Birmingham [UK], June 17 : Former England captain Nasser Hussain revealed that once he had asked England skipper Ben Stokes if he would declare innings on eight down. In reply, Stokes had said 'Why would we send Jimmy Anderson out to bat?'.
Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow scored briskly as England scripted a fiery fightback to help hosts declare their first innings at 393/8 runs after Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood dominated Three Lions on Day 1 in the ongoing first Test of Ashes here at Edgbaston on Friday.
England captain Ben Stokes took a surprising decision of declaring the first innings on day 1 even though Joe Root was batting well at 121*. The English skipper asked visitors to play four overs before the day get called off.
Hussain supported Stokes's bold moves, he said that rather than sending his bowlers to bat, Stokes wanted his bowlers to create wicket-taking opportunities.
"I said to Ben Stokes a month ago in Chennai, 'If you were eight down in the first innings, would you declare? He said 'Yeah, why would we send Jimmy Anderson out to bat?," said Hussain told Sky Sports.
"He didn't send him out to bat, he sent his bowlers out to try and get Warner. Fair play to Warner and (Usman) Khawaja, they hung in there. Everything you want from day one of a series. Quite brilliant," he further added.
The former English captain supported Stokes's step of innings declaration.
"I liked the declaration because I wanted to see David Warner vs Stuart Broad. I understood the moment and the drama and I understood Stokes. Stokes was always going to do that," Hussain said.
After falling off early wickets, England's batters Joe Root and Bairstow displayed exceptional skills as their team declared their first innings at 393/8 in the ongoing first Test of Ashes here at Edgbaston on Friday.
For Australia Nathon Lyon picked up four wickets and Josh Hazlewood took two. Scott Boland and Cameron Green got one wicket each.
At the time of stumps, Australia's score read 14/0trailing by 379 runs with David Warner (8) and Usman Khawaja (4) unbeaten at the crease.
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