I CAN BE SAM AS STOKESY!
Curran’s out to copy hero Ben
SAM CURRAN is hoping to be a copycat Ben Stokes as he tries to fill the huge gap left by England’s finest all-rounder in the world-beating ODI side. Curran has looked up to his team-mate for inspiration as a talented young player turning games England’s way with bat or ball.
And he did just that on Friday in helping to steer the first Stokes-less side to the win that sets up a series decider at Headingley today.
It might only have been 35 from 18 balls with the bat and 1-5 from two overs with the ball at Old Trafford, but they were crucial and earned Curran his third man-ofthe-match award from just 15 games.
He said: “Every time I get the opportunity I want to make sure I’m contributing.
“I’ve always looked up to Stokesy as a cricketer and I almost want to try to copy him. I’ve tried to follow the way he trains and the way he plays. He’s obviously a huge loss and the boys are going to miss him.
“It’s the experience of an all-rounder who has played more than 100 games for England, a leader, captain of the Test team now.
“The experience he brings, chatting about what the wicket is doing, how things will work, angles at the crease, small things like that.
“He’ll go down as one of the greats for England.”
Despite still being just 24 Curran has already played more than 50 matches for England across all three formats and has returned from his first major injury, a stress fracture of the back.
As he continues to build up his stamina and workload, the lefthander is hoping to squeeze his way back into the Test team and link up with
Stokes once more in red-ball cricket.
Curran scored his maiden first-class hundred for Surrey against Kent in June to get the monkey off his back, although numbers do not tell the whole story.
He has a huge appetite for all three formats and playing as much cricket as he can.
But he will have to make a decision at some point with the schedules only getting busier.
“I want to play all formats,” he said. “I love playing cricket. There is obviously a lot of cricket. Players will make their own decisions but I want to keep contributing.
“That first hundred was something I needed to do. It was annoying me a bit but hopefully they can come more often.
“It gave me great confidence because it made me believe I can do it and if selected I’d love to get back into the Test team – it is something I definitely want to do.
“My body is holding up okay getting through these 50-over games. I was managed very carefully, which I’m pleased about, because it was my first big injury.”
The next step for now, though, is trying to secure a series win in a difficult white-ball summer.
“It will be massive to win a series in one-day cricket,” he added. “There’s been some big changes.we’ll be buzzing if we win.”
England Women eased to six-wicket victory over South Africa in the second T20 international at Worcester.
Alice Capsey, 17, took a wicket on debut and Nat
Scriver top scored with 47.