England v Australian Lord's 2nd Test match 19,20,21,22,23 July 2001 (5-day match)

Result: Australia won by 8 wickets -

Umpires : SA Bucknor (WI) and JW Holder

Match Reports : Day 1; Day 2; Day 3; Day 4; Day 5

Toss: Australia (elected to field)

First Day Report :

Australia's captain Steve Waugh once again won the toss and elected to field on the first day of the second Npower Test against England at Lord's. Even though there was a change in captain, England still failed to win the toss; and with heavy overnight rain in London, the outfield was too wet to allow play to begin on time.

Australia had named an unchanged side yesterday after late fitness tests cleared the injured trio, a relief for consistency in the Australian camp after the first Test massacre at Edgbaston. England on the other hand had no such luxuries and decided to discard Ashley Giles and Chris Silverwood in favour of Dominic Cork; Ramprakash and Thorpe coming in to boost the middle order.

Play began at 12:30 under dark and looming clouds. Atherton and Trescothick walked out to the middle to a subdued applause from the home crowd. McGrath and Gillespie opened the bowling and both bowlers managed to move the ball off the seam as well as moving the ball in the air.

The first runs of the morning session came off McGrath's last ball of the over, pulling a short pitched delivery through backward square leg for four. At the end of the over, both umpires met in the middle and looking on expectantly was England captain Mike Atherton, grinning at the spectacle. However, the umpires decided play could continue and the crowd cheered. Trescothick got off the mark with a late cut off Gillespie and just before light was offered, Trescothick edged a no ball through slips for 3 runs.

With only 15 minutes of play possible, rain fell and lunch was taken early and with the hard shower that fell during lunch, play was unable to start on time.

In the second over after lunch, Gillespie teased Trescothick into playing a loose shot outside his off stump and without moving his feet, pushed the ball through to Adam Gilchrist behind the wicket; it was Gillespie's first Test wicket at Lord's. However, on replaying the ball, Channel 4 viewers saw that the ball should have been given as a no ball, yet another wicket to fall of an illegal ball.

During the extended tea interval, Her Majesty the Queen met with both teams under cover due to the falling rain. The presentation had been due to take place outside but due to the inclement weather it had been moved inside. The Queen didn't quite know what to make of Funky Miller when introduced to the Australian player, he was sporting a multi coloured haircut - predominately pink!!!

Following the interruptions for bad light and rain, England were 3 for 96; Butcher, Trescothick and Atherton all back in the pavilion.

When the two teams came back out at 4:50, play lasted for just about an hour before Atherton and Thorpe were offered the light - Atherton accepting the invitation and the pair scurried off the field. It didn't last long however as John Holder prompted the ground staff to remove the covers and only 3 overs were lost due to the light.

With Butcher out to McGrath, edging a delivery to Mark Waugh at second slip, England were starting to look vulnerable. In taking the catch, Mark Waugh equalled Mark Taylor's Test record of 157 catches. It was left to McGrath once again to push home the advantage after the latest break for light when he had Michael Atherton trapped leg before, the first time he had the England captain leg before. England were now 3 for 96.

Thorpe and Ramprakash through a mixture of very good running and well-crafted shots guided the home side out of immediate trouble. Brett Lee struggled with his rhythm and run up, bowling countless no balls during the afternoon. However with the score on 3 for 121, Brett Lee clean bowled Mark Ramprakash who was beaten all ends up, just as the sun had peered through the clouds for the first time in the day. Ironically Ramprakash one ball earlier had refused an easy single and has now paid the ultimate price.

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