With Harry Brook’s impressive knock of 75 from 93 balls, supported by valuable contributions from Chris Woakes (32 not out) and Mark Wood (16 not out off 8), England sealed a crucial win, bringing the series to 2-1 in favor of Australia heading into the fourth Test in Manchester.
After suffering narrow defeats at Edgbaston and Lord’s test, this vital win sets the stage perfectly for the final two test matches. Captain Stokes sees it as the beginning of their efforts to secure more victories.
“I think if you look at the first two games in terms of how tight they were, getting over the line in another tight game can mentally help,” Stokes stated. He emphasized the importance of winning a close match and how it boosts the team’s confidence. He added, “It’s just the start of what we know we need to do.”
Stokes acknowledged that if they had lost this match by a narrow margin, it could have been demoralizing. However, the fact that they emerged victorious provides them with renewed motivation.
Stokes expressed his delight at the win, but also emphasized the need to stay focused and maintain the same approach in the upcoming matches. “After the Lord’s game, before this game, before the game in Manchester, we just have to do exactly the same thing: play cricket and hopefully get the result,” he explained.
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Stokes played a pivotal role in the first innings, scoring a crucial 80 runs from 108 balls to keep England in the game. While he only managed 13 runs from 15 balls in the second innings before getting dismissed, he admitted to feeling anxious as he watched his teammates push for victory.
Despite securing a win, Stokes believes there is still room for improvement in England’s performance for the remaining two Tests. He stressed that cricket is a game where there is no perfect answer to everything, and it should be played with an attitude of continuous growth and learning.