During the thrilling first Ashes Test between England and Australia, there was a crucial moment on Day 5 when Ben Stokes chose to delay taking the second new ball. After Stokes bowled the 80th over, the new ball was available, but he decided to persist with Joe Root’s off-spin for a few more overs.
The surprise move paid off initially when Root took a sharp return catch to dismiss Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey. However, Stokes eventually took the new ball five overs later, and despite the efforts of Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson, they couldn’t break the partnership between Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon.
Reflecting on the decision, former England white-ball captain Eoin Morgan acknowledged that it proved costly in the end but defended Stokes’ approach. Morgan highlighted one of Stokes’ biggest attributes, his willingness to listen to advice from senior players like Broad and Anderson, creating a brain’s trust within the team.
Morgan explained, “Constantly taking in information, debating whether or not that was the time to take the new ball. It proved very profitable (with) Joe Root taking the wicket of Carey. We saw with our own eyes why they were digressing over that decision because the new ball just skidded on.”
Although the delayed new ball strategy didn’t yield the desired results for England, Morgan believed it was the right decision considering the game was slipping away from them with the old ball. Despite the cost, he commended Stokes for his willingness to consider various factors and engage in discussions with his teammates.
