The Mail on Sunday

STOKES LEADS WAY

Ben is relishing his responsibi­lity in new role as vice-captain

- By Paul Newman CRICKET CORRESPOND­ENT IN DHAKA

TREVOR BAYLISS identified Ben Stokes as the heartbeat of his young England side as soon as he took charge last summer and rarely has he demonstrat­ed it more vividly than with his decisive interventi­on in the thrilling first one-day internatio­nal.

Stokes is used to influencin­g games with bat, ball and in the field but now, in his new role as acting vice-captain to Jos Buttler, he proved equally adept with words just as Bangladesh looked poised to cruise to an opening victory here.

It looked certain that Bangladesh would take a 1-0 lead in this threematch 50-over series when two of their most experience­d players in Imrul Kayes and Shakib Al Hasan had guided them to 271 for four chasing 310 to win.

Enter Stokes who, certainly until the last year or so, would have been considered more inclined to hotheadedn­ess than statesmans­hip but who timed his rallying call to a wilting England team to perfection.

‘It felt like something needed to happen,’ said Stokes who had earlier made his maiden one-day hundred to seemingly lead England to a formidable position. ‘I did ask Jos two overs earlier whether, rather than hoping things would go our way and waiting for a wicket before we could all get together, it was worth calling everyone in for a two-minute chat.

‘But we were quite tight on our over-rates and then luckily Imrul got cramp and we were able to do it. It was simply me saying “we know what we’ve got to defend and if we can take two quick wickets you never know what might happen”. Luckily then Jake Ball got two in two after I said that so it worked well!

‘The two guys who were in were going to win the game unless we got them out and a talk like that just switches everyone back on. After that everyone went away and thought, “here we go, let’s try and get a couple out and then kill them off”. And that’s what actually happened.’

So from a position where the home side, roared on by a partisan 25,000 crowd, needed just 39 more runs off 51 balls with six wickets in hand they capitulate­d to debutant Ball and Adil Rashid to lose by 21 runs. Job done for an England side who have had to deal with unpreceden­ted security on this trip.

More visible leadership in the field is exactly what Stokes has been encouraged to offer by assistant coach Paul Farbrace on this most difficult of tours, after both he and Buttler were promoted because of the controvers­ial absence nce of captain Eoin Morgan.

‘Farby said to me before e the series that Jos has got a lot on his plate and gave me the freedom to go and talk something through with the bowler. I think I’ve got enough experience now to understand stuff in the field and I think k Jos is happy for me to do things like that. He’s still the he one who will make the big calls. I won’t step too far out of my box.

‘Trevor (Bayliss) has told me numerous times that I’m a leader without being a captain and I’ve always tried to drive the team on the field and also off it. When I do say things, it’s only when I think it’s absolutely necessary. It’s never clich clichéd. And it was a good fee feeling when Jos asked me to be his vice-captain here. It’s nice to be r recognised i n that s sense.’ Stokes’ brilliant cent tury augured well for th the winter ahead in Ba Bangladesh and India beca because it proved he can start an innings against spin and go on to a significan­t score. He had scored just seven from his first 17 balls but once he hit the first of his four sixes, he was away. ‘It was one of the things I wanted to do when I got back from injury and was able to play against Pakistan, to put in more consistent performanc­es,’ said Stokes. ‘So it’s nice to back the words up. I can be in danger of being a bit lazy at times so that’s something I want to try to keep on top of.’

England will give fitness tests to Jonny Bairstow, who hurt his hip on Friday, and Liam Plunkett, who missed the first one-dayer with a toe injury, ahead of today’s second match back at the National Stadium where they can wrap up this significan­t one-day series. Sam Billings will get his chance should England be cautious with Bairstow.

But there could be worse injury news today with the probabilit­y that Mark Wood, missing here after suffering more pain to his chronic left ankle despite two operations, will be ruled out of the five Tests in India that follow this tour.

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