Ashes cricket 2023: Ben Stokes hits back at critics after Australia retain Ashes with fourth Test draw

For the second home Ashes in a row, England have failed to win back the famous urn – but Ben Stokes wasn’t in any mood to cop criticism, saying his critics ‘don’t understand the game’.

Ben Stokes has taken a swipe at anyone daring to question whether he should have declared during the fourth Test.

England’s hopes of regaining the Ashes evaporated amid the Manchester rain on Sunday as day five was washed out, ensuring Australia takes a 2-1 lead into the fifth and final Test at The Oval.

The hosts had the better of the game across the first three days before rain limited play to just one session across the weekend.

Ben Stokes has hit back at critic’s of his captaincy and England’s tactics in the fourth Test. Picture: Getty

England posted 592 in 107.4 overs to take a 275-run first innings lead, and had Australia 5-214 in the tourists’ second innings heading into the eventually abandoned fifth day.

Stokes allowed wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow and No.11 Jimmy Anderson to keep batting beyond an over mark in which England has declared in recent matches, even in the knowledge that rain was likely coming on the weekend.

Bairstow was ultimately left stranded on 99.

But speaking on BBC’s Test Match Special, England captain Stokes scoffed at the suggestion he should have declared.

“When you look back at the cricket that was played, we did everything we possibly could,” Stokes said.

A dejected Ben Stokes looks on from the balcony as rain washes out the final day’s play in Manchester. Picture: AFP

“Regardless of what we did we would have ended up in the same situation. I don’t think anyone who is going to question the declaration in this game probably doesn’t understand the game as well as we do. We’ve got three hours of cricket in three days, I don’t think whatever we did, we would have been able to force a result in this game and that is unfortunately due to the weather. But it is what it is.”

Stokes later said that it had been hard to watch the weather spoil his side’s chances on the final day.

“Yeah, it was pretty tough. I changed my position in the changing room so much today. I said if I watched the rain it would go, then it didn’t go.

With the draw, England can no longer win the series and Australia will retain the urn. Picture: Getty

“Then I went to the back of the dressing room to watch the golf and turned my back thinking it might go. Didn’t go.

“Actually, the last 20 minutes was the most frustrating because I’m not sure why we were still waiting for play to start, we probably could have shaken hands about half an hour earlier. Just a frustrating day when obviously the weather dictates the outcome of the game. Yeah, a shame.”

But Stokes said England still had an incentive to win the final Test, even though the urn had already slipped away for a fourth straight Ashes series.

“Yeah, it’s very similar to 2019, when we had to go to The Oval and win to draw the series. For us, we’ll have to get over the disappointment of today and then focus on that game. It is a massive game for us and 2-2 sounds a lot better than 3-1.”