Published: Jun 16, 2023, 04:01 PM (IST)
Edited: Jun 16, 2023, 04:15 PM (IST)
New Delhi: Zak Crawley smashed the first ball of Ashes 2023 for a boundary and gave England a ‘Bazball’ kind of start against Australia at the Edgbaston in Birmingham on Friday. The whole stadium erupted after the shot from Crawley sent the ball through sweeper cover.
Wicket in the first ball of Ashes 2021-22 to four in the first ball of Ashes 2023.
The Journey of England Test cricket.pic.twitter.com/MprQcmufnz
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 16, 2023
England Captain, Ben Stokes’ reaction to the shot is now going viral all over the internet along with Crawley’s shot. Stokes gets a terrific smile at the start they get and showing that they will stick to their tactic and will not hold back.
During Ashes 2021, Mitchell Starc gave Australia a dream start and bowled out Rory Burns on the first ball. England’s comeback to this has just been iconic. However, their start didn’t last long as Australia got the first breakthrough in the fourth over itself after Josh Hazlewood dismissed Ben Duckett for 12 runs off 10 balls.
The highly-successful ultra-attacking approach adopted by England ever since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took over as captain and head coach in 2022 faces its toughest examination when the much-anticipated Ashes against recently-crowned World Test Championship winners Australia kickstarts at Edgbaston from Friday.
During the next six weeks that promise excitement, thrill and tension in equal measure, England, who have won 11 of 13 matches under Stokes and McCullum, will be put to a relentless Test at home to see if they can retain their style of play which has given them immense success, having not lost a series yet.
