England looking to 'Lord it' over Rivals

KP's Pedal Power. Le Tour de Lords

England head in to the second Ashes test at Lord’s tonight knowing that a victory would all but kill Australia’s hopes of snatching the urn back from Alistair Cook’s men.

Both sides though come in to the game with mixed emotions. England will be elated at the fact that they went 1-0 up in the series thanks to a 14 run win, but know how very close they were pushed.

For Darren Lehman’s men, they can take heart from rushing England and taking them away from their usual knack of controlling events in what was a gutsy performance in Nottingham, but the sort of close encounter they really needed to win to stand a chance overall.

The equation is simple for the tourists; ruffle England’s feathers again and they might square it.

There is no pressure on Lehman, that’s why he threw the untried and untested Ashton Agar in to the cauldron of, not just test cricket, but Ashes cricket. Even the staunchest Australian did not expect that on debut.

And, even if the nineteen year old was better with bat than ball, it gives England another thing to worry about, after Australia’s top order was, by some, utterly dismissed.

You would have to suggest that the Aussies have found England’s weak link, and it comes in the form of Steven Finn. The Middlesex man may be spared the humiliation of being dropped due to the match being played at his home ground.

If Finn is dropped, not only does it look like Cook and Flower are rattled by the way the Australians attacked the paceman, but it will likely shatter the individual’s confidence, and he does have a part to play in the squad for this or the next series in November. 

Ed Cowan could see his place come under threat from Usman Khawaja following disappointing knocks of 0 and 14 at Trent Bridge, in what is likely to be Lehman’s only tactical switch.

There will be some tired bodies taking to the field in London, that’s for sure. How will Brad Haddin and Michael Clarke shape up for the tourists, when they have both had their injury problems? How will Stuart Broad and ten-wicket man Jimmy Anderson be feeling less than a week after their respective niggles?

England will hope that they win the toss and will bat first on at a ground where they have lost once since a 239 run defeat to Australia in 2005 - some 17 games ago – and normal service should resume for England when Cook and Joe Root step out to bat, if Australia allow.