The Ashes 2023 series has left an indelible mark in cricket history, with its intense battles and dramatic turnarounds. After a remarkable comeback by England to level the series 2-2, rumors surfaced about the post-series drinks tradition being rejected by the England camp. Captain Ben Stokes took to Twitter to clarify the situation.
Speculations had suggested that the Australian players waited for a significant period after the final Test at the Oval, even looking into the hosts’ dressing rooms. However, eventually, they left the ground around 10.45 pm without any interaction. “To clarify… Our wrap took longer than expected because of multiple last time events,” tweeted Stokes, offering an explanation. “We decided to meet up in the night club rather than the dressing room.”
To clarify…
Our wrap took longer than expected because of multiple last time event’s.
We decided to meet up in the night club rather than the dressing room
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 https://t.co/jJ4Qw3uCnm— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) August 1, 2023
On the other hand, Australian media outlets presented a different narrative. According to a Foxsports report, it was the England camp that showed no interest in sharing drinks with the Australian team.
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“It’s a great shame that a drink wasn’t shared and the opportunity of looking back on an epic series,” the report quoted a spokesman as saying. “We then did our end of Test wrap up, which included a number of presentations to our retired players and staff.”
Post-series drinks between rival teams have been a long-standing tradition in international cricket, particularly in the Ashes. At one point during the series, tensions rose after the infamous Jonny Bairstow stumping incident in the Lord’s Test, leading England coach Brendon McCullum to hint at rejecting the customary drinks gathering. However, as the series progressed, the animosity eased.
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The fifth Test could have had even greater significance for England if not for rain disrupting the fourth Test in Manchester, potentially altering the series outcome. Despite the rumors and speculations, the Ashes 2023 will be remembered as an epic battle, showcasing the true spirit of Test cricket, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this historic rivalry
