IT’S TIME TO DELIVER

Talisman Stokes admits he’s been ‘pretty average’ so far but has two last chances to be an Ashes hero and bring cheer to a miserable tour

IT was not supposed to be like this.

After missing the last Ashes tour following his Bristol misadventure, Ben Stokes was determined to make amends and help his mate Joe Root create history Down Under.

As a New Zealand-born Cumbrian, the desire to beat Australia is as strong as any to have pulled on the three lions and he has done plenty of it over the years.

At Lord’s and Headingley in 2019 (above, left) he reminded England and Australia fans just how much this series gets his juices flowing after announcing himself with a ton in Perth in 2013.

It all added to the incredible expectations from team-mates and supporters to produce more of the same.

But instead of finding out what it feels like to win an Ashes Test in the Aussie’s backyard, Stokes and Root are still waiting to experience that after 19 attempts between them.

And Stokes admits he has not exactly done much to help change that trend.

“Pretty average to be honest,” was his response when asked what he thought of his series so far.

“Just getting back out there from a personal point of view,

four months out of the game, the idea superhuman Stokes would make everything all right was the definition of wishful thinking.

Too many people within the

England to demonstrate they can perform better than they have done so far.

“I think we just need to come out and…not stand up to them, because I don’t think that we’re capable. We’ve had some really good partnerships with the bat and the ball.

“We know we can compete. But we have not done it for long enough or consistently enough and Australia have managed to get through those periods where we’ve had the upper hand.

“It’s about doing it for longer than that and putting some pride back into the badge.”

Perhaps the biggest issue facing Stokes and his team-mates for the rest of the tour are the Covid restrictions that have played havoc for the past 20 months.

Bubble life is the most joyless existence and Stokes has had his fill, with his mental health taking a nosedive earlier this year. If he can find his equilibrium this week, with his family set to leave for the UK shortly, then perhaps the player of whom so much was expected might finally start to show why.