Jonny Bairstow applauded an adventurous declaration from Ben Stokes after the England captain rolled the dice on the first day of The Ashes.
Stokes threw caution to wind on day one of the first Test, waving his side in at 393-8 in the hope of snapping up a late wicket at Edgbaston.
Joe Root was batting beautifully on 118 when the signal came from the balcony and would surely have kept the scoreboard ticking had he been left to his own devices, but Stokes swapped the promise of extra runs for four late overs at the Australia openers.
That meant a quick skirmish between long-time sparring partners Stuart Broad and David Warner, but England were unable to generate a breakthrough that would have capped a thrilling day of action.
It was the fifth time Stokes has declared in the first innings in his 14th Test as full-time captain and Bairstow praised the intent of forcing the change where others might have let the game drift to a natural close.
“I’m sure there’s many decisions Ben has made that have taken commentators and other people by surprise, but it was no surprise to us,” said the wicketkeeper.
“We didn’t know anything about it, it was a scramble to get the tape on, the pads on and all the rest. But when it’s something that’s not expected, it can be the best form of attack.
“Having played the game for as long as we have, we’re aware a 20-minute slot for an opening pair is something that’s not very nice. It can be a bit niggly.
“It’s a bit of a shot to nothing – there might be an unbelievable ball in there, or a loose shot in there.
“We’ll come back with a ball that’s four overs old, a fresh bowling attack and team that is really looking forward to the challenge.”
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Bairstow marked his return to the England side with a half-century against Australia
Bairstow, who contributed a punchy run-a-ball 78 in his first Test innings back after a 10-month lay-off, was part of a vital 121-run stand with his long-time friend and foil, Root.
The Yorkshire duo have shared some memorable partnerships across the years and Bairstow beamed as he reflected on Root’s outstanding century.
It was his 30th in Test cricket but a first against Australia since 2015, ending a sequence of 12 unconverted Ashes fifties.
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Root scored his 30th Test century and first against Australia since 2015 on the first day of the first Ashes Test
“It was brilliant. There are some special traits that he’s got and he does special things,” he said.
“As someone who has known him for a really long time, been through thick and thin, ups and downs and lots of different things together, it was an absolute pleasure to be out there with him.
“He’s a fantastic player and talent. He loves batting, loves being out there, loves the occasion, loves representing his country. It takes a lot of skill, a lot of endeavour and patience.”
England’s declaration: Brave, inspired, or trouble on day two?
England’s decision to declare caused a mixed reaction, with some hailing its brilliance, some calling it absurd, and almost everything in between.
Kevin Pietersen admitted it was a reflection of this England team’s new outlook, but he was not a fan of the decision with Australia’s batters now given their chance on such a flat wicket.
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Watch the best of the action from the opening day of The Ashes at Edgbaston as England took on Australia
“We were talking about the declaration, we were thinking about the declaration, but two or three years ago there would not have even been a hint of a declaration,” said Pietersen.
“But with this team, are we surprised? I don’t think we are but I am a little bit surprised only because of how flat this wicket actually is.
“We saw Australia bat there now and it didn’t miss the middle of the bat. I didn’t like the declaration.”
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Watch the best bits from Root’s excellent century on the first day of the first Test against Australia
However, Sky Sports Cricket’s Nasser Hussain was all for the drama it created as old foes Broad and Warner faced off once again.
“I said to Ben Stokes a month ago in Chennai, ‘If you were eight down in the first innings, would you declare?’,” said Hussain.
“He said ‘Yeah, why would we send Jimmy Anderson out to bat?’
“He didn’t send him out to bat, he sent his bowlers out to try and get Warner.
“Fair play to Warner and (Usman) Khawaja, they hung in there. Everything you want from day one of a series. Quite brilliant.”
“I liked the declaration because I wanted to see David Warner vs Stuart Broad.
“I understood the moment and the drama and I understood Stokes. Stokes was always going to do that.”
Whether Stokes’ decision will work out remains to be seen, but it will become clearer as day two gets under way on Saturday.
Pretty even? Australia content with employing defensive fields
Josh Hazlewood admitted England’s attempts to force the game represented uncharted territory
Josh Hazlewood admitted Australia were still trying to come to terms with a “new Ashes” after England came out firing to score at five an over on day one.
“We’ve got to start to look at things differently, not so much at strike-rates and economies and things like that. It’s just about wickets and the score,” he said.
“We’ve taken eight for just under 400 and you’d take that on this wicket, whether it takes 80 overs or 160. It’s the same score. If we can keep it as simple as that it will go a long way to wrap our heads around the new Ashes. We’ll keep learning but it’s a good start.
“They’re at 390 and we’re none-for, so it’s pretty even I’d say,” he said. “If you’re none down, you’re pretty happy obviously. That’s a tick.”
The Ashes – Live
Saturday 17th June 10:15am
You can watch The Ashes live on Sky Sports Cricket. Coverage begins at 10.15 on Saturday ahead of the first ball at 11am. You can follow in-play clips and text commentary on Sky Sports’ digital platforms.
