England set to lose Ashes, says Blewett
AN Ashes series shorn of Ben Stokes would be a great shame for cricket but England are heading for defeat with or without the troubled allrounder, former Australia batsman Greg Blewett has said.
Test vice-captain Stokes and opener Alex Hales have been suspended from international cricket indefinitely, pending an investigation into an altercation outside a nightclub in Bristol last week.
Stokes was initially named in the 16-man squad for the Ashes tour starting next month, but the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) rowed back on the decision a day later.
Blewett, who struck a century on his test debut during the 1994-95 Ashes series, cast doubt on Stokes’s chances of playing a full part in the series.
“I’m sure they will [sanction him]. They are having their internal investigation. That will play out,” Blewett, a 46-test righthanded batsman, said in Adelaide yesterday.
“It would be a shame if he’s not out here. Everyone wants to play against the strongest possible team. “It would be a shame if he doesn’t come out because he’s a bit of a drawcard, he’s a world-class allrounder and will leave a massive hole in their team.
“But even if he was [to come], I think Australia are going to be too good at home anyway.
“With or without Ben Stokes, I don’t see a different result, but I think England would love to have him in their side.”
The Sun newspaper published footage of what it said was a brawl between the player and two other people, one clutching a bottle. The authenticity of the images could not be verified by Reuters.
Media reports said Stokes, who suffered a minor fracture of a finger on his right hand, apologised to the ECB for his arrest on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm and described his state of mind as fragile and devastated.
Blewett, who was Australia’s fielding coach until stepping down in August, has taken on assistant roles with Sheffield Shield side South Australia and the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash domestic Twenty20 competition.
Also coach of South Australia’s men’s under-19 side, Blewett said he would take a dim view of any player out drinking in the early hours of the morning and days before a match.
“I wouldn’t be over the moon, put it that way, because I did see the footage and it’s not great,” Blewett said of the video posted by The Sun.
“I’m sure he’s got his side to the story which we haven’t necessarily heard yet.
“Yeah, I think any coach would be disappointed with that sort of behaviour.”