2017 Hero Stokes in a world of his own

BEN STOKES has vowed to keep his feet fixed firmly on terra firma despite being labelled the most exciting cricketer on the planet.

The England all-rounder, whose profile has gone through the roof with a string of stunning performances in the past 12 months, insisted he can cope with the adulation.

“I will just shut it out and play every game as it comes,” he said. “You can do well one day and then not do well the other and you’re not as good as everyone says.

“Just keep your feet on the floor. I never feel I get too high and I never feel I get too low about things.”

England captain Eoin Morgan suggested Stokes, 26, is still nowhere near realising his full potential after their 159-run partnership dumped Australia out of the Champions Trophy on Saturday.

Former England spinner Graeme Swann described Stokes as the best cricketer currently playing but the allrounder believes he has some way to go to justify such plaudits.

“I hope there is more to come,” he said. “I’m always trying to get better, always trying to expand my game and look into how I can hit into more areas or bowl some different balls.

“Once you get comfortable with what you’re offering it’s dangerous territory.”

After Stokes helped England keep their unbeaten record in REPORTS the tournament with a 40-run Duckworth Lewis win over the Aussies, Morgan talked about Stokes’ willingness to put himself centre stage.

Stokes accepts failure is sometimes part of that bargain – as when he took the responsibility for defending 19 off the final over in the World T20 final in April 2016 and was hit for four huge sixes by Carlos Brathwaite.

But such courage under fire has also brought him huge benefits, most notably when he was the top lot in the Indian Premier League auction in February.

A price tag of £1.7million could have daunted lesser men but Stokes showed he relishes it, ending the tournament as not just the most expensive but also the most valuable player.

He was at his best again at Edgbaston, coming to the crease with Morgan when England’s reply was faltering at 35-3, sharing a match-turning partnership and reaching his third one-day century before rain intervened.

Stokes insists his experience in the IPL has increased his confidence in pressure situations. “The whole thing with the IPL is the exposure you get to big moments in games playing in front of a huge crowd all the time,” he said.

“In situations like that at 35-3 you can just mentally look back to a time in the past and reflect on that and also take confidence in knowing that you have been in that situation before and done well.”

England, who meet up in Cardiff tomorrow before Wednesday’s semi-final with their momentum building nicely, need Stokes to continue to fire, not just with the bat but with the ball as well.

After struggling through the South Africa ODI series with a niggle to his left knee, Stokes has taken just three wickets at 49.66 in 23 overs, which at best is an average return for the best player on the planet. “The bowling is not back to where I want to be,” he admitted.

I never feel I get too high or low about things