Ashes 2023: Ben Stokes receives huge card of good luck messages from ECB staff ahead of series opener

The much-awaited first Test of Ashes 2023 finally got underway on June 16 at Edgbaston. The series has been a highly anticipated affair with both teams coming into it at the top of their game. England have been in sensational form under the leadership of Ben Stokes as they’ve won 11 out of their 13 Tests ever since the all-rounder became the full-time captain in 2022.

Considering their marvellous run in recent times, there’s immense pressure on the Ben Stokes-led side to win the Ashes for the first time since 2015. The team has got massive support from ECB staff as well who gifted Stokes with a white card full of ‘Good Luck’ messages ahead of the first Test.

It was an idea from the internal communications team at the ECB to present the board which contains messages like, ‘5-0 please!’,‘Red Ball Revolution’, Try to stretch into Day Five at least a couple of times… so we get to have the TV on more!’ and ‘Bring the urn to its rightful place.’

Coming back to the match, England won the toss and elected to bat first as opener Zak Crawley started the innings with a majestic cover drive against Pat Cummins. Australia got their first success as Josh Hazlewood found the edge of Ben Duckett’s bat and got him caught behind.

England lose five wickets under 200

Crawley continued to attack from the other end and scored a brilliant 61 (73) adding 70 runs for the second with Ollie Pope (31 off 44). Australia got their second success as Nathan Lyon trapped Pope in front of the stumps. Just before lunch, they further got the prized scalp of Crawley to leave England at 126/3.

The second session began with a 51-run stand between Harry Brook (32 off 37) and Joe Root. However, Australia made a comeback as Brook got dismissed against Lyon in a bizarre fashion. The visitors further got the prized scalp of Stokes (1) in the very next over to leave England reeling at 176/5.