 "Ashes 2023: Stokes cautious about weather as England targets victory at Manchester")
synopsis
As England prepares to face Australia in the Ashes, captain Stokes acknowledges the significance of weather conditions on their chances of victory. With Australia having the opportunity to retain the Ashes with a draw, Stokes recognises the need to adapt their approach if necessary.
Stokes, as the captain, has been cautious about relying too much on weather forecasts. However, England keeps an eye on the radar in the changing room, prepared to adjust their approach if needed during the match. With Australia having the opportunity to retain the Ashes with a draw, the responsibility falls on Stokes to push for a result, regardless of the limited playing time, in order to keep England's hopes alive for their first Ashes victory since 2015.
Stokes admitted, "You never want to pay too much attention to the weather, but given our current position, we might have to. We understand that we must win this game to extend the series and have a chance of reclaiming the Ashes."
He continued, "In the previous game, being 2-0 down, we knew we had to win, and that mindset helped us. Considering the predicted weather, it might push us to be even more proactive, knowing that we might have to push the game forward more than usual. However, we will have to wait and see. If the weather turns out as expected, we may have to adapt our approach."
While Stokes didn't explicitly state that England will adopt a more attacking style, the pace of play in this series has generally led to quick results. For instance, the third Test, which England won by three wickets, concluded on the fourth day after 230.2 overs of play. Last summer, England managed to defeat South Africa twice within three days in two separate matches.
Stokes has previously considered unconventional strategies to combat unfavourable conditions. During the Pakistan series last December, he suggested the idea of forfeiting an innings due to smog in Multan, which could have limited daily play. Although it wasn't implemented, England may consider such measures in this Test, especially if they bat first and set a substantial total.
On the other hand, Australia intends to approach this Test with a focus on victory, as they aim for their first away Ashes series win since 2001, without being influenced by the weather conditions.
"The first preference is always to try to win," Cummins said. "We drew the 2019 series and we've all come back pretty clear we want to win this one. I think it's one of things, as the game progresses you maybe start working out how risky you want to be, but looking at the forecast it looks like it's okay so sure we'll get a match in.
"It would be fun. Prepared for anything, really. We'll see how it plays out. We have already seen a lot of different things from both teams this series. I'm sure this one will be another cracker with some random stuff thrown up." Said Stokes
subscribe to Asianet News Whatsapp channel by clicking here.
subscribe to Asianet News on YouTube by clicking here.