Brendon McCullum insists the way England ‘played validated our style’ despite first Ashes Test loss

England double downed on their uber-positive approach to the Ashes and vowed to ‘keep on throwing punches’ at Australia on Wednesday.

Coach Brendon McCullum will not back down from the transformative style of play that brought England 11 wins from their first 12 Tests but has now seen them lose two of their last three, including Australia’s gripping two-wicket win in the first Test at Edgbaston.

‘Obviously we’d rather have won the game but I thought the way we played validated our style,’ said McCullum after England went one down in the most dramatic of finales late on the fifth day at Edgbaston.

‘We want to keep getting up and throwing punches as a team and I’m really proud of the guys. 

‘We can take great confidence from Edgbaston and if we get the rub of the green I think we’ve got a good chance of winning the Ashes.’

It comes after his side were beaten by Australia during the first test at Edgbaston last week

It comes as Joe Root (right) has risen above Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to become the No 1 ranked test batsman in the world

There was one little victory for England on Wednesday when Joe Root moved above Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Travis Head to become the No 1 ranked batsman in the world.

But both teams will come away from the first test lighter in the pocket after being docked two World Test Championship points and fined 40 per cent of their match-fees for falling two overs short of their required rate in the first Test.