“We are going to keep coming at Australia”: England skipper Ben Stokes

Birmingham [UK], June 21 (ANI): England’s Test skipper Ben Stokes has vowed to keep coming at Australia after suffering a two-wicket loss on Tuesday in the first Test Match of the Ashes 2023 at Edgbaston.

Stokes had made his intentions quite clear as his team declared on the first day of the Test match for a score of 393/8. Even after ending up on the losing side, Stokes said they would keep coming at Australia in the five-match series.

“A loss is a loss. We stuck to our guns in terms of how we were going to operate and we are going to keep coming at Australia in the way that we did,” Stokes said in the post-match presentation.

“I am very proud. To take it to the end of day five like that… it was a rollercoaster, so up and down. It is another one of the games we will never forget being a part of over the last year.”

One of the most talked about moments of the first match was Stokes’s decision to declare on the first day. This left Australian batters to come out to play a few overs and survive till the final ball.

“I saw (the declaration) as an opportunity to pounce on Australia. No one likes to go out for 20 minutes at the back end of the day. Who knows, it could have worked out,” Stokes added.

In the final session of the first match, Cummins and Lyon built a match-winning half-century partnership. Pat Cummins, known more for his exploits with the ball, scored 44* and Nathan Lyon 16*.

England made a comeback after Robinson cleared up Cameron Green (28). Australia suffered a major blow as Stokes dismissed Khawaja at 65. Australia were 209/7 with two new batters at the crease – Alex Carey and Pat Cummins.

England’s hopes revived in the 81st over when Alex Carey was sent back to the pavilion. Australia were 227/8 needing 54 runs to win with just two wickets in hand.

Cummins and Lyon’s resilient half-century partnership took Australia through an intense phase of the game.

Australia now has a 1-0 lead in the series.