Ben Stokes Declares England Team Will 'Live Forever' in Cricket History

England Test captain Ben Stokes' passionate post-match speech after the rain-affected fourth Test of the 2023 Ashes series has sparked a debate. Stokes declared that his team would "live forever in the memory of people who were lucky enough to witness us play cricket," despite failing to regain the Ashes urn.

The all-rounder's remarks came after the match in Manchester was washed out, allowing Australia to retain the trophy. England had fought back from a 2-0 deficit to level the series 2-2, but the weather denied them a chance to win back the urn.

Stokes' speech was captured in a documentary released by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). He told his players: "Everything we've done up until now isn't going to stop because we haven't managed to win the urn back. The reward for our work isn't what we get but what we become. And what we have managed to do is we've managed to become a sports team that will live forever in the memory of people who were lucky enough to witness us play cricket."

Stokes' comments were met with skepticism by some, including Fox Sports Australia, who shared the quotes with the caption "right, yeah, sure." However, Stokes defended his remarks, saying he was simply trying to motivate his team.

"Said this to the team who had watched it rain for 2 days when we had our foot on your throats, just tried to cheer up the disappointment tbh, but anyways rent free and all that," Stokes tweeted.

England's last Ashes series win came in 2015, while their last Test victory on Australian soil was in 2009. Despite their recent struggles, Stokes believes his team has made a lasting impact on the game.

"What we have done is something a lot bigger than any Ashes trophy could ever signify for this team - be the team that everybody will always remember," he said.

Tags: #BenStokes, #EnglandCricket, #Ashes2023, #CricketMotivation, #SportsLegacy