Stokes is tipped to fire up England
KEY CONVINCED NEW TEST CAPTAIN WILL RELISH THE TOP JOB
Ben Stokes was yesterday backed to rejuvenate england’s Test fortunes by the man who took the ‘easy’ decision to make him captain.
Rob Key, england’s new managing director, feels Stokes, 30, will relish the pressure and responsibility after confirming him in the highest office in the english game.
‘It was pretty simple in the end,’ said the impressive Key at Lord’s. ‘If someone is keen, like Ben was, they can tell you what you want to hear. So I talked to a lot of people who know him, those around him, and every one of them felt he’d be an excellent captain.
‘Then, when we sat down, we were aligned in our thinking. Ben plays the way I want to. He epitomises everything our red-ball team need. I want him to go out and lead from the front. He genuinely thinks he’s the best person to lead england. I agree.’
Former Kent captain and Sky pundit Key has no concerns about the extra workload on an all-action, wholehearted, multi-format and, above all, pivotal cricketer who last year took an extended break to protect his mental health.
‘I’ve no doubts about this after speaking to people who know him better than I do,’ said Key. ‘The last two years have been as tough for english cricket as it has ever been. I would argue that living in bubbles has meant the mental health of all players has taken a hit, to different degrees. And now we’ve got to move on from that.’
There were also encouraging words for Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, controversially left out of england’s tour of the Caribbean and seemingly consigned to history by Sir Andrew Strauss when he was interim managing director before appointing Key.
‘I spoke to them both when I was announced in this job and said: “Look, I know coaches are going to be coming in but for my money you guys are available for selection for the first Test”.
‘Then, when I met Ben, one of the first things he said was: “I want the best team out there and Jimmy and Broady are part of that”. They were on great form when I spoke to them and there’s no reason why they won’t have a big part to play.’
Key is optimistic england will have a new Test coach in place before the first Test against new Zealand at Lord’s on June 2 that kicks off a summer of seven difficult matches against the Kiwis, India and South Africa. He has sounded out Gary Kirsten, the favourite, Simon Katich and Ottis Gibson about the job.
‘There are good names coming in from english and world cricket,’ he said. ‘I’m finding out about the ones I might not know so much about.’
Key (pictured) also wants to return to a selection panel after the ill-fated decision of Ashley Giles to hand total responsibility to former coach Chris Silverwood.
Holding court in the eCB boardroom at Lord’s, Key outlined his vision for dragging england’s Test cricket out of the doldrums. ‘To me it’s about changing the mentality of english red-ball cricket right throughout the system,’ he said. ‘Look at what they did with the white-ball side. ‘It wasn’t about sitting there going: “We want to win the World Cup”. It was about changing the type of cricketer, the way you want to play, the brand of cricket, what you stood for. That’s why it’s lasted longer than just winning a World Cup four years later. ‘It’s not as simple as that in red-ball cricket but I want batsmen who can put bowlers under pressure but also soak it up themselves, bat for long periods, make good decisions. Players who compete and are not timid. That stand up and be counted. ‘I want people with conviction who go out there to be leaders, driving england forward. Do exactly what Ben Stokes does.’ This was an impressive first appearance from Key in front of the media he has just left to take a giant leap back to the other side of the cricketing fence as england’s managing director.
His words may not transform a woefully under-performing england team overnight. And they certainly won’t change a domestic system that undermines first-class cricket. But, goodness, they were refreshing and, dare it be said, gave rise to optimism.
But why do it? Why give up his comfortable life having established himself alongside Sky’s giants nasser Hussain and Mike Atherton as one of the best voices in cricket?
‘I was having a good life, yeah,’ said Key in his trademark laconic style. ‘But when Andrew Strauss asked if I would be interested in this job, I said: “I could be”.
‘What I would do before is sit around with the likes of nasser and Athers and say: “england should do this, they should do that”. We’re all stubborn and think we’re right. So when the chance came to do this I thought: “Actually, I would have some skin in the game”. There’s not much else I know other than cricket.
‘It’s what I love. It’s what I talk about all the time. now this is a chance to make a difference.’
The decision to appoint Stokes was obvious but comes with considerable trepidation because of the potential for it all to end in tears. But it was on the subject of his new captain that Key spoke with most wide-eyed enthusiasm.
And he vowed to protect a priceless player who, for now, will carry on in all three formats.
‘We don’t have to overthink it,’ said Key, knowing how guilty england have been of doing just that over the last three years.
‘At the moment, Ben’s absolute focus is Test cricket. He will tell you that. He wants to drive england forward and we will work out a way he can keep on doing that. If that means missing some white-ball cricket along the way, fine.’