Stokes Hails End of Australia Drought Despite ‘Not Ideal’ Conditions

England captain Ben Stokes said his side would take pride in ending their 15-year wait for a Test victory in Australia, while admitting the circumstances surrounding the win were far from ideal. England sealed a four-wicket victory over Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in a match that finished inside two days, though the Ashes series had already been lost following three defeats in the opening Tests.

Speaking after the match, Stokes acknowledged that the surface at the MCG heavily favoured the bowlers and contributed to the unusually short contest.

“We’ve got the win, but honestly, it’s not what you want, really,” Stokes said. “The conditions were heavily sided to one skill of the game, which is not ideal, and the game lasts less than two days.”

Despite those concerns, Stokes praised his team’s approach in chasing down a target of 175 — the highest total of the match — after England conceded a 42-run first-innings deficit. England reached the target in just 32.2 overs, with contributions from Jacob Bethell (40), Zak Crawley (37) and Ben Duckett (34), as no player from either side managed a half-century on the difficult surface.

“Chasing 170 was always going to be difficult,” Stokes added. “But the way that we took the game on from the outset was exactly what we needed to do.”

The victory ended a long and painful run for England in Australia. Stokes and Joe Root were both part of the 2013-14 Ashes tour that ended in a 5-0 whitewash, beginning a sequence of 16 defeats and two draws in Australia that stretched across nearly a decade and a half.

Although the result does not alter the outcome of the series, Root said the win was significant given the pressure surrounding the team in the build-up to the Test. England had come under scrutiny following their defeat in Adelaide, with attention focused on a mid-series break at Noosa and a viral video involving Duckett.

“It’s disappointing that it’s not to affect the series,” Root said. “But after everything that’s been thrown at the group, to respond in that fashion and find a way on that wicket showed good cricket smarts and great bravery.”

Stokes also highlighted the importance of backing his players and maintaining the team’s attacking mindset amid external criticism.

“In the few days building up to this, you front up to a few things,” he said. “The big thing was making sure everyone was on top of their body language and intensity, especially with 94,000 people here at the MCG.”

The England captain reserved special praise for the travelling supporters who filled the stands on Boxing Day, thanking them for their unwavering backing throughout the series.

“They are with us through thick and thin,” Stokes said. “Playing on Boxing Day in front of 95,000 at the MCG is something pretty special.”

With two Tests remaining, Stokes insisted England’s focus would not waver despite the Ashes already being decided.

“There’s no such thing as a dead rubber when you represent your country,” he said. “We’ve got two games left, and we want to leave here with two results. Our mindset and intensity won’t change when we go to Sydney.”