ANALYSIS: Australia held its nerve to secure victory at Lord's and a 2-0 series lead, but that doesn't tell half the story of a day when the Ashes exploded into firey and controversial life.
In terms of the wicket itself, there really isn't that much controversy to write home about. It's not even particularly close to being contentious from a rules perspective, so as ever it all comes down to the vibe — or, as it's known around these parts, the "spirit of cricket".
But most of all it was the power. That sound of ball crashing into Stokes's bat, erupting like a cannon a split second before the crowd followed suit. They bowled short, but rarely short enough, hoping for a mistake from a batter who was no longer operating by the accepted laws of physics. Even the shanks were going for six, and the good shots ended up on Abbey Road.
But then Australia did something they didn't at Leeds in 2019. They paused, took a breath and had a chat.
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