Skipper discusses how his players have attempted to move on from the Headingley Test, says Nathan Lyon needs better support in the field
Why Paine believes Lyon can stop Stokes
Captain Tim Paine says Nathan Lyon can stop rampant England allrounder Ben Stokes if he and Australia's other players give the off-spinner better support in the field.
As part of his side's review of their heartbreaking loss at Headingley, Paine has highlighted the fact Lyon would have dismissed Stokes six times in the past two Ashes Tests had Australia's fielders taken their catches and the skipper reviewed some incorrect lbw decisions.
Letting Stokes slip
Nathan Lyon v Ben Stokes, Second & Third Ashes Tests
Second Test, Lord’s
Out: Leg-before-wicket for 13
Dropped: By Warner at first slip on 2
Dropped: By Warner at first slip on 6
Non-review: Leg-before-wicket on 6
Third Test, Headingley
Dropped: By Warner at first slip on 33
Non-review: Leg-before-wicket on 131
While acknowledging Stokes has been "extremely hard to stop" in posting two superb centuries in the past two Tests, Paine said it would have been a different story had the Aussies taken their chances.
"In the last two Test matches alone, Nathan Lyon has got him out six or seven times," Paine told SEN.
"We've either dropped him or the lbw has been given not out and we haven't referred them.
"Lyono has always had some success against him, we've just got to back him up and grab those chances or learn how to use the DRS a little better.
"(Stokes) has had a way of putting us under pressure and forcing bowlers to go away (from their plans) or for me to change fields. That's because of the pressure he puts you under and the skill he's got.
"He can literally hit the ball anywhere he likes on the field so when he's in and going, it's extremely hard to stop."
Having dismissed Stokes for 13 in the first innings of the Lord's Test, Lyon had him dropped twice by David Warner at first slip and then incorrectly given not out before the left-hander had reached 10 in the second innings. The Englishman went on post an unbeaten 115 before Australia held on for a draw.
And at Headingley last week, Stokes was again missed by Warner at slip when the left-hander was on 33, before Paine was unable to review an lbw decision in the penultimate over of the match when the Englishman was on 131.
Lyon had also dismissed Stokes for 6 in the second innings of the first Test at Edgbaston, caught behind by Paine.
Lyon should get better support at slip for the final two Tests of the series, with the returning Steve Smith expected to take that spot again having missed part of the second Test and all of the third due to concussion.
Paine, meanwhile, has revealed his movements in the minutes immediately after Stokes secured a thrilling one-wicket victory for England at Headingley.
The skipper quickly returned to the change-rooms to collect his thoughts before he addressed the playing group, and said a detailed review of the final stages of the Test – as difficult as it was to re-live – was an important step in moving on from the loss.
"I got off the ground pretty quickly," Paine said after Stokes had clubbed the winning runs to the cover boundary.
"I obviously had a fair bit of media to do after the game, so I went upstairs and had a couple of minutes by myself to come up with a bit of a chat.
"Then I came back into the change-rooms and saw the boys were obviously pretty dejected. So I thought it was up to me as one of our leaders (to try) to lift the mood and remind them that we’re lucky that the Ashes is a series.
"Yes, it wasn’t our finest moment in that last hour … but we’ve played some fantastic cricket in the first three Test matches. If we can continue to do what we’ve been doing for a little bit longer, we’ll have that Ashes urn back in Australia.
"I’ve been really proud of the way the group’s handled it, both the playing group and our staff. Losses like that can wear groups down and break groups apart, but I’ve been really proud of the way the boys have stuck together and how we’ve moved on quickly.
"We certainly didn’t paper over the cracks. We know we made some pretty obvious mistakes, particularly in that last hour, and we’ve had some really honest and open chats about that. I think that was the first step of moving forward."
2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England
Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.
England squad: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Chris Woakes.
First Test: Australia beat England by 251 runs at Edgbaston
Second Test: Match drawn at Lord's
Third Test: England defeat Australia by one wicket at Headingley
Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31
Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford
Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval