Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine came out on a long runway and hit a powerful blow to Ben Stokes.
Stokes turned the tables on many around the world when he declared that his team would “live forever in the memories of those who were fortunate enough to watch the game of cricket”.
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The bizarre claim was revealed in a documentary about the 2023 Ashes series released by the ECB last week.
Footage of the fourth Test match in Manchester being cancelled due to rain, leaving Australia with the urn, has gone viral on the internet.
“All the work we’ve done so far won’t stop just because we don’t get the jar back,” Stokes declared.
“The reward for our work is not what we get, but what we become.
“And what we have achieved is that we have become a sports team that will live forever in the memories of those who were fortunate enough to watch a game of cricket.
“I know it’s going to be a bit disappointing. It’s going to be heartbreaking not to be able to get the trophy back in the next game (at the Oval).
“But what we’ve done is to give this team something much bigger than the Ashes Trophy. It’s to be a team that everyone will always remember.”
The Ashes series eventually ended 2-2 with Australia retaining the trophy, but Paine was left embarrassed by the England captain’s comments.
Despite the bizarre remarks, Payne said the comments were consistent with earlier Buzzball comments made at the Poms camp.
“Oh, buddy, I don’t know. I think it came out a little bit out of context because he was speaking in the locker room. The speech was much bigger. So I’ll say it like that,” Paine said. SEN Tashi Breakfast.
“But there’s this continued belief that they’re going to change the game, that they’re going to do something amazing, and that everyone’s going to remember it… That’s not the case.
“You come in last in the World Test Championship. You’re not going to be the team that everyone remembers watching and you’re not going to do something so spectacular that we’ve never seen before.
“You are an average cricket team. (In fact) you are a below average cricket team at the moment and I think they need to understand that a little bit.”
Stokes responded to the backlash on social media by retweeting Fox Cricket’s X (formerly Twitter) post.
“I said this to the team after watching it rain for two days while we were hanging on to our feet. I was honestly just trying to appease their frustration, but rent is free and all,” Stokes wrote.
But Payne said Stokes’ response showed that Forms believed the hype, even though the results painted a very different picture.
“Second, when he answers X, I’m not sure who he actually thinks he’s talking to,” Paine said.
“It says, ‘We’ve been on your neck for two days, we haven’t paid your rent, things like that.’ You’re talking about Fox Cricket production. You’re not talking about the Australian cricket team.
“You haven’t stepped on the necks of the Fox Cricket production team… I don’t think you live rent-free in the hearts of Australian cricketers.
“You’re talking about TV production. I thought it was quite strange that he turned to them, because it would be like me going back to Sky Sports.
“It’s just weird. They’re living in a weird, weird world out there right now.
“Anyway, do as you each say.”
England have not won an Ashes series since 2015 and have not won an Ashes Test match in Australia for 15 years.
Under Stokes’ leadership, the England Test team has won four of the 11 Test matches they have played since the start of 2023.
During the same period, Australia won the ICC World Test Championship, retained the Ashes in England and won the ODI World Cup.
