Stokes sets record straight on ‘nice story’
England cricket star Ben Stokes has scotched a myth from the controversial aftermath of the Black Caps’ agonising defeat in the World Cup final at Lord’s in July.
Stokes’ superb unbeaten innings helped England tie with New Zealand after both teams faced 50 overs in the decider, before the hosts won on a boundary countback after a tied Super Over. The countback rule has since been scrapped by the ICC.
In his new autobiography On Fire: My Story of England’s Summer to Remember, Stokes explores the controversial moments from the final, including reports he asked the umpires to scrub the four runs England earned when the ball deflected off his bat as he slid to make his ground.
‘‘One of the stories that emerged was that I asked umpire Kumar Dharmasena to overlook the fortuitous four from the deflection and just count the two runs for the stroke,’’ Stokes writes in an extract published in the Daily Star. ‘‘Nice story that, but it’s simply not true.’’
Martin Guptill’s throw from the deep glanced off Stokes’ bat as he stretched to make his ground, and flew to the rope, leaving England needing three runs off the final two balls.
Stokes writes he’d rather the ‘‘moment of fortune’’ not happened, against the country he was born and raised in.
‘‘As I sprinted to make the second run, I kept my eyes firmly fixed on Tom Latham, the New Zealand wicketkeeper. I knew it was a good throw and that I would have to get a dive in.
‘‘I couldn’t believe it when I felt the ball strike my outstretched bat on the full. As I looked up, I could see the MCC members in front of the pavilion on their feet, yellow and red ties bouncing up and down, willing it to go for four extra runs.
‘‘Part of me was willing it on too, but one thought went through my mind as I rose to my knees: ‘You’re kidding me’.’’
While Stokes denied he asked the umpires to reconsider, he said he apologised to Latham and Black Caps captain Kane Williamson straight after the incident. ‘‘Remaining on my knees, I held my hands up and apologised to Tom Latham and Kane Williamson. Typical of the blokes they are, there was not one grumble from them.’’
Stokes and his England test team-mates are in Whangarei today for a three-day warmup match against New Zealand A, before the first test against the Black Caps at Mount Maunganui starting next Thursday.