Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes Australias method has worked against England as they won the first Ashes Test in Edgbaston by two wickets and opined that the Ben Stokes-led side were left questioning their ‘Bazball’ approach.
Captain Pat Cummins led Australia to a thrilling victory at Edgbaston through an unbeaten 44 and match-winning ninth-wicket stand of 55 with Nathan Lyon to chase down 281 on the last day of the match.
Australia’s win came following Stokes’ daring first-innings declaration on 393/8 on day one’s play.
“I think England have got the most questions to answer. Their style of play: Is it going to hold up in an Ashes series? By no means am I saying that England’s method is wrong, I have loved watching them play, but it just goes to show there is more than one way to skin a cat.”
“This is a long and hard game. Australia’s method has stood up and it has worked. I want this series to be played the same way and I know Ben and Brendon (McCullum, England head coach) will play the same way, which adds even more to next week,” Ponting told Sky Sports.
On the other hand, former England captain Kevin Pietersen feels that the side’s fans will now be rooting for a hosts’ victory in the second Test at Lord’s, starting from June 28, adding that results matter a lot in a series like the Ashes.
“I don’t think we can pick this team apart too much. The declaration is of course something which will be spoken about.
However, the way both teams played, and for Test cricket as a whole with Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum identifying it, needs some entertainment, we got it here this afternoon and we got it over the last five days. David Warner said some of the guys in the England dressing room were ‘throwing their wickets away’ and he said ‘we aren’t going to play that way’,” said Pietersen.
“That is also saying something from a senior player in the Australia side that they don’t think Test cricket can be played like this or should be played like this. English fans want a win. Of course, they want to be entertained and the atmosphere was great. The game was tight and was a nail-biter, but the England fans want them to win. You can talk as much as you like, but in an Ashes series it’s about results,” he added.
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