I HATE BEING INJURED BUT MY KNEE WILL GET THROUGH THE SUMMER

BEN STOKES is confident he will be able to get through the rest of the summer without any more knee injury concerns following a jab to allow him to play. His left knee problem prevented him from bowling properly during the series with South Africa (above). But the injection together with a programme to strengthen the area should solve the issue and stop some difficult conversations with his captains Eoin Morgan and Joe Root. “I felt bad with my knee problem that I’ve had this summer because I felt I put ‘Morgy’ in a difficult situation which I don’t like to do,” said Stokes. “I hate carrying a niggle, saying I’m fit because I genuinely feel it and then during the game I can’t bowl and have to say to ‘Morgy’ or ‘Rooty,’ ‘I’m sorry.’ “It puts the team in a difficult position. Now that I’ve had the injection I’m feeling good and hopefully I can get through the rest of the summer with it.” England are mindful of Stokes’ workload across all formats. But with 12 Test matches scheduled between now and the end of the year, he is looking forward to pushing himself for the national cause. Just like Freddie Flintoff before him at Lord’s in the 2009 Ashes, Stokes reeled off 11 consecutive overs at Trent Bridge in 2015 and is confident of doing more of the same thanks to his friends at Red Bull. “I use Red Bull to help get me through those long Test match spells when I need a bit of energy from somewhere,” he added. “There are studies that show how the caffeine and the fast-acting sugars help when athletes are fatigued. All I know is it helps me find that extra energy I need out in the middle when you’re trying to win for your team.”