\u201cIt\u2019s a massive series and heat will be shown. Have England been nice? Potentially. We won\u2019t purposely start anything, but we won\u2019t take any backward step,\u201d Stokes said in a pre-match press conference.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The series has already seen plenty of intensity with England leading 2-1, and Stokes admitted the side enjoyed a much-needed break after their win at Lord\u2019s. \u201cI was in my bed for two days\u2026 felt like I was in a long-distance relationship with my family,\u201d he joked. \u201cIt was a good win and a nice break. We\u2019ll look to put the same energy next week.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
England have made one change for the Manchester Test, with left-arm spinner Liam Dawson replacing the injured Shoaib Bashir. Stokes praised Dawson\u2019s return, highlighting his domestic performances.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cDawson has been performing really well. He got recalled into the team, and I\u2019m sure there will be nerves, but he\u2019s experienced enough to handle it.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Stokes also welcomed back Chris Woakes, who returns after a break. \u201cWe had a big break, a good opportunity to freshen up. Woakes has a good record here.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The England captain didn\u2019t shy away from addressing the controversy around slow over-rate penalties. England were docked two WTC points and fined 10% of their match fee following the Lord\u2019s Test win, prompting Stokes to call for change.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cOver rate isn't something that I worry about, but that's not saying that I purposely slow things down. I do understand the frustration around it, but I honestly think there needs to be a real hard look at how it's structured. You can't have the same rules in Asia, where spin is bowling 70 per cent of the overs, to have the same laws in New Zealand, Australia, England, where it's going to be 70-80 per cent seam bowling,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cBecause a spinner's over takes less time than a seamer's over. So common sense would think that you should look at maybe changing how the over rates are timed in different continents.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Stokes defended England\u2019s over-rate in the Lord\u2019s Test by pointing to Bashir\u2019s injury and the heavy workload on the fast bowlers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cBecause a spinner's over takes less time than a seamer's over. So common sense would think that you should look at maybe changing how the over rates are timed in different continents.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe played for five days, that was our 15th day of cricket. We obviously had an injury to Shoaib Bashir, a spinner. So we couldn't turn to our spinner as much as we would have liked to on day five. So we had to throw a seam at them for pretty much the whole day. So that's obviously going to slow things down. And there are periods in the game where you do try and just slow everything down, more tactically if anything like that.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n