Australia dominate against England in the Ashes; wins the second Test comfortably in the end

The day began with England needing 257 to win, Australia six wickets – a proposition made a little easier by the fact that the last four of those would not look out of place batting at no. 11.

Crucially for English hopes Stokes and Ben Duckett started well, the latter having about as good a Test as possible without actually managing to make three figures. The fun, though, really began with Jonny Bairstow, or in fact with his dismissal.

One over with Broad at the other end was enough for Stokes too to pull the emergency lever. He smeared Green over mid-wicket for six, the next ball he just cleared the rope at fine leg, Mitchell Starc fumbling the ball over the boundary as an atmosphere enhancing bonus, then he mowed the ball over backward square leg. Six again. Three in a row. A remarkable century brought up in the most astonishing fashion.

England believed that maybe another miracle was on the cards. In 2019 he produced two: dragging England to a World Cup final win at Lord’s and then rescuing the impossible in that extraordinary Ashes win at Headingley.

There is a reason why miracles do not happen all the time and this would prove to be one that even Ben Stokes couldn’t quite pull off, eventually he skied Hazelwood up for Carey to catch and as he sadly trudged off the pitch to a standing ovation, so England’s hopes of one of the most improbable victories departed too. The Aussies are now 2-0 up in the series.