Ben Stokes provides blunt one-word reply to query after Australia retain Ashes

England captain Ben Stokes was fairly blunt in his post-match interview after Australia retained the Ashes at Old Trafford on Sunday. He gave a one-word reply to former England skipper Michael Atherton in the course of the presentation after rain ruined the ultimate day of the fourth Test.

England wanted 5 extra wickets to degree the sequence up at 2-2. However, the Manchester climate had different concepts and never a single ball was bowled.

The hosts can not win the sequence and should now try to attract it and forestall Australia from profitable an away Ashes tour for the primary time since 2001. Stokes’ aspect had been aiming to come back again from 2-0 right down to triumph on the Kia Oval subsequent week and regain the urn.

Sky Sports commentator Atherton requested Stokes on the presentation whether or not he had any regrets from the sooner defeats, particularly the opening match of the sequence at Edgbaston. But the all-rounder firmly replied: “No.”

Rain did relent briefly at round noon and an inspection led to a 1pm begin time being introduced. However, shortly after that was determined, the rain returned.

Stokes admits it’s a tough method to finish a match that his staff had dominated all through. He added: “It is a tough one to take, playing the cricket we managed to play over the first three days, to get on the wrong side of the weather is a tough one but I guess it’s all part of the journey.

“We knew what we would have liked to do and that performed into our fingers a bit bit. It was one other do-or-die recreation for us and I do not assume we may have carried out rather more – bowling them out after which scoring 590.