LEADER OF THE PACK!
Joe: Ben’s best skipper ever
BEN STOKES is in a leadership league of his own when it comes to Test match captaincy, with his predecessor his biggest fan.
It doesn’t matter Stokes’ incredible run of success stands in complete contrast with the way that Joe Root’s own tenure came to a tepid end.
The former skipper is delighted to be in the ranks and contributing to England’s red-ball revolution with his 14th score in excess of 150.
Root’s assessment of Stokes the captain is most pertinent, not only because he did it most recently but because he did it more than any other man before him (64 games), winning more than any other (27) but losing more than any other too (26).
Root was called in by his skipper 40 minutes before lunch on day two with 153 not out to his name.
There aren’t many captains who’d have given up the chance to add a few more runs.
But on 435-8 Stokes gambled that he already had enough and could make some inroads with the ball – and he was right as James Anderson and Jack Leach put England in control by limiting New Zealand to 138-7.
“It was a brilliant call from Ben personally,” said Root. “It gave us the best opportunity to make the most of those conditions.
“And the way we are playing, with the best bowler in the world, it just seemed like a brave and attacking option and full credit to Ben for taking it on.
“It would have been very easy for us to keep going and if we had we might not have had them seven down at the end of day two.
“The decisions he is making under pressure, the way he’s managing the team and his players is as good as I’ve seen. I just think it was a brilliant call.”
Stokes had made just 27 himself before spooning up a simple catch to continue a run of middling scores that haven’t passed
50 since his hundred against
South Africa last summer.
But Root is not concerned, adding: “I think he’s doing a brilliant job of getting the best out of himself as a leader. There’s no doubt that his own performances will come.
“He’s that kind of big game player and there will be a situation where we’ll be up against it and he’ll stand up and deliver. It’s a matter of time in my eyes.
“Ultimately, I think it’s more important the contributions he’s making as a leader at the minute because he’s getting the best out of 10 other players and that in itself is massive for this team.”
JON ★LEWIS has promised more to come from England women’s team after being dumped out of the T20 World Cup in their semi-final. And the head coach has urged fans to watch them bid to recapture the Ashes this summer – by promising great entertainment if not results. “We got outplayed,” said Lewis after the defeat to South Africa. “We could have executed better and we’ve still got some learning to do. There is so much more to come.”