Ben Stokes: Headingley win is ‘just the start’ for England

Ben Stokes hailed the efficiency of his England aspect in “one other down-to-the-wire” Ashes Check at Headingley, however insisted that their dramatic three-wicket victory is “simply the beginning” of their bid to come back again from two-nil down and win the sequence.

Not like 4 years in the past, Stokes was not the protagonist of an England run chase at Headingley, scoring solely 13 earlier than being strangled down the leg aspect by Mitchell Starc. However contributions from Harry Brook – who top-scored with 75 – in addition to Zak Crawley, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood had been sufficient for them to seek out a goal of 254 inside 50 overs.

“It is clearly actually large within the context of the sequence,” Stokes mentioned. “We knew we wanted to win this one to maintain alive our hopes of profitable the Ashes, so it is a good win. For those who take a look at the primary two video games when it comes to how tight they had been, getting over the road in one other tight recreation can mentally assist, figuring out that it is one other shut recreation however we have got over the road on this one.

“The primary two did not go our approach. For those who kind of flip it spherical and we did not win this one and it is tight once more, you’d suppose, ‘It is simply not meant to be’. We’re clearly over the moon that we received this one however it’s simply the beginning of what we all know we have to do.”

England made three adjustments to their aspect forward of the Headingley Check, partially as a consequence of Stokes’ personal health points. All three of the lads who got here into the aspect – Woakes, Wooden and Moeen Ali – performed essential roles, taking 15 wickets between them and producing cameos with the bat.

“Woakesy, being out of the workforce for such a protracted time period, and to come back again in and carry out the best way that he did each with ball and with bat… seeing Woody operating in like he does, large smile on his face and having fun with each second on the market was nice,” Stokes mentioned.

“[And] I mentioned earlier than the sequence began that we determined to go together with Mo again into the squad due to the influence he can have on video games. I’ve performed plenty of video games with him and I do know the influence he can have on his greatest days.

“You take a look at that little spell yesterday with quarter-hour when he took the wickets of Marnus [Labuschagne] and Steve [Smith] and that was an enormous level within the recreation. That is Mo as a cricketer. You deliver him into the workforce and also you need him to be impactful with the ball and the bat and he actually was with the ball this recreation.”

Stokes additionally praised Brook’s innings on the ultimate day. “The way in which Brooky managed the sport from ball one with the bat was wonderful,” he mentioned. “He went on the market and put the stress straight again on to them.

“The way in which he performed with Woakesy in that partnership was high-class; for such a younger lad in a high-pressure state of affairs within the Ashes, it was unbelievable. We have all seen what he can do with the bat. He is an extremely gifted participant, and I feel he is solely going to get higher and higher, the extra stress conditions he is put in.”

Stokes was happy with England’s method throughout the 4 days at Headingley, however insisted: “I nonetheless suppose we may be higher.” He added: “The factor about cricket is no-one has the proper reply to every little thing. The whole lot might be assessed on the end result. That may at all times be the case. No-one ever has the proper reply for the way it must be performed.

“We may be higher in sure areas, and that is all we will do, preserve attempting to be higher and higher and as clear as we presumably can as a workforce. Folks at all times appear to have a solution after the actual fact. I do not suppose anybody will ever crack it; that is why it is such an excellent recreation.”

There’s a nine-day break within the sequence, which resumes at Previous Trafford on July 19 – one which Stokes mentioned “will do fairly a number of our bodies the world of fine” after three exhilarating, exhausting Exams to begin the sequence. It stays to be seen whether or not Ollie Robinsonwho suffered a again spasm on the primary day, might be match to play in Manchester.

“We have saved the sequence alive and we simply must park every little thing from this week, however proceed the best way we play,” Stokes added. “I mentioned final week we discover ourselves within the good place with the best way we play cricket.

“It would not change. After the Lord’s recreation and earlier than this recreation, earlier than the sport in Manchester, we simply must do precisely the identical factor: play cricket that will get a outcome, our approach.”