Australia opener Chris Rogers’s marathon innings in the second Ashes Test against England at Lord’s finally came to an end when he was bowled for 173 by Stuart Broadon Friday’s second day.
Veteran left-hander Rogers had already posted his highest Test score after batting through the whole of Thursday’s first day for 158 not out in a then total of 337 for one.
The 37-year-old, who spent several seasons at Lord’s with county side Middlesex, had a worrying start on Friday.
The very first ball of the day’s play saw him struck flush on the side of the helmet as he turned his head away from a James Anderson delivery, bowled from around the wicket, which wasn’t that short.
Rogers, who missed Australia’s preceding Test series win in the Caribbean after suffering concussion while batting in the nets, needed several minutes’ of on-field treatment before continuing his innings.
Two balls later, Rogers square-drove Anderson for four.
Broad, Anderson’s new ball partner, eventually pierced Rogers’s defence with a full length ball that nipped back off the pitch and took the inside edge and pad before crashing into the stumps to leave Australia 362 for two.
Rogers, who has said this will be his final series before retirement, batted for over six-and-a-half hours, faced 300 balls and struck 28 fours.
Together with Steven Smith, who was 139 not out at the time of his dismissal, Rogers added 284 for the second wicket as Australia bounced back in style after a 169-run defeat by England in the first Test of a five-match series in Cardiff last week.
Rogers and Smith’s stand was Australia’s highest partnership for any wicket in a Test at Lord’s, topping the 260 shared by openers Mark Taylor and Michael Slater in 1993.
Former Middlesex captain Rogers walked off to a standing ovation from all round a packed Lord’s, which he acknowledged with a modest wave of the bat as he walked into the Pavilion.
This was his fifth hundred in 22 Tests, his fourth against England and his highest at this level, beating his 119 against England in Sydney last year.
Highest Australia Test partnerships at Lord’s (runs, partners, year):
284 – Chris Rogers and Steven Smith 2015
260 – Mark Taylor and Michael Slater 1993
242 – Charles Kelleway and Warren Bardsley 1912
231 – Bill Woodfull and Don Bradman 1930
221 – Harry Trott and Syd Gregory 1896 (AFP)
