England coach says team will stick to all-out attack in second Test

England coach Brendon McCullum was happy with the fierce on-field exchanges in the Ashes opener and revealed his plans for the second clash at Lord’s.

Defiant England coach Brendon McCullum says his belligerent batters will go a “little bit harder” in the second Ashes Test, adamant all-out attack is the best way to turn the tables on Australia.

McCullum said he and England captain Ben Stokes would use the time before the second Test starts at Lord’s on June 28 to “digest what unfolded” at Edgbaston, with a day-one declaration coming back to haunt the home team as Australia recorded a victory for the ages.

The England coach conceded Australia’s different, more stoic approach, headlined by man-of-the-match Usman Khawaja facing more than 500 balls across two innings, proved effective.

But he was confident the fact the match went down to the wire “validated” his team’s approach.

“I think we played our style, which is to try and take the game forward,” McCullum said.

“I thought Australia were happy playing their style as well, which ultimately led to success for them and I’m sure they’ll continue with those tactics right throughout the series. I think it’s set up to be quite a fascinating contest.

England coach Brendon McCullum won’t change his approach. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images

“Obviously, you‘d rather have won the game – that’s just the nature of sport sometimes – but I thought the way that we played, I think it’s validated our style of play as well. If we’d have got a little bit of the rub of the green, then we might have been on the other side of it.

“I’m sure they’ll stick solid to that strategy all the way through, which I think’s great because we’ll go a little harder and they’ll probably stick to their strategy.”

McCullum was also unapologetic about paceman Ollie Robinson’s behaviour after two on-field exchanges with Khawaja and some press conference comments that came back to bite him.

“I think it happens in all international cricket,” McCullum said.

“It’s two competitive teams going at it and desperate to try and get a performance for their countries, so you’re always going to get a little bit of a boilover of emotions.

Ollie Robinson has words with Usman Khawaja. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images

“I don’t think it crossed the line from what the match referees were saying. They were pretty content with it, as far as I’m aware. But I’m sure it’ll be a hotly contested series right throughout and it won’t be the last time we’re probably talking about it.”

The England coach said he would look at “tweaking” a few things and confirmed fast bowler Mark Wood was firmly in the selection frame for the second Test. But the approach will not shift.

“Both teams have got a little bit of time to digest what’s unfolded over the last five days and maybe slightly tweak a couple of things along the way,” McCullum said.

“But I’d expect that they’d carry on doing the same sort of playing (style) that they executed here, and we’ll be doing the same.

“I‘m really proud of the boys. A couple of things didn’t quite go our way at times, but that’s the nature of the game. We firmly believe, the skipper and I, that this gives us our greatest chance.

“Everyone that has watched this game over the last five days, I would be very surprised if there were too many people who disagree with how we go about playing.

“We want to keep getting up and throwing punches as a team.”