Overview:
Even though England were impressive in Adelaide, especially after suffering heavy eight-wicket defeats in Perth and Brisbane, they have still struggled to deliver in the decisive moments of the series.
England captain Ben Stokes admitted on Sunday that losing the Ashes in just 11 days is extremely disappointing, but assured that the team will look to respond with greater consistency in the final two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney. England’s performance so far has fallen well short of the pre-series expectations of a tight battle, with Australia clearly outplaying them in every aspect. Stokes acknowledged Australia’s dominance, but said the defeat still hurts deeply.
“We set out with a definite aim, but we haven’t been able to reach it. It really hurts and feels tough to accept, but we’ll keep going,” he said.
England at least displayed some of the resilience Stokes had been urging, especially in the third Test, where they came remarkably close to a huge upset in Adelaide, finishing just 82 runs short while chasing a record 435.
“I thought the boys were outstanding today. They showed really strong commitment,” coach Brendon McCullum said.
“They fed off each other’s energy and did everything they could to take the match as deep as possible. We couldn’t quite finish it, but I still think it was an outstanding effort.”
Even though England were impressive in Adelaide, especially after suffering heavy eight-wicket defeats in Perth and Brisbane, they have still struggled to deliver in the decisive moments of the series.
Stokes pointed out that the real difference between the two teams was Australia’s unwavering consistency, saying England were unable to match that level of relentless execution.
“Australia have been able to carry out their plans with far greater consistency than we have,” he said.
“Across all facets of the game, from batting and bowling to fielding, they’ve consistently been the better side,” he added.
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