I’M STILL COMING TO TERMS WITH THAT FINAL OVER

Brathwaite only now finding form after T20 heroics against Stokes

CARLOS BRATHWAITE. Remember the name?

The Windies T20 skipper still cannot believe what he did to Ben Stokes in the 2016 World T20 final, walloping four successive sixes off the England star’s bowling to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in the last over.

And in Durham, on Stokes’ home turf, the pair should have resumed their captivating duel tonight in the first T20 between the teams since then.

That will not happen because the England all-rounder is being rested for a clash which has sold out all 13,000 seats at the Riverside.

A lot has changed since that final. Stokes has gone from strength to strength, but for Brathwaite life has been a bit trickier and perhaps surprisingly he is the one who is trying to forget the moment and move on.

“It is something I will always be reminded about,” said Brathwaite. “Social media won’t let me forget it, but it is something I’ve tried to put to bed and move forward in my career.

“I probably still can’t believe it, but we have a World Cup and I have a fantastic story to tell my kids and some video footage to prove I’m not telling a lie! It is something that happened.

“It wasn’t just a boundary or a six, it was four in a row and the stage that it was on, not only against England but in India and it won’t be forgotten for a little while.

“Immediately after that I didn’t have the performances I’d like but slowly and surely I’ve been coming into my own and putting some numbers on the board.

“I’ve been doing very well in the past couple of games so thankfully that chapter has been closed and long may good performances and success as captain continue.”

All-rounder Brathwaite took 4-15 two games ago for St Kitts against Barbados in the Caribbean Premier League, a match in which England skipper Eoin Morgan made just two.

Morgan has scored only 10 runs in his last six matches, but is not worried by the drop off in form because he accepts he either blows hot or cold, with little in between.

“I’ve probably been more comfortable with the sort of player I am over the last three or four years,” Morgan said.

“Learning to deal with that over the start of my career was difficult but I’ve learnt to live with it.”

And as for leaving out his best T20 player once more this summer, Morgan added: “I completely understand the frustration, but certainly there is a huge need for guys who play all three formats to take a rest when needed.”