'We Don't Think We're Beaten'; Stokes Reassures English Fans Of Comeback

Ben Stokes told England fans that “we don’t think we are beaten” and said he feels ready for a big score with the bat, after another tough day at the Ashes on Friday. The visitors were forced to work 150 overs on the pitch over the past two days as Australia built a grim 473 for nine in their opening rounds of the second test in Adelaide. In response, England staggered to 17-for-two after losing low-cost openers Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed.

All-round star Stokes said tourists still hope to repay ailing England fans, who saw their team get hammered by nine wickets in the first test.

“We see a lot of social media support from everyone back home in England and the guys supporting us here in Australia have also been absolutely phenomenal, they still are,” said the 30-year-old.

“Obviously the first test (in Brisbane) didn’t go well and Australia are ahead at the moment, but we know that at home we will get as much support as usual.”

Charismatic Stokes admitted feeling ‘bad’ after returning from long hiatus to deal with a finger injury and mental health issues

But he is revelling to be back in the England squad and face his nemesis, Australia.

“I loved every minute of it, you know, going on the pitch and wearing the Three Lions is obviously one of the great feelings of a cricketer,” he said.

“Those grounds in Australia and being away from home obviously makes it a bit more difficult, with crowds and stuff like that, but it’s a fantastic pleasure besides being a huge honour.”

Stokes only scored five and 14 with the bat in Brisbane but said he was set to do much better on Saturday as England look to turn Australia.

“I didn’t hit the number of points I wanted in the first game, but the way I try to look at the stick in the middle is not always to focus on the points scored, but on what I was feeling… in the middle before I got out, ”he said.

“I felt good in the net and felt really good in the middle both times (in Brisbane). I just wasn’t able to keep going and get the big scores the way I wanted.

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“I’m just going to go out (Saturday) with the same state of mind as in Brisbane.”