DRS call not Watson's

Another big start, another lbw, another botched DRS referral.

For the second time in the series and the 23rd time in his Test career, Watson was trapped planting his front foot down the wicket.

The bigger issue for Australia was the effect Watson's botched referral had on a batting collapse that claimed 10 wickets for 86 runs.

There's no doubt that wasting the first review - on a ball that was hitting middle stump - directly impacted on Chris Rogers deciding against referring his own lbw dismissal, that replays later showed was missing leg.

After being 0-42 one over out from lunch on the second day, Australia were on their way to disaster - a useless grasp of the DRS system again killing them.

QUICK SINGLE: Lord's Day Two Wrap

Coach Darren Lehmann was scathing over continual poor judgement using the technology, but said it was in fact Rogers who advised his opening partner to review the lbw.

Lehmann said Watson was going to walk until Rogers intervened.

"Bucky Rogers got that wrong with Shane, he told Shane to take it," Lehmann said.

"Then he should have used one on himself but he probably didn't want to after wasting one.

"It was a poor decision."

Watson top scored with 30, but it was yet another failure from the sleeping giant of the Australian team who just won't wake up.

The opener can look as powerful as any batsman in the world but then find a way to get out.

He's made just two hundreds in his Test career and, after being returned to his favoured position opening the batting, he needs to stand up in an inexperienced line-up short on confidence.

Too often Watson is out playing across his pads, something England appear to be targeting.

Lehmann said he doesn't want to keep making excuses.

"I think he's close to having a big score, but I don't want to keep saying that either to be perfectly honest," he said.

"We want him to make big scores. He's talked about it (lbw). He knows about it. We know about it. He's just got to get better at it."

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Cricket Australia.