Ben Stokes has no Ashes regrets as England fans told keep the faith vs Australia

Ben Stokes has urged England fans to keep the faith and vowed to stay on the attack for the remainder of the Ashes. The England captain saw his side fall to an agonising two-wicket defeat to Australia in a sensational first Test at Edgbaston.

But he insisted there would be no backward steps at Lord’s or beyond as he seeks to level the series against Australia. “It is a bit early to say the Ashes are slipping away after one game,” he said. “There are still four games left so just keep following us and we will keep trying to do what we do.

“We are, of course, absolutely devastated. The lads are in pieces up there. But if that’s not attracting people to the game we love then I don’t know what will. Losing sucks but I will be encouraging those players to keep the smile on their face and enjoy every moment we have out on an England field because it doesn’t last forever.

“Keep following us because we will be trying to do the same thing over and over again.” Stokes insists he did not regret his first innings declaration when putting Australia in to bat for 20 minutes on the first evening despite having Joe Root going strong unbeaten on 118.

And he insisted he would do the same again at Lord’s if the situation was repeated. “I thought that was a time to pounce,” he said. “I am not going to change the way I have gone about my cricket because it is the Ashes.

“Who knows we could have got an extra 40 runs or lost two wickets in two balls. I am not a captain who gets by on what ifs. The message after this is more of the same for the next four games but in terms of what it has done for the series in the first game it is hard to be too disappointed.

“It has set up the series.” Australia were led over the line by Pat Cummins as his side chased down 281 for victory. And the Aussie skipper said the win was far and away the best Test victory of his career.

“The No 1 absolutely,” said when asked where it ranked. “Start of an Ashes series… No 1. When we got down to about 10 or 16 needed – maybe two an over – I felt pretty confident but it felt like from first session of day one it felt 50 50 all along.”

Cummins admitted that revenge for the agonising Headingley defeat four years ago has been a long time coming. But he insisted it felt pretty sweet when it came.

“I would be lying if `I said it didn’t enter our minds. We have been on the other side of it last series and a lot of these guys were there at Headingley. But what a wonderful Test match really hard fought.”