I'll Give Everything To The Team, Whatever's Asked Of Me: Ben Stokes After Being Adjudged 'Player Of The Match'

Ben Stokes, during the course of the 2nd Test at Old Trafford, once again proved why he is the best all-rounder of the modern-era and possibly the best cricketer in the world today.

After coming short in his maiden Test as captain, Ben Stokes looked like he was a man on some sort of a mission in this Test. And, the West Indies felt the full wrath of it.

One of the attributes that separates great players from not so good players is their versatility. And, Ben Stokes proved that he belongs to the formers category. In what was a masterclass in temperament, attitude, character, and resilience, Stokes grounded the Windies bowlers into the dust, accumulating 176 off 356 deliveries-the most he has faced in his career.

Stokes wasn’t done yet. With Windies pair looking set on the fourth afternoon, the Durham all-rounder unleashed a barrage of thunderbolts during an 11-over spell to giv3 England a prized scalp of Kraig Brathwaite.

Also Read: England vs West Indies 2020, 2nd Test, Day 5 – Twitter Reactions

Ben Stokes scored 254 runs and claimed three wickets in the Test match

England claimed a 182-run lead and with time running out, the home side turned to Stokes for quick runs and the Durham all-rounder once again delivered. The southpaw opener the innings and smoked a whirlwind 78*off 57 balls- 63 off which came in just 39 balls on day 05- as England plundered 92 runs off 11 overs before the eventual declaration.

Ben Stokes batting avg in the series is 114.33 and bowling avg is 16.33.

The difference of 98.00 is third highest in a Test series for any all-rounder who batted 500 balls & bowled 50 overs in the series. Only behind Kallis (113.80 vs WI, 2003) and Botham (98.77 vs Ind, 1982).

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) July 20, 2020

And, no, he wasn’t done yet. With Shamarh Brooks and Jermaine Blackwood putting up a rearguard action on the fifth afternoon, Stokes once again came up with the goods as he bounced out Blackwood at the stroke of Tea before claiming Alzarri Joseph in the final stages of the game.

During the course of the Test match, Stokes entered an elite list of all-rounders to score 10 tons and 150 wickets, besides becoming the only English cricketer to register 250+ runs and take 2+ wickets in a Test match. Needless to say, Ben Stokes was chosen the ‘Player of the Match’- his 4th since the start of 2019.

4 – Ben Stokes has won more Player-of-the-Match awards than anyone else in Test cricket since the start of 2019 (4). Superstar. #ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/g7JSgbZEjZ

— OptaJim (@OptaJim) July 20, 2020

 

Here’s what ‘Player of the Match’ Ben Stokes said in the post-match presentation:

“[Injuries?] I’m fine. The body started to get quite stiff. I said to Broady that I was feeling quite stiff, what do you reckon, and he said stop. [Long spells?] I’ll give everything to the team, whatever’s asked of me. We’ve found a method within our attack to be aggressive when things aren’t happening. It dries it up, the batsmen don’t have anywhere to go. I’ll always do whatever’s asked of me. In the first innings it just came about, with us having success with that in the past we can resort to it quite quick,” Ben Stokes said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

It gets batsmen out of their comfort zone when you have six balls banged into the wicket. I’d say we’re quite successful with it. [Which innings more fun?] Completely different roles. [3rd inns] was pretty simple, we had to score as many as we could, but scoring 90 off 11 overs gave us that edge in the game, dangled the carrot a little bit. A lot of credit to the bowlers’ spells with the new ball yesterday. There were a few conversations going on out there [w/ batting order], it was a really positive move. It was no good walking away with a draw from this Test match. I texted Neil Fairbrother [his agent] the other day saying when he first saw me play he’d never have thought I’d last 300 balls [in an innings].” he added.

Its all to play for now as both sides lock horns on Thursday at the same venue to decide which team walks away with the Wisden Trophy, five days later.

Also Read: Ben Stokes Doesn’t Surprise Me, Says Joe Root After Allrounder Powers England To Series-levelling Win