Lyon-less, tactically-off Australia pummelled by Crawley, Root and left dazed by Bazball

How much did Australia miss Nathan Lyon at the Old Trafford? Not since Glenn McGrath’s injury at Edgbaston during the iconic 2005 Ashes, has Australia missed a bowler as badly as they did on Day 2 of the fourth Test. In a series where all the talk has been consumed by Bazball, Thursday was no different, and the carnage unleashed by the imperious Zak Crawley — first in the company of Moeen Ali and then with Joe Root – meant England ended Day 2 at 384/4 off 72 overs as they gave themselves an opportunity to beat the weather forecasts and force a result out of this Test and keep the Ashes alive.

For the first time Australia looked shaken as they did everything they could to surrender the 2-1 advantage they enjoyed. There was a sort of “I don’t know what has hit me” reaction written over Australian faces and that itself showed how the Bazball has started to worry Pat Cummins & Co.

Before we get down to Crawley’s game-changing – possibly series changing – innings of 189 off 182 deliveries, it is worth reminding just how tactically off Australia were on the field. Especially in the absence of Lyon, the seamers had to be at their best but the strategies were off by a long way.

Zak is going large!