Ashes 2021-22: Lewis defends England selection, Stokes fitness to be assessed

Australia
are
in
command
of
the
series-opener
in
Brisbane
after
closing
on
343-7
in
reply
to
England’s
147
all
out,
leading
by
196
runs.

Travis
Head
(112
not
out)
smashed
the
third-fastest
Ashes
century
off
only
85
balls
after
David
Warner
made
94
and
Marnus
Labuschagne
crafted
74
on
day
two.

Ollie
Robinson
was
the
pick
of
the
England
bowlers,
taking
3-48,
but
had
to
leave
the
field
with
a
hamstring
injury,
although
the
paceman
later
revealed
he
had
not
done
serious
damage.

Stokes
also
sustained
a
knee
injury
on
a
tough
day
for
Joe
Root’s
side
in
the
heat,
with
spinner
Jack
Leach’s
11
overs
going
for
95.

Ashes:
Travis
Head
hundred,
Warner
94
give
Australia
edge
over
England
at
Gabba
on
Day
2

But
Lewis
says
the
selectors
did
not
feel
they
ought
to
have
played
an
extra
seamer.

“We
looked
at
the
pitch
on
the
day
before
the
game
and
the
morning
of
the
game
and
decided
to
go
with
the
make-up
of
the
team
that
we
have,”
he
told
reporters.

“That’s
what
we
felt
was
the
right
decision
at
the
time,
and
I
think
if
we’d
have
all
bowled
to
the
best
of
our
ability,
we
would
have
put
Australia
under
a
bit
more
pressure
than
we
did
today.

“We
still
took
several
Australian
wickets.
We
are
a
bit
behind
in
the
game;
however,
like
I
said
to
the
lads
before,
I
know
the
guys
will
come
back
fighting
in
the
next
few
days.”

4
–
Only
four
players
have
scored
a
faster
hundred
for
Australia
in
a
men’s
Test
innings
than
Travis
Head
today
(Adam
Gilchrist,
Jack
Gregory,
David
Warner,
Matthew
Hayden).
Journey.#Ashes
pic.twitter.com/5lCPF7WSnQ

—
OptaJason
(@OptaJason)

December
9,
2021

Lewis
was
unable
to
shed
any
light
on
the
extent
of
the
damage
Stokes
has
done.

Asked
about
the
all-rounder’s
injury,
he
replied:
“I
don’t
know,
I
don’t
assess
players,
I’m
not
part
of
the
medical
team.
We’ll
see
how
he
pulls
up
in
the
morning.”

Stokes
bowled
Warner
for
17,
but
the
opener
was
reprieved
as
England’s
vice-captain
had
over-stepped.

Warner
was
also
dropped
by
Rory
Burns
on
48
and
should
have
been
run
out
when
he
had
60
to
his
name
on
a
bad
day
for
the
tourists
in
the
field.