'First team to declare on Day 1' - England football men's team Head coach Gareth Southgate impressed with Ben Stokes' bold declaration on Day 1

The first day of the opening Test of the Ashes 2023 was an action-packed affair as England continued their ‘Bazball’ strategy against Australia. The Ben Stokes-led side scored at over 5 runs per over and posted 393/8 on the board. Joe Root was once again the star with the bat as he brought up his 30^th Test hundred and played exceptional innings of 118* (152).

He got good support from Jonny Bairstow who scored a run-a-ball 78 and added 121 runs with Root for the fifth wicket. However, it was not Root’s hundred or Bairstow’s knock that left the cricketing fraternity speechless on Day 1. It was Ben Stokes’ surprise declaration with over half an hour’s play left in the Day.

Stokes’ move was also praised by England’s national football team coach, Gareth Southgate, who lauded the mindset with which England are playing in the historic series.

"I would imagine this is the first team in my lifetime to declare at 393/8 on Day 1. That will be an interesting decision because in the end, people will judge on the outcome as they do, the decisions you make as a coach. But that’s a clue as to the mindset they’re going into the series with," Southgate was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Following the declaration, Stokes made Australian openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja bat through a tricky period at the end of the day. However, the openers managed to get through it unscathed as Australia finished Day 1 on 14/0.

Usman Khawaja slams his first century for Australia in England on Day 2

On Day 2, Stuart Broad got the first strike for his side as he dismissed David Warner for the 15^th time in Test cricket. Broad further got rid of Marnus Labuschagne for a golden duck to make the Edgbaston crowd go wild.

Captain Stokes got the prized scalp of Steve Smith as he trapped him in front of the stumps to give his team their success before lunch. Following that, Khawaja held one end and brought up his first hundred in England. He got good support from Travis Head (50) and Cameron Green (38) as Australia were 255/5 after 77 overs, with Khawaja (110*) and Alex Carey (20*) at the crease.