England captain Ben Stokes was nonchalantly answering any and all questions after Australia retained the Ashes 2023 series as the fourth Test in Manchester was drawn as no play was possible on day five due to rain.
Australia had a great escape after only one session of play was possible on the last two days of the fourth Test. Australia had scored 317 runs in their first innings, but the ‘Bazball’ from England which had 189 from Zak Crawley and 99* from Jonny Bairstow, and half-centuries from Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, and Harry Brook, ensured they posted 592 in their first do.
Pat Cummins’ side had scored 214/5 with Marnus Labuschagne adding a century to his first innings half-century and England had done everything to set up the final day beautifully. But rains poured water on their hopes as the match ended in a draw.
This result meant that Australia retained the Ashes urn.
Ashes 2023: Glenn McGrath wants Australia to adopt Bazball approach to clinch Ashes series at Oval
During the post-match conference, Ben Stokes faced some tough questions about England and their Bazball strategy. One reporter asked Stokes whether going 0-2 down early in the series was a bigger "disappointment" for the team than the drawn fourth Test.
However, Ben Stokes didn’t show any emotion and answered: “No, not really” and then smirked.
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Despite not being able to get the Ashes urn back, England can still level the series when the fifth Test begins at the Oval on July 27.
"It is a tough one to take. Playing the cricket we managed to play over the first three days and get on the wrong side of the weather it is tough to take but it is all part of the journey.
Coming into the game, knowing what we needed to do, played into our hands a little bit. It was another do-or-die game for us. It will be tough to look back on but there is one more game to go and we'll be trying to tie the series and a lot of pride to play for. We want to draw the series like in 2019,” Stokes added.
Meanwhile, Australia will look to either keep their 2-1 lead intact or win the Oval Test and attain their first Ashes series win in England since 2001.
