Michael Vaughan, a former England captain, was surprised when Ben Stokes didn’t give the new ball to experienced fast bowler James Anderson at the end of the fifth day of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston. Anderson had very little to do, so the captain bowled with Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson.
Vaughan said that he couldn’t remember the last time that Anderson didn’t get the second new ball in English circumstances. Even though the experienced pacer had a hard time in the first inning, he could have been dangerous in the middle because of his history. But Stokes didn’t change his mind, and Australia won the match by two wickets in the end.
“Jimmy Anderson won’t bowl with the second new ball. In English conditions, I don’t remember Jimmy Anderson ever taking the second new ball. The lights were on and it was yelling. You just thought, “Go on, Jimmy and Broady. It’s dead easy, nice, and straight to Nathan Lyon.” Vaughan told Cricbuzz, “He’s going to play across the line of one.”
For the Aussies to win that game, it is a big deal. Michael Vaughan
Vaughan said that the whole match was special because both teams played different kinds of cricket. Australia didn’t change how they played and they finally won a historic game at Edgbaston. All of England’s players were aggressive the whole time.
“Those were five great days. The end of the game always makes things tense, but we’ve seen two teams with very different styles play every single day: Australia plays a safer, more traditional game, while England plays a very open game. “It’s huge for the Aussies to get that win,” Vaughan said.
Both teams will now take a few days off before starting to prepare for the second Test, which will start on June 28 at the famous Lord’s Cricket Ground.
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