Australia has a 2-0 lead because they were the superior team in the first two Tests from balls one to eleven: Andrew Strauss

Ben Stokes‘ exploits in the second Test match at Lord’s during the ongoing Ashes 2023 were insufficient to carry his team to victory. Former England captain Andrew Strauss criticised the performance of the Ben Stokes-led side and noted that the host team relied on a one-man show after Australia won the second match by 43 runs and took a 2-0 series lead.

In the second inning, the star all-rounder of England scored 155 runs, including nine fours and the same number of sixes. It was also the maximum number of sixes hit in an innings by a player in the Ashes series, as the home captain launched a counter-attack against the Australians after Jonny Bairstow was controversially stumped. The flamboyant left-handed batsman reached his 13th Test century with a six, but later Josh Hazlewood halted the onslaught.

In the second Test, Australian batting superstar Steve Smith was named the match’s Most Valuable Player for his remarkable hundred in the first inning. In contrast, England’s current Test match captain, Stokes, scored 155 runs in 214 balls but fell short when his team was pursuing 371 runs with 301 runs on the board.

Strauss highlights Ben Stokes’ performance while criticising England.
“We witnessed a number of incredible performances, none more so than Ben Stokes.” In reality, however, you cannot rely on a single player to win a test match. Sportskeeda cited Strauss as saying that Australia’s 2-0 lead is a result of their superior performance in the first two Tests.

“There is never a dull moment when England and Australia play, as they hurl everything they can at one another. There were some unusual strategies, but they were effective, which advanced the game. When a series lasts as long and is as intense as this one, there is no lack of entertainment, said the erstwhile left-handed batter.

Now, following the second Test loss and a barrage of criticism from former players regarding Stokes and McCullum’s ‘Bazball’ approach, the England team will undoubtedly be looking to make a comeback in the July 6 start of the third Test match of the five-match series at Leeds.