Ben Stokes has admitted that a grim weather forecast may force England to push Bazball to new extremes as they look to keep the Ashes alive in Manchester this week.
After a nine-day break, the series resumes at Old Trafford on Wednesday, with England have pulled the deficit back to 2-1 with their victory in the Third Test at Headingley.
With Australia the current holders, England must win the series outright to reclaim the Urn, meaning Stokes’ side have to win each of the two remaining Tests.
With the forecast particularly bleak on days four and five, Stokes admits England may have to accelerate the game even more than has become their custom over the last year in order to force a result.
"You never want to look too much into the weather but in the position we find ourselves in, we find we might have to,” Stokes said. “We know we have to win this game to take it to the last game for us to have a chance of getting the urn back.
“Going into the last game 2-0 down, we knew we had to win that so I think that helped us a little bit. Maybe again with the weather that's predicted, it might bring more out of us again knowing, that we might have to push the game on even more than we normally do. We'll just have to wait and see. If the weather is what it's predicted to be, we might have to.”
A draw would suit the tourists and see them retain the Urn on the same ground as in 2019. That summer, however, Tim Paine’s side went on to lose the final Test at the Oval as the hosts claimed the consolation of a 2-2 series draw and Pat Cummins says the incentive of a first outright win on English soil since 2001 will stop his side from settling.
“The first preference is always to try and win,” the Australian captain said. “We drew the 2019 series and we’ve all come back pretty clear that we want to win this one. As the game progresses maybe you start working out how risky you want to be.”
England have made just one change to their side from the Third Test, with James Anderson back into the XI on his home ground in place of Ollie Robinson, while Moeen Ali will again bat at No3 having been promoted mid-game in Leeds.
Despite another wasteful outing behind the stumps, wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow keeps his place, with Stokes and Brendon McCullum resisting calls for Ben Foakes’ return.
“Even going back to when I picked my first squad as captain, we picked a group of players who we thought were the best to be able to play in this manner,” Stokes said. “There’ve been a few changes here and there but when you pick a team and pick a player to go out and do a role, you stick with them and back them.
“I’m not worried about Jonny at all. It’s external noise to me and the team. I thought even his 78 in the first Test match, knocks like that down the order are absolute gold dust.
“He’s not managed to go on and put a performance in with the bat like he’s wanted to but we know it’s there. I think everyone knows that Jonny Bairstow, when he gets going, is something to watch. We pick teams and players for what they can do on their best days.”
