Ben Stokes wants a baggage-free England to bounce back from heavy Lord’s loss

Ben Stokes insisted England will not carry any “baggage” into the rest of the series from their crushing innings-and-12-run defeat inside three days in the first Test against South Africa at Lord’s.

The hosts started their second innings chasing the game, 161 runs behind, but were unable to even take the game into the evening session on Friday following a spectacular batting collapse as they were bowled out for 149.

After previously chasing down high totals, including 378 to beat India earlier in the summer, England’s batters floundered at Lord’s, with Stuart Broad and Alex Lees posting the highest individual score (35) in the second innings.

It was the first defeat suffered under Stokes’ captaincy since he and Brendon McCullum were appointed, having previously guided England to four successive Test victories, but the England captain insisted he will not react too strongly to the loss.

“It was an off-game for us, and that’s absolutely fine. It’s not something I’m going to be throwing our toys out of the pram over,” Stokes said.

It was an off-game for us, and that’s absolutely fine. It’s not something I’m going to be throwing our toys out of the pram over- Ben Stokes

“The message from me and Baz upstairs will be, did we commit to everything the way we committed to the first four Tests of the summer?

“If everyone can say ‘yes, 100 per cent, we just didn’t execute’ then things are good. We’ll move on to the next Test match, and go out there and try and win.”

England collapsed inside 40 overs in the second innings, although there were a few signs of the ‘Bazball’ aggressive batting approach during the only significant partnership of the innings – between Stokes and Broad – when they put on 55 for the seventh wicket.

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