Stokes’ struggles weighing

With the Kingsland train regularly whizzing past and the undersized Mobil petrol station completing the humble backdrop, Eden Park Outer Oval is a world away from the drama and intrigue of the Adelaide Oval.

And as Ben Stokes trudged from the sun-baked field, head bowed, hitting the boundary rope with his bat on the slow walk back to Canterbury’s tent after being dismissed for 34 off 41, the suspended English allrounder’s struggles looked to rest heavily on his broad shoulders.

It was a similar theme with the ball. Stokes’ body language hardly improved after opening the second innings. There was brief success sedating Colin Munro before the brutal Black Caps batsman unleashed to hit Stokes for three boundaries in one over en route to an unbeaten, match-winning 174 off 118, blasting six sixes and taking full advantage of the miniature venue.

Munro let Stokes know about it too; the pair kicking off a verbal spat, with the umpire telling them to cool it.

Stokes’ frustrations stem not just from failing to reach performance expectations, but also from his state of limbo.

The England vice-captain should not be here, playing in front of 100 people on a typically laidback Kiwi summer afternoon. Not when the engrossing Ashes is in full swing.

Ironically both matches, this a low-key 50 over encounter Auckland won by seven wickets and the final day of the second Ashes test in Adelaide, charged gold coin entry. And yet the contrasting fixtures could not be further apart in significance and prestige. Stokes’ role in a Bristol street brawl in late September landed him in this bizarre situation — returning to Christchurch, his city of birth, to rebuild his confidence and career while prosecutors decide whether to press charges, leaving his erstwhile English teammates in an Ashes hole. Canterbury are more than willing to ignore the on-going controversy. Innocent until proven guilty, of course. And Stokes is only suspended from England duties, not from lower level appearances, though incident has been enough

Picture / Photosport Colin Munro unleashed to hit Ben Stokes for three boundaries in one over en route to an unbeaten, Auckland record of 174 off 118.