England's Ben Duckett completes 1,000 Test runs
Jul 03, 2023
London [UK], July 3 : England opener Ben Duckett completed 1,000 runs in Test cricket on Sunday.
The left-handed opening batter reached this landmark during England's second Ashes Test against Australia at the Lord's.
Duckett had a great match with the bat. In the first innings, he scored 98 in 134 balls, consisting of nine fours. In the second innings, he was involved in a crucial partnership with skipper Ben Stokes, scoring 83 in 112 balls with nine boundaries.
With this, Duckett has scored 1,012 runs in 12 Tests at an average of 48.19. He has scored two centuries and seven fifties, with the best score of 182. He scores runs at a strike rate of 85.47.
Duckett has been in great form this year. In five Tests, he has scored 545 runs at an average of 60.55. He has scored one century and three fifties in 10 innings, with the best score of 182.
Duckett has had a decent Ashes so far. Though he scored fifties in both innings of Lord's Test, he did not do well in the first Test, failing to touch the 20-run mark in both innings. He has scored 212 runs at an average of 53.00 in four innings, with two fifties. He is the second-highest run-scorer for England in the series so far, next to Stokes (216 runs).
In the chase of 371 runs, England was reduced to 45/4. A 132-run partnership for the fifth wicket between skipper Ben Stokes and Duckett took England at the end of day four to 112/4.
On the final day, after Duckett's dismissal for 83 and Jonny Bairstow getting out for cheap, Stokes continued England's fight single-handedly, bringing up his century and 150 by clubbing Aussie bowlers with some big sixes all over the park. He was dismissed for 155 off 214 balls, with nine fours and nine sixes and left England at 301/7.
England's lower order tried putting out a fight and squeezed out some runs, but they were bundled out for 327 runs, losing the game by 43 runs.
Australia got a 370-run lead over England after they scored 279 in their second innings. Usman Khawaja (77), Steve Smith (34) and Marnus Labuschagne played crucial knocks for the Aussies.
England bowled well, with Broad taking 4/65. Tongue, Robinson got two wickets while Stokes and Anderson got one.
In their first innings, England was bundled out for 325 runs and they trailed by 91 runs against Australia.
Ben Duckett (98) and Harry Brook (50) scored vital half-centuries for England.
Mitchell Starc (3/88) took three scalps while Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head got two.
Australia in the 1st innings made 416 runs. Steve Smith topped the scoring with 110 in 184 balls, with Travis Head (77) and David Warner also making attacking fifties.
Tongue (3/98) and Robinson (3/100) took crucial wickets for England.
Smith's century earned him the 'Player of the Match' title.
Brief Scores: England: 325 and 327 (Ben Stokes 155, Ben Duckett 83, Pat Cummins 3/69) lost to Australia: 416 and 279 (Usman Khawaja 77, Steve Smith 34, Mitchell Starc 3/88).