Winners

If the first two Tests are any indicators of what is about to follow, then well Harris can already get padded up and be ready with his gear to come out to bat at Headingley, as both Warner and Bancroft have all but looked like walking wickets. If Warner has been mentally scarred by Broad, then Bancroft has looked like he's been fighting against his own technique, which has more often than not led to his downfall. 

The Fans

There was one bout that everyone wanted to see ahead of the Lord’s Test. Jofra Archer vs Steve Smith. 

Round 2: Archer comes back to bowl, he’s bowled well more than 20 overs and surely, he must be tired by now. Final ball of the 71st over, WOW, BOOOOM!! Archer, out of nowhere, with a short delivery, smacks the ball right into his left forearm. The physios come out and attend to him, he looks in deep pain, but Smith refuses to go off. 

Round 3: All the plastering has been done, and we’re all set for the contest to resume. Archer continues to punish Smith with short deliveries, but SMITH GOES FOR IT AND GETS A BOUNDARY!  He might be dying in pain, but he just won’t give up. Sends the ball back to Archer’s court.

Despite Smith coming out to bat again, Archer well and truly walked away as the undisputed winner. Provided Smith recovers in time, we will have three more Tests and several more rounds of this enthralling contest, and well, all we can do is plead the viewers to tune into the action to catch a glimpse of history being created right in front of our eyes. 

Technology

So far, in just two Tests, it has almost been established that the sport cannot function without technology, but if the standards of umpiring continue to stoop low like they have in this series, there can be a case made for technology to take over decision making completely. But then again, if the people who are handling the technology are incompetent - as seen in Joe Root’s catch to dismiss Labuschagne - then well, everyone will be just clutching at straws. 

Losers

When Archer’s bouncer hurt Smith and forced him to go off, the English bowlers might have been relieved that they wouldn’t need to bowl at him for a considerable while. However, it might just mean even more bad news for them, as hey, as we all know, Australia are not the kind of team who will take it on the chin and walk away, are they?  If only they had someone like a Mitchell Starc who can intimidate their batsmen (and bowlers) by bowling at 150 kmph right? RIGHT?

The English tail already once received the wrath of the Aussie pacers in the summer of 2017/18, when Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Starc absolutely latched on to them dishing them out short deliveries ball after ball, only satisfied after sending them a message. So far this Ashes, they’ve been quite friendly to them, but come Headingley, expect things to turn around upside down. One fears Archer and England might have pushed the wrong button, and the Aussie bowlers might come hunting for blood. 

Spare a thought for Ben Foakes, who has done nothing wrong, and is probably unluckier than Marcus Harris to be sitting on the sidelines. Three consecutive failures from Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow meant that the Essex man was right in the mix for Headingley in case of another failure from the duo, but some things aren’t meant to be, and in case of Foakes, it's a Test recall, as the double J’s made significant contributions in the second innings at Lord’s to put England in a position of command. 

In all fairness, his CV speaks for himself and with a Test average of 41.50, he should probably be a certain starter considering the fragility of the English batting, but now, Buttler and Bairstow’s showing means double trouble for Foakes and it looks like he’d have to wait a few more years to make his Ashes debut. So close, yet so far.

Post the conclusion of the first Test, we’d mentioned Justin Langer as one of our “winners” after his selection calls propelled Australia to breach to Edgbaston fortress. But cricket being the game it is, gives a person too much time in between Test matches to make silly comments, and prior to the Lord’s Test, Langer said that Australia would like to “wear Jofra Archer down” and try to feast on his lack of intensity in his third or fourth spell.

Oh coach, how wrong you were! Archer was into his 25th over (!!!) when he hit Smith on his arm, and was bowling his 28th over when he floored him with the bouncer. The Barbados man seems to be making a habit of making eat humble pie, and this week, it’s been Langer’s turn to do so. If I were an Aussie, I sure wouldn’t be making any comments about Archer ahead of the Headingley Test, that’s for sure.