The Ashes 2013: 2nd Test at Lord's - Five players to watch out for on Day 4

Chris Rogers (Getty Images)

5. Chris Rogers

His dismissal in the first innings was quite an embarrassment but he remains Australia most competent batsman in such a situation as he can plug one end making sure that there is no catastrophic melt-down.

Rogers has the patience, the technique and the experience to play a long innings of substance but he can’t do it all by himself. He will need support from the other end and that will enhance his chances in the middle too. There have been a few occasions in this game now when he has watched wickets fall at the other end and joined the herd himself.

The odds are heavily against Australia, it is the kind of task for which the term ‘near-impossible’ was created, and yet Australia must give it their best shot if only in preparation of the rest of this series.