Ben Stokes’ heroic performance in the first innings played a crucial role, while Harry Brook, Chris Woakes, and Mark Wood contributed with the bat to secure England’s victory. With two Tests remaining, Australia needs to win one of them at Old Trafford or The Oval to secure their first Ashes win in England since 2001.
Despite the setback, Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins remains confident, dismissing concerns about momentum shifting in England’s favor. When asked by a reporter, “As the series heads to Manchester, do you fear maybe momentum has shifted in England’s favour?”, Cummins replied, “Not really, no.”
He emphasized the current series scoreline of 2-1, indicating that Australia still holds the advantage. Cummins reiterated that each Test starts fresh and the loss would not affect their confidence.
Cummins has displayed a penchant for delivering mic drop moments during press conferences on this England tour. Previously, when Indian captain Rohit Sharma provided excuses for India’s loss in the World Test Championship Final, Cummins responded with a quirky remark, generating laughter from the press gallery.
Ashes Is Well & Truly Alive
Former England greats believe the Ashes series is now wide open and could potentially become an all-time classic, reminiscent of the iconic 2005 series. Michael Vaughan noted that England is one-third of the way towards a comeback and has a template to win the last two Tests.
Cummins raised eyebrows when he refused to guarantee David Warner’s place in the team for the fourth Test in Manchester. Despite Warner’s solid performances in the first two Tests, he has struggled against Stuart Broad, leading to doubts about his position in the team.
Australia faces significant selection decisions, with Cameron Green and Josh Hazlewood already declared fit for the fourth Test. Mitchell Marsh’s excellent performance with both bat and ball has created an unexpected dilemma, prompting suggestions of retaining Marsh and dropping Warner. The fourth Test is scheduled to begin on July 19th.