Ben Stokes and Co suffered a massive blow on Tuesday as they lost the first Test of The Ashes 2023 to Australia by 2 wickets at Edgbaston. In what turned out to be an absolute thriller, the visitors pulled off a heist, successfully chasing down the target of 281 runs with Pat Cummins playing a captain’s knock. With 54 runs required with 2 wickets in hands, Cummins stitched a valuable partnership with Nathan Lyon, clinching a 1-0 lead in the 5-match series.
Speaking after the game, the English captain said players were ‘in absolute pieces’ in the dressing room and completely devastated following their close two-wicket defeat to Australia.
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“We always want to win. We are absolutely devastated that we have lost. The lads are up there in absolute pieces, especially Robbo and Broady (Ollie Robinson and Stuart Broad) who put in an unbelievable shift there.
“But if that’s not attracting people to the game we love then I don’t know what will. There are still four games left. Keep following us and we will keep trying to do what we do,” Stokes was quoted by BBC.
Stokes further said England would not change their aggressive approach, having carried them to 11 wins from their previous 13 Tests, in the remainder of the five-match series.
“I am not going to change the way I have gone about my cricket because it is the Ashes,” he said.
One of the more controversial elements of England’s attacking approach saw them declare on day one with eight wickets down, giving Australia’s openers a tricky mini-session on Friday evening which they survived.
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The subsequent loss means this is the second time in the last three Tests that England have suffered defeat in a match in which they’ve declared.
“I thought that was a time to pounce. Who knows, we could have got an extra 40 runs or lost two wickets in two balls. I am not a captain who gets by on ‘what ifs’. We were in control of most of the game and managed to produce a result. Obviously, we wanted to be on top. We are devastated but that’s sport. It is great and an emotional rollercoaster,” the 32-year-old said.