Is the Lord's Test a must-win for Australia?

While the Australia coach doesn’t think so, history says the second Ashes Test at Lord’s is a must-win match for Michael Clarke’s men.

Only once in the history of the Ashes has a team bounced back from a two-nil deficit to win the series, and that was in 1936-37 by a team led by an inspired Don Bradman in his first campaign as Test captain.

But Lehmann says Australia can afford to lose the Test and still win the series due to the fast scoring rates seen in Cardiff which is set to produce four more results.

“No, not at all,” Lehmann said when asked if Lord’s is a must-win game for his charges.

“You’d like to win every game you play.

“The way the games are going they’re going fast forward quite quickly.

“I think it was 1200 runs over four days with 40 wickets (in the first Test).

“I expect that to continue and hopefully we get on the right side of the ledger this time.”

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Retired fast bowler Ryan Harris disagrees with his former state and national mentor, though he says the first Test in the Welsh capital was also crucial for the visitors.

“They’re all must-win games,” Harris said.

“The first one was. It doesn’t matter now.

“It’s more important now being one-nil down.

“I know the boys have chatted about what they need to do and just execute better and they’ll do that (win at Lord’s)."

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And legendary Australia pace bowler Glenn McGrath is even firmer in the belief that Australia must win at the Home of Cricket.

However, McGrath says Australia do have a get-out clause as the holders of the runs should they suffer a second-straight defeat.

“I think so,” McGrath said on whether the tourists need to win at Lord’s.

“You can’t go two-nil down in a series. It’s basically over.

“I think they have to win here or draw.

“Even if they did lose there’s still three Tests .

“The fact that Australia hold the Ashes at the moment they have that in their favour.

“But they definitely don’t want to go down two-nil.”

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