Ash: I back new’ Ben in Windies

ASHLEY GILES believes Ben Stokes will take on the Windies with gusto and a new level of maturity to kick off the biggest year of cricket for England.

The new director of England men’s cricket was on the outside looking in as Stokes went through a year of turmoil after his late-night incident in Bristol following a one- dayer against the Windies.

But Stokes can continue his England career without anything hanging over him, despite his chequered history in the Caribbean, where he once fractured his hand punching a locker and had a “saluting” run-in with batsman Marlon Samuels.

“For me Ben is still a maturing, young guy,” said Giles. “We have all made mistakes in our careers, it is important that we learn from them.

“But, as much as I want us to be the best team in the world, I also want us to be the most respected team in the world over how we go about things.

“Ben is a fantastic cricketer and that is what I think we will see in the West Indies. His reaction to a very difficult situation has been brilliant and we want to see him continue to develop going forward.”