LONDON: Australia defied the absence of star batsman Steve Smith because of a concussion and more devastating spells of pace bowling by Jofra Archer to hold out for a draw in the second Ashes Test against England on Sunday.
Set an improbable victory target of 267 off 48 overs at Lord’s, the Australians quickly slumped to 47-3 but a fourth-wicket stand of 85 between Marnus Labuschagne (59) and Travis Head (42 not out) helped push them to safety.
Australia lost three more wickets in a five-over stretch to keep the match alive as the light faded, but managed to survive to 154-6 at the end.
Australia retain a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Labuschagne had an interesting day. He only found out he’d be playing as Test cricket’s first-ever concussion substitute when Smith was withdrawn from the team early Sunday after waking up with a headache and feeling groggy after being hit in the neck by an Archer bumper on Saturday.
Labuschagne came to the middle with Australia struggling on 19-2 after 5.3 overs and, off the second ball he faced, was hit on the grille of his helmet by another vicious delivery from Archer. The batsman dropped to the ground, was checked out by medical staff and required a new helmet.
In a blistering spell by Archer, balls flew past Labuschagne but he survived and looked more comfortable in the final session as England’s hopes began to dwindle at the home of cricket. He finally departed, somewhat controversially, when England captain Joe Root was adjudged to have got his fingers under a diving catch at midwicket from Labuschagne’s sweep.
It was Labuschagne’s second half-century in his sixth Test and he could stay in the team for the third Test starting Thursday at Headingley, with Smith’s availability in doubt.
With Australia currently holding the Ashes urn, the English need to win two of the final three tests to take it off their fierce rivals.
Archer’s performance at Lord’s on his test debut will give England real hope, though. He was a permanent menace, taking 2-59 off 29 overs in the first innings and then 3-32 off 15 overs in the second.
A day after flooring Smith with a vicious 92 mph delivery, the Barbados-born quick removed David Warner for 5 — his fourth straight single-figure score this series — and then Usman Khawaja for 2 to catches behind the wicket.
He peppered Bancroft and Labuschagne with missiles but they lasted until tea.
Bancroft (16) was trapped lbw by spinner Jack Leach early in the final session but England could only make further inroads when it was too late.
After Labuschagne’s departure, Leach removed Matthew Wade for 1 before Joe Denly produced a sensational one-handed catch at midwicket off Archer to take out Australia captain Tim Paine for 4.
Head, who was dropped on 22 by Jason Roy at second slip, persevered and Archer had to be withdrawn from the attack late on because of the poor light. He put his hat back on, and Australia’s players could breathe a sigh of relief.
Earlier, Ben Stokes brought up his seventh Test century before England declared their second innings on 258-5 — the same total the team was all out for in its first innings.
Stokes was unbeaten on 115 after hitting 11 fours and three sixes at the ground where he helped win the Cricket World Cup for England barely a month ago. Jonny Bairstow was not out on 30.
England resumed Sunday on 96-4 in its second innings and added 162 runs before declaring midway through the second session.
Australia salvage a draw in second Ashes Test at Lord’s, stay 1-0 ahead of England
Australia salvage a draw in second Ashes Test at Lord’s, stay 1-0 ahead of England
Patriots reach Super Bowl in blizzard-hit 10-7 win over Broncos
LOS ANGELES, US: Quarterback Drake Maye led the New England Patriots to their first Super Bowl appearance since the glory days of predecessor Tom Brady with a blizzard-ravaged 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos Sunday.
In a low-scoring AFC Championship game played out in brutal conditions, Maye rushed for a first-half touchdown, and painstakingly drove the ball downfield after the break to set up a decisive field goal.
No further scoring was possible in the 21 degrees F storm, with the Patriots’ white uniforms barely visible as players slipped and slid across the snow.
“We battled the elements,” said Maye.
“These conditions, it’s not great throwing the football. But hey, we do what we need to do... We’re off to the Super Bowl. Let’s go!“
The Patriots will play either the Los Angeles Rams or the Seattle Seahawks at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California, on February 8.
The win cements a remarkable resurgence for the Patriots.
After the dominant era of the Brady dynasty that yielded six Super Bowl titles, New England have endured a painful rebuild, going 3-14 in both the previous two seasons.
But under new head coach Mike Vrabel they were a revelation this season, winning 17 games so far and topping the tough AFC East for the first time since 2019.
‘Costly’
Prior to kickoff, all eyes were on the Broncos’ perennial backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who had not thrown a pass in competitive football for two years.
The 29-year-old was thrust into the spotlight when Broncos’ first-choice Bo Nix broke his ankle in the dying moments of last weekend’s victory over the Buffalo Bills.
An understandably nervy Stidham was swiftly and repeatedly blitzed by the Patriots, throwing a wild incomplete pass on an opening drive that ended with a punt.
Moments later his epic 54-yard hurl to Marvin Mims Jr paid off spectacularly, caught deep downfield. Stidham then found Courtland Sutton for the opening TD.
Stidham grew in confidence as the first half progressed, without adding to the lead. The Broncos declined a straightforward field goal attempt at 4th&1 on New England’s 14-yard line, and gave up a turnover on downs.
Then disaster struck, as Stidham fumbled on the Broncos’ 14-yard line for a turnover. Maye, who had been struggling badly, rushed for a touchdown and a 7-7 half-time score.
The fumble would prove “costly,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton admitted after the game.
‘Sick’
The dense snowstorm descended on Denver at the break, making passing difficult and forcing both teams to rely on their run games.
An attritional 18-play drive lasting nearly 10 minutes led to a field goal and slender lead for New England.
The conditions became almost comically treacherous, with multiple players slipping and sliding on nearly every barely-visible play.
Both sides missed multiple field goals in swirling cross-winds, including one blocked by Patriots tackle Leonard Taylor’s fingertips.
With the two-minute warning looming, Stidham attempted a hugely risky 30-yard pass and gave away an interception that proved vital in whiteout conditions.
“It was good at first, and then snow started coming down, wind blowing, I couldn’t see,” said defensive tackle Milton Williams.
“I’m coughing. I’m probably sick right now. But none of that matters. All that matters is that we won the game and we’re going to the Bowl.”
The Patriots, who already boasted the most Super Bowl appearances with 11, will now have their twelfth showing on American football’s biggest stage, and a chance to vie for a record seventh Lombardi trophy.
Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls playing alongside Brady for the Patriots, would be the first person to win the sport’s ultimate prize as a player and coach for the same franchise.
“I won’t win it — it’ll be the players that will win the game, I promise you,” said Vrabel.
