Ashes 2023: Bowling to Ben Stokes is really challenging, says Australia spinner Todd Murphy

Australia’s rookie spinner Todd Murphy admitted that bowling to Ben Stokes is really challenging. In the fag end of the second day’s play, Stokes once again took the attack against the Australian bowlers and took them to the cleaners.

The England skipper also smashed Murphy for a few boundaries before the off-spinner got the big wicket of the left-hander, who scored 80 runs in the first innings to help the hosts post 237 runs.

Stokes has been in amazing form and scored a magnum opus knock of 155 runs in the second innings at Lord’s to give a glimmer of hope to the home team. The southpaw has amassed 296 runs in five innings at an average of 59.20 and he is the top run-getter for England in the ongoing Ashes.

“It was really exciting to be out there. Growing up, that is where every cricketer aspires to be,” Murphy said in a video uploaded by cricket.com.au.

“There were definitely some nerves at the start – it was nice to just get into the game and go from there,” the spinner further added.

“To bowl to Ben in that sort of mood, it was really challenging. You knew what he was trying to do – he wanted to hit it for six,” Murphy spoke about Stokes.

Murphy also revealed Pat Cummins told him to back himself while bowling against an in-form Stokes. The off-spinner had put down a chance of his own bowling and Mitchell Starc also dropped a difficult chance off Murphy’s bowling.

“It was just about being brave and Patty (Cummins) was just reiterating that ‘Keep backing yourself mate, you’ll create a chance for us.’ Probably cost myself a bit with that dropped catch, but it’s always good fun to get in a contest like that with a guy of that calibre (Stokes).”

“I was just trying to stay level and execute what I had confidence in. It’s always nice to have the captain’s support. They were all pretty calm and making sure everything was good.”

England need 224 runs to win on the fourth day whereas Australia need 10 wickets to win the Ashes.