London, Nov 23: England head coach Brendon McCullum has urged supporters to stay patient and “keep the faith” after his side suffered a bruising two-day defeat to Australia in the opening Ashes Test in Perth.
England were routed by eight wickets after a dramatic collapse on the second day, undone by Travis Head’s blistering 69-ball century — the second-fastest in Ashes history — which propelled Australia to victory on a challenging pitch. The loss marked England’s first two-day Ashes defeat in more than a century and extended their winless streak in Australia to 16 Tests.
McCullum acknowledged the disappointment among fans but insisted the team remains determined to fight back in the five-match series.“We know how much this series means,” he said. “The supporters will be hurting, and so are we. We’re better than what we showed.”(Agencies)
