CAPTAIN BEN WILL SHINE AFTER HIS TRICKY MOMENT

Legend Bumble backs Stokes to lead from the front since overcoming adversity like Aussie icon Ponting

BEN STOKES has been backed to make a huge success of his time as England captain after turning his life around like Ricky Ponting.

While there have been comparisons between Stokes and previous England captains and all-rounders Sir Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff, it is an Aussie great who is providing the clues for former England player and coach David Lloyd.

More affectionately known as Bumble, Lloyd has seen everything there is to see in the game as player, coach, umpire and commentator over more than 50 years.

And he reckons Stokes’ brush with the law in Bristol and subsequent heroics on the field mirror those of Ponting, who was knocked unconscious in a Sydney bar fight as a 24-year-old, faced up to his demons and went on to become a legend of the game.

“Stokes will do a brilliant job,” said Lloyd, 73, from his home near Old Trafford. “He’ll be excellent. He’s a thoroughly impressive bloke and I just sense they’re all going to play for him and they’re all going to jump through hoops for him.

“Without going over Bristol, that was a real turning point in his life and he’s turned himself round for the better.

“It’s very similar to

Ricky Ponting. Ricky changed and became a wonderful captain and a wonderful player and a real decent bloke, and I see that in Stokes.”

Neither Botham nor Flintoff had a great time as captains, although there was a brief high for Flintoff when he helped

GOLF ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC, DETROIT secure a draw in India at the outset before matters went downhill. Lloyd (below), who was Flintoff’s coach at Lancashire and gave him his first cap, does not think Stokes (right) will struggle the way that pair did.

“He is a different animal to the other two all-rounders, he is ultra-fit,” he added. “But I can see the comparison. “Beefy had it briefly and it was a disaster. With Andrew I would say he didn’t need the burden and then they made him captain, period. As captain there’s a lot of discipline required and at the time in the case of both Andrew and Beefy you would say there wasn’t much discipline.” Lloyd will watch the first Test from home before joining the socially-distanced commentary team at Old Trafford for the next two.

Sky Sports will bring some innovations to their behindclosed-doors coverage, with different camera angles and player access. They have decided on a low level ‘Lord’s hum’ when it comes to crowd noise but there will not be cheers at wickets or boundaries.

Lloyd added: “I was apprehensive at first, but I’m comfortable now and want to do my bit. I feel

I’ve an obligation to the public. I’m in the vulnerable category, but I’ve no health problems - apart from being crackers.”