STOKES MAKES MOSTOF SMITH’S BUM ADVICE
Aussie skipper gave Ben tips on big hitting and the England all-rounder used them to knock out Ashes rivals
BEN STOKES picked Steve Smith’s brain at the Indian Premier League - then sent the Aussie skipper packing from the Champions Trophy.
After Stokes bundled Australia towards the plane home with a brilliant hundred at Edgbaston, he revealed Smith (right, top) – his captain at Rising Pune Supergiants – had passed on advice about power hitting.
On the day Batman actor Adam West died, Big Ben unfurled his own tribute: 102 not out off 109 balls, two sixes, 13 boundaries, Kapow! Thwack! Vronk! See you later, Steve.
England go to Cardiff for Wednesday’s semi-final knowing one of the biggest threats to their first 50-over global triumph cannot thwart them.
And one delicious side-effect of Stokes’ thrilling counterattack was Ashes legend Shane Warne being forced into the forfeit of his nightmares – wearing an England shirt for a day after losing a bet with former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly that Australia would reach the final at the Poms’ expense.
Don’t fall for the old chestnut that one-day cricket will be irrelevant when Ashes hostilities resume in Brisbane on November 23.
In recent years, from England’s brutal ambush at the inaugural Twenty20 international in 2005 to Mitchell Johnson’s resurgent menace in 2013, the mood of Ashes series has often taken root in the limited-overs skirmishes preceding them.
Chasing 278, Stokes and skipper Eoin Morgan’s 159-run partnership in 26 overs rescued England from the perils of 35-3.
If there was any doubt that playing at the IPL as the most valuable cricketer on the planet (£1.7million at auction) has made Stokes an even better player, there can be none now. He said: “The whole thing with the IPL is the exposure you get to big moments in games playing in front of huge crowds. “In situations like coming in at 35-3 here, you can just look back to a time in the past, reflect on that and take confidence, knowing you have been in that situation before and done well. “You play against the best players in the world and knowing you have done well gives you confidence in a tournament like this when you are facing some of the best in the game. That was probably my best innings, certainly in terms of chasing a target. I don’t think my record is too flash for England in one-day international cricket, in terms of chasing and it was nice to be there at the end.
“Steve gave me a little tip out in India, something on my technique he felt could help me – just that I was losing my backside a bit when I was hitting.
“I hope there is more to come because I am always trying to get better as a player, no matter how things are going, looking at ways to expand my game, to hit more areas or bowl different balls.”
England’s 40-run win under the Duckworth/Lewis method was set up by Mark Wood and Adil Rashid (left, middle and bottom), who restricted the Aussies to 277-9 when 320-plus looked the going rate.
After years of torture at the hands of Warne and Glenn McGrath, the boot was on the other foot – an English legspinner and a quick bowler wreaking havoc in tandem.