June 21st 2023.
Ben Stokes and his England team looked dejected at Edgbaston after Australia had snuck in to claim a 1-0 lead in the Ashes. Ben Stokes said he and his team had no regrets, but they should have. It wasn't just the questionable decisions over selection, the first innings’ declaration or the type of pitches they wanted for Bazball. It was their approach in the last hour of the match, when they needed to be bold, that cost them the match.
England had a chance to use Moeen Ali's sharp turn off the pitch to their advantage, but Stokes opted for a defensive approach instead of playing the percentages or trying something funky. He also persisted with a long-off fielder when the conventional cricket approach would have been to bring the fielder up and urge Moeen to pitch full to induce the drive. This gave Australia the chance to pressure-relieve with ones and twos.
Moeen's raw spinning finger also limited England's effectiveness on the wearing pitch, as did the lack of rhythm from James Anderson. When given the chance to pit even an out-of-sorts Anderson against a No. 10 with a Test average of 12, Stokes failed to take it.
It was Australia's savvy and bold approach that allowed them to seize the game, while England dithered. Australia sensed hesitation in their opponent and decided to pounce. This, along with England's failure to take the second new ball when it was due, was the moment Australia, who still needed 54 to win with three wickets remaining, decided to pounce.
To beat Australia England need to learn from their mistakes. They need to make all the runs they can on the Edgbaston pitch, as it does not play to their bowling strengths. If they want to beat an Australian team who weren't at their best either, then they need to avoid grandstanding declarations, needless hacks against Lyon, and confusing tactics.
Bazball is about being positive at all times and avoiding half-measures, introspection and doubt, but it needs to evolve and add nuance if it is to beat Australia. England need to take this opportunity to learn from their mistakes and make sure they don't repeat them in future matches. With the right approach and a bit more care and attention, England could have had the Ashes in their possession.
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