BEN STOKES AIMS STINGING RESPONSE AT AUSTRALIA AS ENGLAND'S PRIVATE CHAT EMERGES

Ben Stokes has responded to the Australian media insisting he and the England team live "rent free" in their minds.

The icon's comments come after a documentary about the Ashes in 2023 was released, showing Stokes rallying his team-mates after rain scuppered their hopes of regaining the urn on home soil. Australia had been in pole position before the fourth test at Old Trafford.

England dominated in Manchester and looked good value for a victory - which would've set up a winner takes all clash in the fifth and final test at the Oval shortly after. Instead the weather ensured that the hosts could only level the series at best, meaning Australia would return home with the Ashes.

Stokes told his team-mates in the aftermath of the Old Trafford draw that their sole purpose wasn't to win the Ashes - instead the England cricket had become much more than that and left its mark on those watching them.

He said: “Everything we’ve done up until now isn’t going to stop because we haven’t managed to win the urn back. The reward for our work isn’t what we get but what we become.

“And what we have managed to do is we’ve managed to become a sports team that will live forever in the memory of people who were lucky enough to witness us play cricket. I know it’s going to be a bit flat, I know it’s going to hurt that we go into the next game (at The Oval) not being able to get the urn back.

“But what we have done is something a lot bigger than any Ashes trophy could ever signify for this team – be the team that everybody will always remember.”

Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum revolutionised English cricket when they took over in 2022. They made it a mission to ensure Test cricket was enjoyable, both for those playing and watching, as they attacked and scored runs at a rate never before seen in the First Class game.

Despite that Australian broadcaster Fox Cricket posted an article with Stokes’ quotes from Old Trafford along with the comment: “…right, yeah, sure.”

Stokes opted to hit back and replied on the social media platform: “Said this to the team who had watched it rain for 2 days when we had our foot on your throats, just tried to cheer up the disappointment tbh (to be honest), but anyways rent free and all that”.

England haven't had the Ashes since 2015 but have an impressive home record with the Australians unable to claim victory on English soil since back in 2001.

2024-07-04T06:46:10Z dg43tfdfdgfd