Where will Stokes play? Just have a hundred guesses
We’re all going to be learning together
BEN STOKES has revealed his excitement at not knowing where he could end up playing in The Hundred as he goes head to head with Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root for Leeds’ affections on Thursday.
The man who lit up Headingley in the summer in the whites of England would be the first name on most people’s teamsheets but, when it comes to the new 100-ball competition, there is no guarantee.
Each of the eight new teams will pick a red ball-contracted player but, with three to choose from, Leeds-based coach Darren Lehmann could opt for
Bairstow ahead of Stokes if he thinks that theWorld Cup winning opener is likely to be available for more games since he is not currently in the Test team.
And with the Lord’s-based team and the Cardiff-based team having no centrally contracted Test players in their catchment, Stokes could yet find himself a home away from home.
“I’ve played in franchise cricket all over the world,” said Stokes. “And it doesn’t really matter where you go because you’re not from that country but this is different. I’m from the north and yet I might end up in one of the London teams or in Cardiff.There has been a bit of banter between the England boys about who will be playing where.
“There have long been tribal rivalries in British sport and I hope the public are ready for something like this, it is a new place where cricket is venturing to. One of our aims this year was to widen the game to as many people as possible and we did that through the World Cup win and the Ashes and this can build on it.
“We are all going to be learning about The Hundred together and the quality of the players on show is going to be brilliant.”
World Cup stars Steve Smith, David Warner, Shakib al Hasan and Babar Azam are just some of the big name players to have signed up for the draft on October 20.
But Stokes is looking forward to seeing the emergence of bright young English talent who will get the chance to mix it with the big boys ahead of the T20 World Cup next autumn. RHYS PATCHELL put a horrific spell behind him after Warren Gatland “pumped his tyres” to turn him into a World Cup star.
The Wales fly-half, who suffered concussion four times in 18 months, delivered on the biggest stage with a 14-point haul as Gatland’s side beat Australia 29-25 on Sunday.
Patchell was an early replacement for Dan Biggar in Tokyo and gave a faultless display as Wales took control of Pool D. “Warren is awesome,” said the No10. “He understands when players need their tyres pumped up and when we need a bit of stick. He gives us a lot of belief.
“All the staff have been fantastic off the back of what was a difficult last year.“
Patchell replaced Biggar in the first half of the best game of the World Cup so far.
Biggar suffered a head injury while denying giant Wallaby centre Samu Kerevi a certain score and was not allowed to return to the field.
“Dan takes a lot of heat in the press and it is only when you are around him you appreciate what an unbelievable competitor he is,” Patchell said.
“That was an unbelievable act of bravery on our line. He came up with a miracle tackle.”
Wales do not train again until Friday when they will begin to prepare for their game with Fiji a week on Wednesday.