England's Ben Duckett expressed his satisfaction with England's performance in the 2nd Test of Ashes, despite falling just short of century at Lord's. Duckett's impressive knock of 98 helped England reach 278-4 in response to Australia's first innings score of 416. Although disappointed to miss out on a hundred, Duckett believed it was his best innings in an England shirt.
Reflecting on his batting style, Duckett emphasized the importance of staying true to himself and playing attacking cricket without fear. He credited his comfort and confidence in hitting singles leading up to his dismissal, stating that he would have been disappointed if he had changed his approach and played defensively.
Duckett acknowledged the aggressive bowling from Australia during a frenetic period in the afternoon session, where England adopted their distinctive "Bazball" style of play. He revealed that there were no specific discussions about their approach, as each player approached it individually. Duckett emphasized that England's style of play was ingrained in their cricketing philosophy, and deviating from it would go against their nature.
Despite Australia initially looking set to post a massive first innings total, Duckett believed England had fought back admirably and put themselves back in contention. Duckett expressed his satisfaction with his team's performance that's why stated "We're in a great position."
With Duckett's impressive innings and England's fighting spirit, the team remains optimistic as they continue their quest to regain the Ashes.