Stokes starts comeback with jury out on signing
BEN Stokes’ first Canterbury training run started with plenty of endeavour.
The suspended English cricket star met his new team-mates for the first time yesterday at Rangiora’s Mainpower Oval, the scene of his highly-anticipated return to the sport today.
Stokes will don the red-andblack of his birth province Canterbury against Otago in their Ford Trophy 50-over opener, a match that has earned unprecedented hype and headlines given his involvement.
Canterbury training kicked off with a game of touch rugby and with Stokes’ first grasp of the ball he fired a speculative pass to his left, which a team-mate couldn’t catch up with.
It was an enterprising move from Stokes, whose father, Gerard, is a proud rugby league man. Canterbury will hope, come Sunday, they’re not putting down catches in the same manner off his bowling.
Despite being one of the world’s richest cricketers, Stokes, who was born in Christchurch and whose parents still live in the city, looked like one of the lads running around.
Canterbury’s 50-over coach Brendon Donkers said they wouldn’t give Stokes any preferential treatment and he carried out fielding drills in the baking sun, interacting with team-mates.
He looked lively bowling in combination with Canterbury captain Andrew Ellis and offspinner Tim Johnston, before taking guard in the nets with a bat devoid of a manufacturer’s sticker.
Rangiora is a long way from the Adelaide Oval, where Stokes’ English comrades are searching for dignity in the second Ashes test, and where he would dearly love to be.
With Stokes featuring, the grass banks are expected to be packed and there will be more media than a crunch Black Caps’ home clash. Capacity is 1700 and Canterbury Cricket reckon they could get 1000 through the gates.
Five English and several Australian reporters have made the trip over from Adelaide, all des- perate to see how Stokes, who is off limits to the fourth estate, fares.
Canterbury Cricket’s director of cricket Gary Stead said this had been a week like no other.
‘‘I can’t remember a time where there’s been more interest in any match I’ve ever played in or been involved with in New Zealand’’, said Stead, who received media calls from India.
‘‘There’s been interest from all over the world.’’
Canterbury Cricket’s decision to select Stokes while suspended by the ECB has divided public opinion, but Canterbury skipper Ellis said the players universally supported the call.
He believed Stokes’ availability would only be positive for Canterbury and New Zealand domestic cricket.
‘‘He’s magic, he’s the world’s premier allrounder. I’d rather him in my team than on the opposition.’’
Canterbury legspinner Todd Astle played alongside Indian batting great Rahul Dravid in a oneoff first-class appearance for the province in 2009.
Astle still reflects fondly on that experience and was confident Stokes’ availability would be beneficial for the youngsters in their squad.
Canterbury are optimistic they could have Stokes until the end of the Twenty20 competition in January, but are just happy to have Stokes in their camp and confident he’ll come up trumps.