Ashes 2023: Big News for England as skipper Ben Stokes declares himself fit to bowl against Aussies
Ashes 2023: Big News for England as skipper Ben Stokes declares himself fit to bowl against Aussies
England have been handed a major boost on the eve of the first Ashes Test as they get ready for the high-voltage set clash against Australia starting on Friday, June 16. Skipper Ben Stokes has declared himself fit to bowlfor the clash which could aid England’s chances of winning their first Ashes since 2015. The opening clash between the two sides will take place at the iconic Edgbaston in Birmingham which will see Stokes take charge of the side for the first time in the age-old rivalry.
Stokes declares himself fit
"The last three days have been really good for my confidence," Stokes said at his pre-match press conference.
"I've bowled every day so far and been able to run in with more intensity day by day. I've got myself in a real good place to be able to bowl."
England are in the final stage of their preparations for the Ashes which has seen big names return to side in the form of Ollie Robinson and James Anderson. The duo missed the only Test match against Ireland at the start of the month but will now take their place in the team. While Stokes could still bowl, the management will make sure he is not over-utilised as there are four more Test matches still to be played in the Ashes.
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"David Saker has come in and mentioned something to me last week in Scotland, saying, 'If you're still bowling by the fourth or fifth Test, we've done something right.'
"I definitely feel in a better place than I did in Wellington and even before that. Obviously every time I am out on the field, that [bowling an important spell] is what I want to do, but my body was stopping me from doing that,” added Stokes.
ALSO READ |Ashes 2023, 1st Test, England vs Australia - Preview and Result Prediction
Stokes ready for impact?
Stokes has been consistently struggling with injuries which saw him miss the majority of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season. He left the IPL camp of Championship winning side Chennai Super Kings (CSK) early to prepare for the Ashes. Interestingly despite playing in the only Test against Ireland, he did not had to stretch his muscle and ended up winning the contest without batting bowling, or keeping gloves.
On the flip side, England have started playing mind games as they announced their Playing XI for the first Test on Wednesday, June 14. Moeen Ali and Stuart Broad both have been included in the team while Mark Wood has missed out on a place in the Playing XI.
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