ENGLAND captain, Ben Stokes, has called on his team to “create history” by winning the Ashes in Australia.
Only five England teams have won an Ashes series in this country since World War II and just two of those successes have come in the past 40 years.
England have not taken a series here since 2010-11, which was also the last time they won a Test in Australia.
But Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have breathed life into England’s Test cricket since they took charge in 2022.
After a thrilling and controversial Ashes series in the UK was drawn 2-2 in 2023, the latest edition of cricket’s oldest rivalry is one of the most eagerly anticipated in recent memory.
And Stokes’ team will begin Friday’s first Test in Perth with a genuine chance of pulling off a rare away Ashes triumph.
“A lot has been spoken of about the history and how it has gone for England,” said Stokes.
“This is our chance to create our own history and it is up to us how that looks.”
England have not won an Ashes series since a 2015 triumph on home soil. They surrendered the urn with a 4-0 defeat in Australia in 2017-18 and have not won it back since.(BBC Sport)