England skipper Ben Stokes expressed his devastation over the team’s two-wicket loss in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston but remained optimistic about their aggressive approach potentially leading to a series win against Australia.
The decisive factor in the see-saw contest was the unbroken ninth-wicket partnership of 55 runs between Australia captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, who successfully chased down a target of 281 on the final day.
Despite this defeat, it was only England’s third loss in 14 Tests since Stokes joined forces with coach Brendon McCullum. Their attacking strategy, known as ‘Bazball’ in honour of McCullum’s nickname, was implemented after a period of struggle with just one win in 17 Tests under former captain Joe Root.
From the outset at Edgbaston, England made their intentions clear, with Zak Crawley hitting the first ball of the match for four. Stokes, aiming for England’s first Ashes series win since 2015, defended his approach without hesitation.
“I am devastated we’ve lost that game, but in terms of what it’s done for the series, it’s hard to not be too disappointed because it has set up a great series,” Stokes expressed.
“It’s not a psychological blow at all. We’ve lost, but if you look at the way we’ve played, compared to how the last few Ashes series have gone, it proves what we’re capable of doing against Australia,” he further emphasised.
