England captain Ben Stokes labelled the Boxing Day Test win at the MCG a “pretty special feeling” after his side finally brought an end to a 15-year wait for a Test victory on Australian soil.
England held their nerve to chase down a challenging fourth-innings target on a difficult surface, though Stokes admitted the final stretch was anything but easy. “Yeah, amazing feeling. 10 runs has never felt so far away, when I got out. I didn’t want to come back into the dressing room and watch the TV on the delay. So yeah, awesome feeling.
“Been on a couple of tours before where it has not gone too well, so to end up on the right side of the result after a long period of time is a pretty special feeling.”
The magnitude of the moment was evident when the entire squad walked out of the dressing room to savour the closing stages together, marking the end of a long and frustrating drought.
“We, at the end there when all the boys came out of the dressing room and had a little hug there and we’re like, finally, finally we’ve won one. So, yeah, good feeling,” Stokes said.
On a pitch that kept bowlers interested throughout the match, England opted for an aggressive approach in the chase, a call Stokes felt was unavoidable against Australia’s attack. “There was only one way of going about, chasing that, that tally down which was to, to go out there and, and try and put the pressure on from ball one.”
Stokes credited openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett for laying the platform, describing their 51-run stand as central to the successful pursuit. “When Zak and Ben started building a partnership the field started to go back and then we were able to rotate (the strike).
“It wasn’t just the boundaries that were allowing us to take that total down. It was the ones and twos and the running between the wickets,” he explained.
England’s adaptability was further highlighted by the decision to promote Brydon Carse to No.3, a move aimed at countering the threat of the new ball on a testing surface. “That wicket was very tricky, especially with a newer ball… we went with the idea of sending someone who’s got talent with a bat. Even if he gets a quick 20-30, that’s massive in a very small run chase.”
Although the plan did not fully pay off, Stokes felt it helped ease the pressure on Jacob Bethell, whose brisk 40 off 26 balls proved vital. “I was very impressed watching him construct that innings in the way that he did.”
Stokes also singled out Bethell’s bravery, particularly his intent to disrupt the bowlers, noting the impact of his strokeplay straight after the Tea break. “You have got to be brave and courageous in the way that you play the game, especially on a wicket like that.
“You don’t underestimate the impact that a certain shot or a certain intent has on a bowler.”
Beyond the result itself, Stokes said the victory carried special meaning for a squad that blends senior players such as Joe Root with younger faces like Josh Tongue and Bethell. “We will all share that same satisfaction, of winning a game out here and adding to it that it was a Boxing Day Test match which is a very, very big sporting event that we’re lucky enough to be able to play in.
“We’re very proud and bosomed that we have managed to get this (win),” he added.
Stokes also praised the efforts of England’s bowling unit, which has continued to adapt despite the absence of experienced quicks at different stages of the tour. “I have been very pleased with the moments in games where different bowlers have been able to stand up. I thought this week we (bowling attack) were very, very good.”
Josh Tongue, who claimed seven wickets across the match and was named player of the match, earned particular praise from the skipper. “He’s just got that natural wicket-taking ability that is so hard to come by. He should be very, very proud of the way that he’s operated this game. Bowled some long, big spells, and he’s also backed it up.”
Despite the historic nature of the triumph, Stokes stressed that England’s focus would quickly shift to the final Test in Sydney.
“We’re not going to let the feeling of this victory flow on further than it needs to. We’ll be going into Sydney with the exact same mindset that we had towards this game, which is to win another game of cricket,” he said.