The Evolution of Ben Stokes
Photo: Collected
|| Cricfrenzy Correspondent ||
Experiencing highs and lows as a professional sportsman are a given, Ben Stokes’s career to date perfectly encapsulates this, more so than any other cricketer in the modern era. From the last over trauma of the 2016 T20 world cup final to the unbridled ecstasy of winning this summer’s 50 over World Cup and now the scarcely believable Headingly heroics, his evolution into one of England’s all time great all-rounders has taken endless hours of dedicated practice, mental application and the ability to conquer inner demons.
Sunday 25th August 2019 will be etched in the collective memories of not only England cricket supporters but those who cherish Test cricket across the globe, the idea of winning a game that was all but lost, is what sustains those of us who flock to our TV screens every time we know a red cricket ball is about to be propelled 22 yards. After being bowled out for a dismal 67 runs in the first innings, with Stokes’s dismissal being amongst several embarrassing errors in judgement, the obituaries for English cricket were justifiably prepared. By hauling his team back from the abyss, firstly with the ball and then decisively with the bat, Ben Stokes continued a rich lineage of English all rounders with the ability to alter the course of a game single handed; Andrew Flintoff and Ian Botham being previous incumbents.
Those familiar with Stokes’s talents will know of his destructive power with the bat, he’s scored the fastest 250 in Test history, taking only 196 balls to do so, against a vaunted South African bowling attack in Cape Town, to go alongside his numerous white ball exploits. However, the most impressive aspect of his unbeaten 135 in the Third Test at Leeds was the doggedness he displayed in the first part of the innings. Batting in the final session of day three, fully realising the importance of not losing his wicket, he showed immense restraint and impressive defensive technique. It took him a staggering 74 balls to hit his first boundary, before the continual loss of batting partners forced him to change his tempo.
Made in Bangladesh
The disciplined and sedate start to his innings might come as a surprise to casual observers, but the blueprint for this approach can be traced 3 years earlier during the First Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong. Going into their second innings, England held a slender 45 run advantage, Stokes arrived at the crease following a familiar England top order wobble, at 62 for 5 the tourists appeared to be sliding to an insubstantial total and the realistic prospect of defeat by setting Bangladesh a very modest fourth innings target. In the event, Stokes carefully ground out an invaluable 85 runs, it took him 151 balls, his unparalleled concentration effectively repelling Shakib and Mehidy on a turning track, as no other English batsman was able to do. The eventual target of 286 proving to be just beyond the reach of the Tigers.
Even more astonishingly, Stokes’s performance with the ball almost eclipsed his batting. He managed to extract pace and bounce from a lifeless pitch under an unrelenting sun, constantly threatening the batsman, achieving highly commendable aggregate bowling figures of 6 wickets for 46 runs off 26 overs. It was a man of the match performance witnessed by only a handful of England supporters in the oppressive heat of the Zohur Ahmed Chowdury Stadium, but it marked a hugely important step in the development of a new Ben Stokes; a dependable and certified match winner in all conditions. Although England ended up losing the Second Test and drawing the series, the lack of any obvious off field distractions meant that Stokes had plenty of time to improve his fitness and refine his game. During the often fractious limited overs leg of the tour, Stokes hinted at a degree of maturity by refusing to react to a sometimes hostile home crowd. So it was all the more surprising that his off field indiscretion just a few months later, after a night out in Bristol became headline news, threatening to entirely derail his career.
Conquering Demons
The events which led to a lengthy court case throughout the summer and autumn of 2017 are well documented, the ugly CCTV footage casted Stokes as an out of control violent menace in the eyes of many. Although he was found not guilty, the punishment of missing the 2017-18 Ashes series in Australia would have deeply hurt a man who relishes representing his country in all forms of the game. Rather than dwell on his misfortune, the time away from international cricket seems to have been spent hardening his resolve not to repeat past mistakes or to let his team mates down. It’s hard to argue with or question the judgement of Moeen Ali, someone with the highest moral integrity, so we’re compelled to listen when he describes Ben Stokes as a “close friend” and a person who “treated everyone the same. It didn’t matter who you were, your background or what you looked like, he always had time for you”. An increased awareness of his responsibilities on and off the field, coupled with his determination not to give up, has made Ben Stokes into a formidable cricketer.
Luck on his side
Even the most talented sportsmen, at times must rely on the rub of the green going their way. Over the last few weeks Stokes, on the face of it, has been the recipient of a large slice of sporting luck. In the World Cup final, the freakish trajectory of the ball which landed on the back of his bat, deflecting all the way to the boundary, while he desperately tried to complete a run; the subsequent umpiring error awarding England one too many overthrows and the lbw decision that went in his favour during the climax at Headingly, are all examples of good luck. And yet it seems totally inappropriate to begrudge Stokes of any of this luck, there’s a sense of the preordained enveloping his miraculous summer.
In any case, there’s a strong argument to confirm umpire Joel Wilson’s decision of not out was in fact correct, among the frantic closing stages of the Third Test. To the naked eye, it’s almost inconceivable that Nathan Lyon’s delivery would have straightened to the extent that hawk eye predicted it would, the ball clipping or missing leg stump would be a more realistic assessment. In this instance the correct outcome was achieved but not through the conventional way.
It remains to be seen whether Stokes’s remarkable Headingly intervention will have a defining impact on the series, even if England go on to lose this finely balanced series, the folklore of Ben Stokes will forever remain in a corner of Leeds.
