When Ben Stokes starts talking about Chinese farmers, you know this Ashes series has taken an unexpected turn.
This wasn’t a second Test call-up at Lord’s, even more surprising than Josh Tongue replacing Moeen Ali, but simply a way for the England captain to insist that his best bowling plans hadn’t gone awry.
First Jofra Archer and Olly Stone were ruled out, now Mark Wood is not fit enough to give England that all-important extra pace that Stokes says was at the heart of his Ashes game plan when he told Nasser Hussain he wanted ‘flat and fast wickets’. .
So in comes Tongue, England’s closest thing to a fast pace bowler, for a test of paramount importance and Stokes must turn to Zak Crawley and his tale of a Chinese farmer to shoot down the suggestion that has on his side. luck.
“Brendon (McCullum) always goes round the group before handing the floor to me,” Stokes said at Lord’s on Tuesday. This time, Zak actually said, “I have something to say,” and he gave an incredible speech in the group.
Ben Stokes has revealed how a Chinese proverb inspired England to continue attacking Australia in the second Ashes Test
The England captain said Zak Crawley led a team meeting and stunned them with a story about a Chinese farmer saying ‘we’ll see if it’s good or bad’ after their defeat by the Aussies.
“It was a story of a Chinese farmer who basically says, ‘We’ll see if it’s good or bad,’ when something happens. That it’s never the end of the world. We don’t know why things happen, whether for good or not. It’s just something different to deal with.
“So I’m very confident that the team we’ve picked can walk away with a win here. Instead of worrying about what I don’t have, I’d rather be happy with what I do have.’
Ashes’ hopes in England depend on it. Lose here and it’s pretty much all over. England’s men and women have played two classic Tests in the last two weeks, but the bottom line is Australia won them both and now it’s time for the crunch. One more defeat and both the ‘Mashes’ and ‘Washes’, as some call the two series, are all but lost.
Not that England thinks that way. Stokes and his ‘s*** happenings’ philosophy were fully in line with England’s relaxed mood at Lord’s on Tuesday.
Nothing happened in Edgbaston and since that unnerving and narrow defeat has shaken their belief that Bazball is here to stay and, crucially, given them the best chance to even this Ashes right now.
“Baz almost found out it’s a thing now, but he still hates it,” Stokes smiled when asked about the label for England’s expansive, exciting style. “But it was nice that a lot of people came up to me and said how enthralled they were by the first test.
Stokes said he was buoyed by praise for England’s style – introduced by head coach Brendon McCullum (right)
“I had a conversation in a men’s locker room at a spa, which was a little awkward. This guy said “Are you the cricketer or are you just like him?”. I was like, “it’s me”.
“So he said he’s not following the game, but went to the pub on the last day of the first test for a few quick things and ended up getting a few more because he was transfixed watching the game. When you hear that, it gives you a good feeling.’
Stokes has often said that this England team is not results driven, but there was a subtle shift in emphasis on Tuesday when he spoke about the importance of winning these Ashes.
“I don’t want to be misunderstood about that,” he said.
“We want to win every game. Losing sucks. But if we don’t win, we’ll just keep doing what we’re doing and move on to the next game.’
Therefore, Wood’s lack of confidence in his ability to pass this test is a concern.
Stokes may have said another week should mean he’s available for the Third Test at Headingley and beyond, but Wood remains a vulnerable part of this England squad.
Tongue was impressive on his debut against Ireland but this is a big step forward and his inclusion in a four-man attack is a reflection not only of England’s concerns over Moeen Ali’s sore finger, but also of Stokes’ condition ‘ knee.
The captain spoke of his ‘confidence boost’ from being able to bowl at Edgbaston, but if he was sure he could fill the role of fourth seaman well then surely a specialist spinner would have been included, as has been for all 14 Tests that Stokes has captained.
The absence of Moeen, who was declared fit, and Rehan Ahmed is also partly due to a very green Lord’s pitch and clearly, after the subcontinent surface at Edgbaston, England’s groundsmen have not heeded the captain’s plea for pace . .
“I’m not going there to say how easy or difficult it is to prepare pitches,” Stokes said diplomatically.
“It’s a tough job and we have to respond to how the wicket presents itself. We haven’t thrown a ball on this one yet. Let’s have that conversation after the game.”
England are confident they can turn things around against Australia after losing the first Test
One thing is certain: Australia will not leave out their spinner. Nathan Lyon goes into the second Test after becoming the first to ever play 100 consecutive Tests and is just five short of 500 wickets.
Lyon remains a huge threat, but so does Joe Root, with the only surprise about his selection as spinner and best batsman being that England only seem to realize just how good he can be with the ball. After all, he once took five for eight against India, albeit on a very different pitch than today.
There’s been a lot of Aussie Ashes absurdity since Edgbaston, from Matthew Hayden’s attack on Ollie Robinson for daring to give Usman Khawaja a little goodbye, to the most ridiculous of them all, Test Match Special commentator Jim Maxwell fat-shaming Jonny Bairstow.
Significantly, though, none of that comes from the Australian team. Thank goodness we can now get on with the cricket. The second Test, weather permitting, should be another classic. And England can’t afford to lose it.