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STOKES SCARE

Ben has scan on sore knee as England take no chances with star

- by PAUL NEWMAN @Paul_NewmanDM

England will decide today whether they can afford to risk Ben Stokes in the second one- day match against South africa with the Champions Trophy just around the corner.

The sore left knee that forced Stokes to leave the Headingley field for 25 minutes of treatment during Wednesday’s thumping England win was causing concern last night ahead of tomorrow’s match at Southampto­n.

Officially, medical staff were simply ‘reassessin­g’ Stokes’s injury but Sportsmail understand­s the all-rounder had a scan after the five-and-a-half-hour car journey from leeds to Southampto­n.

England remain confident Stokes has avoided a repeat of the serious injury he suffered to the same knee on the same leeds ground last year, but any sign of mortality from their talisman is a worry.

Eoin Morgan wants to field his strongest team at the ageas Bowl, where England have a chance to inflict South africa’s first defeat in eight one-day series.

But England are conscious their first Champions Trophy game against Bangladesh is looming large on Thursday. The last thing they want now is a problem with Stokes, especially as they are tournament favourites.

The short, sharp nature of the Champions Trophy means any opening-night nerves and defeat by a much-improved Bangladesh at The Oval would probably prove fatal to England’s chances of a first 50- over global title. So they need Stokes fit and firing.

Captain Morgan maintained that Stokes could have bowled again after his return to the field in the first one-day internatio­nal, but he was sensible not to risk him.

The all-action nature of Stokes as a batsman, bowler and fielder means he will always be susceptibl­e to injuries.

England can only protect him as best they can while wrestling with when to allow him to cash in on the Twenty20 revolution.

One man who will be desperate to see Stokes playing is Moeen ali, who can be accommodat­ed at no 7 in 50-over cricket far more easily when England have their durham superstar at five or six to balance the side.

Moeen was left out of the team against Ireland recently, partly because Stokes was missing and England could not afford the luxury of a second spinner. But he returned in spectacula­r style at leeds.

Yet even though Moeen smashed an unbeaten 77 off 51 balls with five sixes in a matchwinni­ng partnershi­p with Morgan, he said yesterday he still finds the lower-order role difficult.

‘Batting at seven is tough but I’m trying to get better at it,’ said Moeen. ‘When I open I can beat the field in the first few overs and then play a few more shots, but when you’ve got four or five fielders out as soon as you come in, it’s not easy for someone like me who can’t hit the gas the way Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler can.

‘This was nice because I hit a few sixes. Previously, when I’ve had the opportunit­y to play a lot more balls, I’ve given my wicket away too early. I told myself I was going to take a bit more time and give ( Morgan) as much strike as possible.

‘If I get myself in, I back myself to play a few shots. I just swing as hard as I can. Sometimes it goes straight up in the air.’

There was nothing wrong with Moeen’s hitting at Headingley, particular­ly when he smashed the no 1-ranked 50-over bowler Imran Tahir for three sixes in an over that cost 22.

‘I just saw that as an opportunit­y because I can do that against spin,’ said Moeen, who also took two wickets including the key scalp of aB de Villiers.

‘all I did for the first two sixes was have a hack, but I was pretty pleased with the last one.’

Moeen, who credits assistant coach Paul Farbrace with improving his batting, was too shrewd to say he was able to pick Tahir’s variations. But it was noticeable that all England’s batsmen seemed to play his googly with ease, while South africa struggled to pick adil Rashid.

That could be key in this three-match series. Even more important will be the presence of Stokes — against South africa and beyond.

 ?? PA ?? Off night: Stokes leaves the field for treatment in Leeds
PA Off night: Stokes leaves the field for treatment in Leeds
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