Ben Duckett Misses Well-Deserved Century during 2nd Test of Ashes
England opener Ben Duckett displayed a mixture of disappointment and contentment after narrowly missing out on a well-deserved century against Australia in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s on June 29. Duckett’s impressive innings of 98 runs from 134 balls played a crucial role in England’s fightback after Australia had posted a formidable total of 416 in their first innings.
Partnering with Zak Crawley at the top of the order, Duckett played second fiddle as the duo put on a solid 91-run opening stand. Although Crawley fell agonizingly short of his half-century by just two runs, Duckett managed to reach his own milestone before the tea break. With nine boundaries to his credit, he was in fine form until an attempted pull shot off a Josh Hazlewood short-ball led to his dismissal, leaving him two runs shy of his third Test century.
Ben Duckett, who fell two runs short of a 💯 yesterday, is gutted that he left two balls in the innings 😮#CricketTwitter #ENGvAUS pic.twitter.com/wExgqn9Iyr
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 30, 2023
In a post-match interview with Sky Sports, Duckett expressed a mix of emotions about his innings. He acknowledged his disappointment at missing out on the century but also found solace in the fact that he had played one of his best knocks to date. Duckett admitted that the delivery that dismissed him was faster than he anticipated, resulting in the ball going straight to Warner. Despite the setback, he was pleased with the way he had been playing throughout the innings.
Ben Duckett falls two short of a century 🤏 pic.twitter.com/dt0nHzzfaq
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 29, 2023
Reflecting on his performance in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston, where he struggled with scores of 12 and 19, Duckett credited his proactive approach with the bat for his progress at Lord’s. He emphasized the importance of working on his strengths and mentioned that he had rectified his previous mistakes. Duckett highlighted the slashes over gully as a shot he was particularly happy with, showcasing his intent to score runs and take control of his innings.
Throughout his innings, Ben Duckett faced challenges from the Australian pacers who tested him with a barrage of short balls. In response, Duckett adopted a slightly more defensive approach, relying on his defensive skills and capitalizing on the loose deliveries. He acknowledged that it was one of his slower knocks in English conditions but felt confident in his ability to trust his defense and punish the bad deliveries.
Overall, despite falling agonizingly short of a century, Ben Duckett’s innings provided a significant boost to England’s fightback against Australia in the second Ashes Test. His proactive approach, combined with his defensive skills, showcased his growth as a batsman. While he expressed disappointment at missing out on a century, Duckett’s contentment with his overall performance suggests that he is gaining confidence and momentum as the series progresses.
