England's Ben Stokes, right, and England's Jonny Bairstow leaves the pitch at the end of play on day one of the first Ashes Test cricket match between England and Australia at Edgbaston, Birmingham. (AP) Former England captains Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen has called Ben Stokes declaration call on Day 1 “outrageous” on with centurion Joe Root still at the crease.
England stayed true to its ‘Bazball’ approach on Friday and underlined its confidence by daring to declare at 393-8 after Root’s 30th Test century on a rousing opening day at Edgbaston.
“I wouldn’t have declared,” former England captain Michael Vaughan said on BBC Test Match Special.
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“You just don’t know what is going to happen. England are trying to send a message no team has ever done before.
“I, as a captain, would’ve wanted a few more runs, especially with Joe Root out there.
“Even though England didn’t get the wicket, it creates what the Ashes is all about — Warner and Khawaja, two experienced pros, were running like kids.”
Kevin Pietersen too was skeptical of Ben Stokes’s decision. He said on Sky Sports: “”I don’t think that’s the nature of his captaincy (in and out fields from Stokes). It’s difficult to answer because we did not see much in it this evening.”
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“And I did that Test match last year against India with you guys, it was a wicket that did get better for batting, and I think that tomorrow (Saturday) could be the most beautiful day. That’s why I am… I didn’t like the declaration.
“We will find out if it’s the right thing to have done. I always got told 400… get to 400, 450 in the first innings of a Test match. It’s psychological. Maybe I am being too critical, I don’t know, we will see,” he added.
However, Stokes declaration call has also received the backing with former England skipper Nasser Hussain and calls it a fair move.
“England wanted to have a crack at Warner toward the end of the day’s play. That’s a fair call from Stokes,” he said.
England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow called it a “bold move.”
“It was a bold call, it was a good call,” England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow told Sky Sports at stumps.
“There will be conversations around it, but no-one likes going out there with 20 minutes and four overs, when you’ve got Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson running in at the end of a day that has been a bit of a toil.”
England icon Sir Geoffrey Boycott wrote: “Brave but now they have to make it work.”
In the four overs England gave itself for a probing bowl, Australia went 14 without loss by stumps and opener David Warner survived his test nemesis Stuart Broad, who opened the attack. Warner was 8 not out and Usman Khawaja on 4.
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