England vs Australia second Ashes Test: Start time, team news and how to follow – hosts set up thrilling final day

England’s hopes of bouncing back from the opening Ashes defeat at Edgbaston are hanging in the balance after a spirited fightback. 

Ben Stokes’ men were set a target of 371 to win after limiting Australia to 279 all out.

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The hosts copied the visitors’ strategy of bowling short balls and the Aussie batters fell for it.

But England made an awful start to their chase, finding themselves at 45-4 and staring defeat in the face.

Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett managed to drag the hosts up to 114-4 at the close of play, needing 257 runs to win.

But if they are to pull off an unlikely win, they need Stokes, Duckett and Jonny Bairstow to do the majority of the work.

Meanwhile, Australia will feel if they can get those three out, they will be able to wrap up a comfortable win and take a 2-0 lead.

England vs Australia second Test: Date and start time 

The second Test of the Ashes will begin on Wednesday, June 28.

It will be played over five days and will run until Sunday, July 2. 

The match is being held at Lord’s in London with play due to start at 11am each day. 

England vs Australia second Test: Live stream and TV channel 

The action will be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket.

The game will also be available on NOW TV through a day pass for £11.99 or a £9.99 monthly subscription, while Sky Go customers can watch the action on their laptop or mobile device.

talkSPORT will also have regular updates and reaction throughout the Test.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

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England vs Australia second Test: Team news 

England have decided to go with an all-seam attack for the second Test and have surprisingly selected Josh Tongue as their fourth seamer.

Moeen Ali, who struggled with a finger injury at Edgbaston, is left out in the only change.

Tongue has been preferred to the express pace of Mark Wood while Chris Woakes and Matthew Potts have also been overlooked.

Australia have made one change from the first Test with Mitchell Starc coming into the side.

England

• Ben Duckett
• Zak Crawley
• Ollie Pope
• Joe Root
• Harry Brook
• Ben Stokes(c)
• Jonny Bairstow(wk)
• Stuart Broad
• Josh Tongue
• Ollie Robinson
• James Anderson

Australia

• David Warner
• Usman Khawaja
• Marnus Labuschagne
• Steven Smith
• Travis Head
• Cameron Green
• Alex Carey(wk)
• Pat Cummins(c)
• Nathan Lyon
• Josh Hazlewood
• Mitchell Starc

Toss: England won the toss and decided to field

Officials: Ahsan Raza, Chris Gaffaney, Marais Erasmus, Andy Pycroft, David Millns

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England vs Australia second Test: What has been said? 

England captain Stokes remained confident in his side’s all-attack approach despite the defeat in Birmingham. 

He said: “A loss is a loss. Losing hurts regardless of what you have done, winning is always a great feeling but we’re going to keep coming at Australia in the way that we did. 

“We are going to keep making moves when we feel the time is right and if we end up on the wrong side of results in games that go down to the wire like this, there won’t be too much to complain about.

“It’s obviously devastating to be on the losing end of that, going down to the wire with the emotions of that whole day… to get to the end there, eight down with 50 to win you’re thinking we’re just one wicket away but you can never count Australia out.

“If we’d not kept people on the edge of their seats throughout, hopefully, we have managed to attract the attention of more people in England and Australia to follow the Ashes for the next four games.”