"Could quite easily be over in the first hour" - Michael Vaughan believes Australia are well ahead entering Day 5 of 2nd Test
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan maintains that the Australians are still clear favorites to win the second Ashes Test heading into Day 5 at Lord's.
Despite England's resilient batting in the final hour on Day 4, Vaughan feels that a few quick strikes in the first hour could seal the deal for the visitors.
Chasing a mammoth 371 runs for victory, the hosts were rocked early by the sensational spells of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. The duo picked up two wickets each to have England reeling at 45/4.
Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes have since stitched together a valuable partnership of 69 runs to see off the bowling until the close of play on Day 4.
Speaking to Cricbuzz at the end of Day 4, Michael Vaughan admitted to the Aussies still being the favorites but remained hopeful of Ben Stokes pulling off another miracle.
"The game is very clearly in the hands of Australia," Vaughan said. "It could quite easily be over in the first hour if they go bang bang straight away. But there's something about Ben Stokes against Australia in the chase, looks like his body is spent."
The former Ashes-winning skipper had high praise for Stokes' fighting abilities while also iterating on the importance of Ben Duckett.
"Not sure how he bowled that spell, looked like he had a problem with his right hamstring," Vaughan added. "Got hit in his right hand in the first innings, there's a big bruise there. He is collasal, he's just out there fighting. England have shown a lot of character in that last hour and a half. Thought Ben Duckett until his madness at the end played beautifully. He is a really really gifted player."
Duckett scored a sublime 98 in the first innings and is currently unbeaten on 50 from 67 deliveries.
Meanwhile, Stokes is on 29 off 66 deliveries and will look to shake off his poor batting form to repeat the heroics from Headingley 2019.
"Have to maximize when it's in your favor" - Michael Vaughan
Micheal Vaughan was critical of the three young England batters, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, and Harry Brook, throwing away their starts in the first innings of the second Test.
The former England captain felt the three batters getting out to soft dismissals in the first innings led to them being under the pump in the second essay.
While Crawley was strangled down the leg-side to be dismissed in the second innings, the duo of Brook and Pope were undone by magical deliveries from Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.
"The three young England players - Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook, if you actually go back to the first innings you have to maximize when it's in your favor, particularly against quality," Michael Vaughan said. "In the first innings, all three of those players got in and they got out playing soft. Just play, you don't need to risk anything. All three in the first innings were set, go and get the big score."
All three batters crossed the 40-run mark in the first innings but neither converted their start into a substantial score, with 50 by Brook being the highest score between the trio.
They were unfortunately dismissed for single figures in the hosts' second innings, leading to England being in dire straits at 45-4.