire’s Tongue took five wickets in the second innings against the Irish and will join James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson as the frontline bowlers.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Tonguey continue the great start he had against Ireland here,” said Stokes.
“Coming in and being able to use him in a fourth seamer role is something that I’m very much looking forward to him being able to do and I think he’s really looking forward to the challenge as well.”
Without Moeen, responsibility for spin will fall to Joe Root, who took one wicket with his off-breaks at Edgbaston and bowled more than Moeen during the second innings.
Before speaking to the media, Stokes addressed Tuesday’s publication of the report from the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) by reading a prepared statement.
The ICEC report said racism, sexism, classism and elitism was “widespread” in English and Welsh cricket. The damning report had looked into recreational and professional cricket, and the evidence gathered came from more than 4,000 respondents.
“It is clear there is so much more the game has to do and as players we really want to be a part of that to ensure this is truly a sport for everyone,” Stokes said.
Starc warning
If they are to win the Ashes for the first time in eight years, England must become the first team since 2005 to come from behind to lift the urn.
It is a point not lost on Australian great Glenn McGrath, who said in his BBC column that the series would be effectively over if Australia were to win this Test.
His former side are expected to include left-arm paceman Starc, while off-spinner Nathan Lyon will become only the seventh man in history – and first bowler – to play 100 consecutive Tests.
“We are pretty sure which way we are going to go,” said Australia captain Pat Cummins. “We just want to cover it all off, have another look at the wicket and what the weather is going to be like.”
Cummins also said he took heart from Australia having won the first Test while – in his estimation – not being at their best. He added that he was expecting a “big week” from batters Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, who both had a relatively quiet first Test.
“History would suggest Marnus and Smithy rarely miss out, so I am expecting a big week from them,” he said of the pair who each average 55 in Tests and went into the series ranked number one and two in the world but scored a combined 35 runs across four innings.
Of his team’s performance in the first Test, he added: “I think that is one of the most pleasing things that we weren’t at our best but still managed to get over the line. That is not always going to be the case.”
England XI: Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes, Bairstow, Broad, Robinson, Tongue, Anderson.
