‘If we don’t believe, we’re beaten already’ – Ben Stokes

Stokes took three wickets after a spirited display marked by long periods of short-pitched bowling

“It’s been a tough two days,” Stokes said afterwards. “We spent a lot of time out in the field, put some overs into our legs, but it was nice to get off the field at the end and watch the guys go out and bat.

“Obviously we came off in pretty strange circumstances – I’m not sure I’ve been involved in the game being called off early because of lightning – but we get to turn up tomorrow in the natural light, which has looked the easiest and best time to be around the middle.

“If we don’t believe, we’re beaten already.”

Despite the hard grind that England have endured across 150.4 overs of bowling, Stokes insisted that he had relished the scrap as he continues his return to Test cricket after a lengthy absence from the game last summer, during which time he feared he might never play at the highest level again.

“You’ve just got to look for dirt when you get that deep, and understand what you’re playing for,” he said. “I’ve loved every minute of it. Walking out onto the field and wearing the three lions is one of the great feelings as a cricketer.

“If you don’t feel sore coming off the field, and if you don’t feel sore waking up in the morning, then you’ve probably not done what’s required of you.”

Stokes has more right to feel sore than most after his tireless efforts with the ball. At Brisbane last week, he got through just 12 overs after jarring his knee while fielding. But having been reassured of no lasting damage, he’s pushed himself through the pain in this Test, serving up 25 overs all told to finish as England’s most successful wicket-taker in an arduous innings.

“It was about trying to create a different type of environment out there for the batters,” Stokes said. “It does look odd when you run and bowl 11 overs of short stuff, but in my first couple of spells I felt like I was creating quite a lot of chances and they weren’t really going anywhere. It wasn’t until the third spell today that we started to leak a few runs. But you can create chances and leak a few runs by trying to hit the top off as well.”

“I didn’t get anywhere near the amount of runs I would have wanted to in the first game,” Stokes said, “but how I look at batting, it’s not always about the runs that I score but how I felt out in the middle.

“I’ve felt good in the nets and I felt really good out in the middle both times, I just wasn’t able to go on and get that big score. So I will be going out with the same mindset like I did in Brisbane.”

Stokes added that he and his team-mates were conscious of the need to put up a stronger showing for the benefit of England’s fans – those staying up through the night at home as well as those in Australia. However, he also insisted that the tragic events in Tasmania on Thursday, where five children died after a bouncy castle broke its moorings in strong winds and for which Australia’s players had worn black armbands, “puts a lot of things into perspective”.

“Obviously the first Test didn’t go well and Australia are ahead at the moment, but we know that back home we will be getting as much support as we always do,” he said. “We really appreciate it and it doesn’t go unnoticed.”