England are in must-win mode after sticky start

Skipper Stokes knows his side have to strike back with victory in this week’s Lord’s Test

- Malik Ouzia

SINCE England do not do draws, the equation as the Ashes head to Lord’s is a little simpler than it otherwise might be: lest they intend to defy the best part of a century’s worth of history, Ben Stokes’s side are in must-win mode.

Only once has a team come from 2-0 down to claim the Urn, that being Australia back in 1936-37, who were hammered by 322 runs and an innings and 22 runs in the first two Tests but won the last three to complete a still unprecedented comeback. Crucially, they could call on a certain Donald Bradman, who made hundreds in all three of those wins, two of them doubles.

Being what they are, this England team would, should it come to it, no doubt saunter up to that challenge with little regard for precedent. Still, against a rival this good, who would from that position have every right and incentive to treat the draw as victory, the task would be unenviable.

Narrow defeat at Edgbaston came with confirmation that England are on the right track and without sustained calls for change from just about any corner of the cricketing commentariat. That another in such quick succession would be received quite so forgivingly is a little trickier to conceive. One can imagine the criticism now: that winning is what matters in sport, that entertainment should be left to Sir Elton John.