Australia bat against England in second Ashes Test

Australia captain Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to bat against England in the second Ashes Test at Lord's on Thursday.

Despite the overcast conditions, which threatened to aid swing movement, Clarke decided to bat first on a light brown pitch.

England were unchanged from the side that won the first Test in Cardiff by 169 runs last week to go 1-0 up in the five-match series after off-spinning all-rounder Moeen Ali overcame a slight side strain.

Ashes-holders Australia, looking for their first Test series win in England in 14 years, made two changes.

Wicket-keeper Peter Nevill was given an international debut after first-choice gloveman Brad Haddin withdrew for "family reasons" while Mitchell Marsh earned a fifth Test cap after fellow all-rounder Shane Watson, who in Cardiff twice succumbed to his problem dismissal of lbw -- was dropped.

Teams

England: Alastair Cook (capt), Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wkt), Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson

Australia: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Steven Smith, Michael Clarke (capt), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill (wkt), Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI), Marais Erasmus (RSA)

TV umpire: Chris Gaffaney (NZL)

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)

Weather: Overcast, top temperature of 24 degrees Celsius with a slight chance of rain.

Pitch conditions: Light brown pitch should provide a good surface to bat on but cloudy skies above Lord's could help England's pace bowlers.
Source: AFP