Former Australian cricketer Brad Haddin has shared his insights on England’s emotions following their narrow defeat against Australia in the first Test of the Ashes 2023 at Edgbaston. Haddin believes that England missed several opportunities and emphasizes the need for them to regroup before the next game.
The first Test of the Ashes witnessed a heartbreaking loss for England as they succumbed to a close 2-wicket defeat. Despite dominating for the majority of the game, England struggled to dismiss the Australian tailenders in the second innings, ultimately leading to a thrilling conclusion.
During the chase of the target of 280 runs, Australia found themselves in a precarious situation at 227/3. It seemed that England had the game in their grasp. However, a crucial partnership between Pat Cummins (44*) and Nathan Lyon (16*) turned the tables in favor of Australia. Their partnership of over 50 runs secured a 1-0 lead for the visitors.
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Brad Haddin acknowledges the disappointment felt by the England team after the loss, stating that they missed several opportunities that could have altered the outcome of the game. Speaking on the ‘Willow Talk’ cricket podcast, Haddin remarked, “They missed a lot of chances in this Test match that could have changed the result of the game. They need to find a way to regroup.”
One of the major talking points of the match was the unexpected declaration made by Ben Stokes in the first innings. With Joe Root unbeaten on 118 runs and England’s score at 393/8, skipper Ben Stokes decided to call his team back, aiming to have a go at the Australian batters in the last 20 minutes of Day 1.
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Brad Haddin believes that Stokes must have faith in his decision to declare, even though it may be questioned. He explains, “He (Stokes) has to believe that (declaration was right) because that’s the way they have played their game. But if you look at it from an Australian point of view, they lost the toss on what is probably one of the most placid wickets ever in the UK and got England out under 400, they are happy. So this style of play may also open a debate whether that decision was right.”
As the Ashes series continues, England will be eager to bounce back in the second Test scheduled to be held at Lord’s in London, starting on June 28th. They will aim to rectify their missed opportunities and strive for a better result in the upcoming match.
