ENG vs AUS Ashes 2nd Test, Day 2 Highlights: England end Day 2 on 278/4 as Stokes, Brook steady ship for hosts

Crawley getting it off the middle of the bat now. The second ball of the ninth by Starc is sent through midwicket and the next one is crashed through the covers.

Starc has the ball in his hands and Duckett is on strike. England 13/0. 

Just the one four for England in this session, which was hit by Duckett off the first ball of the third over. He ends the session on seven off six, Crawley on six off 18.

No declaration yet from Ben Stokes despite there being just about 5 overs left for lunch, maybe even lesser. Crawley has faced nine and scored three, Duckett has a more Bazball strike rate of two off three.

Ok then, Zak Crawley is on strike with Ben Duckett at the other end. Starc bowling the first over. Either England get all out after surrendering a big lead or theyt get all out after getting very close to the Australian total with about half an hour to go in the day or their top four make this total look like a joke. The only thing common in these possibilities, you may have noticed, is that England are gonna score quick. Yes, those of you who have not followed Test cricket for the past two years, England are now known to score at a ridiculous rate or die trying in the longest format of the game. 

Short from Robinson, Lyon had pulled him to the boundary off the previous ball, this time he hits it straight to the man at fine leg.

Lyon c Tongue b Robinson 7 (13), Australia 408/9

That is one box ticked for Australia and this partnership will be irritating England a lot. Lyon and Cummins had led Australia to victory totally against the odd at Edgbaston and the hosts would want to break this stand quickly. 

Edged and taken! Tongue strikes again, Smith edges it behind to gully where Ben Duckett takes a brilliant catch. Smith trudges off as disappointed as if he just got out to a rash shot on zero. Reality, though, is that he has broken and equalled a few more records with this century and it might be remembered as the one that Australia take a 2-0 lead in the Ashes. Too early to say that for sure though. 

Smith c Duckett b Tongue 110 (184), Australia 393/8

He has equaled Steve Waugh's record for the second most number of Test centuries by an Australian. He had gone about four balls on 99 with the last one being a brilliant yorker from Anderson. Lord's was letting out all sorts of sounds but Smith has ice in his veins. 

Smith comes on strike for the last ball of the 91st bowled by Broad. Pitched on a good length, makes Smith have a poke at it and beats his outside edge. Big 'ooooooooo's around the ground. 

Was that a catching chance? Anderson goes full, yorker length and Smith jams it down behind him deliberately it seems. It flies just over Crawley at second slip and behind for a boundary. Does look like Smith had jammed the ball in and so it may have taken a bounce as soon as it left the bat. 

Half volley towards leg from Broad, Smith whips it away through midwicket and capitalises on the freebie. He has Pat Cummins, the hero of Edgbaston, at the other end and so still some good company left in this lineup for Smith. 

Big heave down the ground from Starc, he only gets an outside edge and Bairstow jumps to his left to take a very good catch behind the stumps. Broad and Anderson strike early for England today.

Starc c Bairstow b Anderson 6 (10), Australia 358/7

Broad gets the first wicket of the day. Big shout for LBW with Broad even whipping out a celebrappeal, but the umpire says no. Stokes asks about height with Broad screaming “That's out!” at him before taking the review. The height is good and it is three reds, the umpire reverses his decision. 

Carey lbw b Broad 22 (43), Australia 351/6

Just two singles and a double from that over. Smith moves to 85, Carey to 14.

Smith and Carey walk out, Anderson has the ball, which is just two overs old, in his hands. Smith is on 85 off 149, Carey on 11 off 34.

Both sets of players have walked out wearing red coloured versions of their team hats and their prints are in the same colour advance. Andrew Strauss, husband of the late Ruth Strauss and former captian of the England team is out there with the players in a red suit, as are children carrying red balloons. English actor Stephen Fry gives a short speech after which the ceremony comes to an end and the players swap their red hats for the regular ones. Heavy, heavy cloud cover over the field. 

There are covers all around the ground and grey clouds all over the sky. It's a gloomyt start to the day at Lord's but for the moment, it doesn't look like it will get washed away. 

Day 1 saw bizarre scenes when a couple of oil protesters invaded the pitch and brought the play to an abrupt halt. Only the first over had been bowled and Australia moved to 4/0 when in between, a couple of protesters representing activist group 'Just Stop Oil' ran on with orange coloured paint but before they could reach the strip, both were stopped by players and the support staff.

In a statement, the MCC said, "MCC condemn in the strongest possible terms today's pitch incursion and with the behaviour of the protesters involved," it said. "Their actions not only endanger themselves and those who work at the ground but they have consistently shown complete disregard for the people who pay to attend events, not just here at Lord's but around the country at other sporting venues."

Pietersen criticised England during the ongoing 2nd Ashes Test. Speaking on Sky Sports, he said, "Not a lot has caught my eye from an English perspective … It’s been shambolic. Absolutely Shambolic."

"You have overhead conditions, you have a wicket that suits your bowlers, you have bowlers running in at 78, 79 mile an hour.

"I hope they’re in that dressing room now and the England coaches are giving them the biggest hammering in saying it’s not good enough. It’s absolutely not good enough. You cannot bowl that here today, you cannot have these conditions, you cannot declare for 390 … you think Australia are declaring today? You think Australia are getting 390 and saying England go have a bat", he added.

Smith is unbeaten on 85* off 149 balls. He smacked 10 fours and will be aiming to not lose his wicket early, as he nears a century!

Hello and good afternoon everyone! Welcome to our live coverage of Day 2 of the ongoing 2nd Ashes Test, between England and Australia. Stay tuned folks