SKIPPER STOKES MEANS 100% EFFORT, BATSMEN!

STAND-IN skipper Ben Stokes has made life very simple for England players by making just one demand of them this week – 100 per cent commitment from start to finish.

That is exactly how he approaches his work as an international cricketer and he expects nothing less from those playing for him at the Ageas Bowl in the first Test against West Indies which starts tomorrow.

Regular skipper Joe Root has left the team in Stokes’ capable hands for one Test match while he becomes a dad for the second time, and despite the unusual circumstances behind closed doors, it is very much business as usual.

Even though there will be no crowds to get the players fired up, Stokes will not accept that as an excuse for letting standards drop against a West Indies side desperate to keep their hands on the Wisden Trophy.

“The one thing I’m expecting from the team this week above all else is 100 per cent commitment throughout the five days,” said Stokes.

“It will take a huge effort from everyone in the team to get the win we’re looking for against a quality West Indies team. It is an unusual set of circumstances we are playing in.

“We’ve got no crowds, which we’re not really used to in our Test grounds, but we are certainly going to have a big audience in terms of people watching at home.

“This will be the first major international fixture played since lockdown and that will bring a lot of attention, with so many millions of fans supporting us and wanting us to do well.

“All I want to see is that total commitment from the players and not letting the fact that there is no crowd there be used as an excuse for any drop in our intensity level.”

Even when Root is in charge, Stokes is usually the man to dish out reminders to team-mates to up their game, having had sharp words with Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer at different points in the winter.

Stokes will also have a decision to make on whether he can squeeze his Durham team-mate Mark Wood into the side with only two out of Archer, Wood and Broad likely to get a game.

Either way, it will be a proud day for the North East, with Stokes becoming the first England Test captain from the county after Paul Collingwood had done the white-ball job only.

“In 27 years as a first-class county Durham has been very successful in producing players to play for England,” said Stokes.

“Now we can say we’ve got a captain, too, and that will make special day.

“I must admit I thought that Paul Collingwood had done it before but it turns out this is one record I have beaten him to.”

Test it a