Ben Stokes laughed against popular belief, but lost after the first ash test. Childs
Ben Stokes is a big player to the core. Whatever the risks, whatever the circumstances, he sustains himself by gambling, which seems reasonable to him, but to everyone else seems ridiculous. So, with 80 overs played, Australia's poor listing of 227 to seven, and a new ball available, he took a look at conventional wisdom and laughed in its face.
Maybe put the glittering red dukes in the hands of Stuart Broad, his main strike bowler? Or maybe not. Instead, he continued to run on his only good knee, alternating Joe Root with the wrong spin from time to time, all the while widening the field. As a ploy idea to win the match, it was eccentric to say the least. And, given the subsequent heartbreaking defeat, he was mistaken.
From the opening moments of this mesmerizing five-act play to the last, Stokes epitomized both the genius and the recklessness of Baseball. It was his solemn commitment to entertain that inspired Zach Crowley to smash the first Ashes ball into four, and Joe Root to ignite the fourth day with an absurd attempt to reverse Pat Cummins.
But it was his irascibility that led to England's less enlightened decisions in this Test: an odd statement on the first day when they didn't even reach 400, the cavalier manner in which his best batsmen gave away their wickets in the second inning, plus silly places on the pitch in last day they had a chance to put Australia to the sword.
Boycott briefing, first test day, fifth, game over
As a leader, Stokes won't have time for all the grumbling Captains Looking Back trying to convince him. The principle of his philosophy is that there should be no autopsies or recriminations. He shamelessly trusts his first impulses, and if they prove inappropriate, so be it. This means a dramatic change from the days when England feared its own shadows. But you start to wonder, after the seething, rocking climax of this first Test, is this a smart way to negotiate a 6.5 week Ashes streak.
There is one point of view that England, in trying so hard to live up to the image of a free life they have been cultivating for the past 12 months, has found their judgment clouded. It's a compelling theory, given the drama that brought Stokes down from fame at the end. If this was his day when he scored an indelible victory at Headingley in 2019 with only one wicket left, this time it was Cummins' turn to strike the decisive blow with two wickets remaining.
Ben Stokes' big gambles in the first ashes Test < p>These weak fragments decide these twists of fate. But it was on these margin calls that Stokes staked his reputation. He prides himself on remaining immune to pressure while everyone watches, curled up in a fetal position from stress. When asked if he regretted the funky statement, the answer, as expected, was a resounding no. While staying true to your principles is a core element of being a captain, it can, if taken to the extreme, start to look like deliberate stubbornness. And the cold reality is that Bazball, or Benball, or any other trendy nickname you choose, could do if it was dialed up a notch.
He shuffled his field and gave up the advantage
Stokes raised eyebrows when Root, one of England's greatest batsmen, missed out on 118 and called for 393. Then, when Root brilliantly caught Alex Carey, who left Australia 52 runs short of his target and eight wickets down , he shuffled the field. and gave up the advantage. By the time the new ball was taken, it was already too late. Cummins was at his own pace, confidently blocking even a tramp ready to punish his opponent for idiosyncratic tactics. If this bitter conclusion did not make Stokes think, then nothing would.
Even in extreme cases, Stokes retains outstanding qualities as a cricketer. Just look at the effort he put in to get onto the Edgbaston field. Such was the concern over his chronic left knee injury, he had only scored six goals in the three months prior to this test. One extremely unconvincing in the Indian Premier League? This can hardly be considered a serious preparation for the county match, not to mention the curtain up of the Ashes. But in spite of all that, he overtook both Steve Smith, arguably the world's most tenacious batsman, and Usman Khawaja, the top scorer here in Edgbaston.
EMOTIONS! 📈📉 pic.twitter.com/bNTgCTOAg3
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 20, 2023
It does not give the slightest thought of self-preservation. Witness his acrobatic jump to try and catch Nathan Lyon off the Broad when the ball is already behind him. Or enjoy his tenacity in bowling, even when his knee was clearly causing discomfort. Stokes did not join the attack for most of Australia's second inning, but when the match was at its most uncertain, he stepped up, forcing Khawaja to make a mistake with a slower ball. The lack of celebration suggested that he knew victory in the contest was yet to come.
This time he had to give way to Cummins. Much has been made of this diametrically opposed pairing: Stokes, a born fistfighter, no less accomplished on and off the pitch, and Cummins, presumably the more alert and sensitive soul, extolling the virtues of patience in cricket and modeling seaweed sweaters. But perhaps they are not so different after all. Because when Cummins was given the opportunity to bend the result to his will, he did so with terrible conviction.
The notion that only England knows how to have fun is also deceptive. At the end of that unforgettable first day, when Stokes was praised to the skies for his audacity, Cummins could be found attending a Bruce Springsteen concert at Villa Park, ignoring all the hustle and bustle of the city. What sets him apart is that he also knows how to sour his wild impulses with restraint, with a measure of composure, deliberate calculation. It is this art that still eludes Stokes, the untamed rebel, sometimes too stubborn for his own good.
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