Ashes 2023: ‘First team in my lifetime to declare at 393/8′, Gareth Southgate impressed by Ben Stokes’ bold captaincy – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Amidst their ongoing UEFA Euro Qualifiers 2024 campaign, England football team head coach Gareth Southgate is keeping a keen eye on the Ashes series that got underway at Edgbaston on Friday.

On Friday, Joe Root scored a fine century and Zak Crawley and Jonny Bairstow scored fifties, but England’s declaration at 393/8 came as a shocking move to many.

Southgate said that in his lifetime, England were the first team in his lifetime to declare at such a total.

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“I’m a big cricket fan and it’s something that is hugely exciting to watch at the moment. Their (England) mindset has been a big thing, but they’ve (Australia) also got a lot of world-class players. We’ve got quite a few players I think would get in a World XI. So, the standard is also very good, but there’s definitely been this shift in how they’re playing,” Southgate said in a press conference after England beat Malta 4-0.

“I would imagine this is the first team in my lifetime to declare at 393/8 on Day 1. That will be an interesting decision because in the end people will judge on the outcome as they do, the decisions you make as a coach. But that’s a clue as to the mindset they’re going into the series with,” the manager added.

At the time of writing, Australia were 188/4 at tea break, with Usman Khawaja (84*) and Cameron Green (21*) unbeaten. Stuart Broad has taken two wickets so far.

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