Chris Stocks catches up with England batting hero Ben Stokes after his heroics at Lord’s and discusses his new role in the side for the rest of the Ashes series
Ben Stokes admits he feels as though he is coming into the form of his life with the bat during a summer which could yet be defined by the runs he scores for England.
The all-rounder has already led his country to a first-ever World Cup, his unbeaten 84 in the tied final against New Zealand and eight more runs in the thrilling Super Over capping a magnificent tournament for Stokes, who had hit four half-centuries on his team’s journey to Lord’s.
He then followed that up with another fifty in the opening Ashes Test before a long-awaited century in the second at Lord’s last week.
That unbeaten 115 was the 28-yearold’s first hundred in two years and his second in the Ashes after his 120 at the WACA in Perth during his debut series in 2013-14.
“I have felt in good nick all summer,” says Stokes. “It’s always nice, I’ve had a few fifties, got close, but it was nice to get to that threefigure mark again – the first time in a while I have got one. It was a nice feeling to get there but obviously a little bit sour with the result in the end. We thought we had more than enough time to get them out.”
England did draw that match at Lord’s but they only got close to a win because of what Stokes did with the bat.
Over time Stokes is becoming England’s most reliable batsman and that was seen by his promotion to No5 in the order during England’s second innings at Lord’s, even if that may not end up being his position on a fulltime basis.
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