Ben Stokes

[Dr Cricket]

I guess the bottom line Arthur..... do you think Stokes has enough quality to bat in the top 6 in the future if his bowling never gets better?

Question for you sussex would you be happy with Stokes batting at 7?
with his current ability with the ball.

[Gingerfinch]

Stokes is definitely good enough as a top six when you think Bairstow, and Ali are coming in behind him.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I guess the bottom line Arthur..... do you think Stokes has enough quality to bat in the top 6 in the future if his bowling never gets better?

We're both guessing. He looks well coached. Sometimes with well coached people you wonder if it hides a little lack of ability, but I'm not sure it does with Stokes. Just watching him field tells you he has superb coordination and reflexes. The other factor is psychological, and that is the one that you wonder about. Not that he isn't tough or ambitious enough, just that maybe his judgement isn't good. When to play and when to leave. When to attack and when to not give anything away. Whether it is useful to verbally slaughter his opponents... When people talk of his promise I assume they mean he will get this stuff right.

Since he has been in the side, there have been clearly a number of people in the side who have done worse, or no better than him. Bell (29.5), Moeen (27.8), Buttler (30.0), Bairstow (21.5) haven't exposed Stokes (28.6), and have all batted in the top six/seven (stats up until the SA series). Ballance did ok at times, but was busted. Plenty of people will say (and have said) that the specialist Bell should have been in there ahead of him in South Africa, but hey, Stokes has just got 250. Would Bell have done better than that? It doesn't really matter.

Stokes is run down by some people who think the fact he bowls doesn't make him a serious batter. I don't go along with that. He is exposed more as a batter in this series than he has been. With Bairstow and Moeen taken out of the middle order, Bell dropped, Trott retired... the batting looks stronger in the reality of Mitchwash and after, and if Stokes doesn't score runs, he may not be able to hide among others failing too. I think he has enough quality to bat at six. Though I think an average at six of 35+ would be fine. It's currently 33.7.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Stokes is definitely good enough as a top six when you think Bairstow, and Ali are coming in behind him.

He's a better Test bat than both of these though.

[alfie]

In the light of the Third Test performance of Stokes - rescuing England from an awkward position on day two , on a wicket that might fairly be described as a bit spicy - I think his batting stocks should have continued to rise , no ? Say what one may about the limits of the SA attack ; this was a seriously gamechanging counterattack - and not the first he's been involved in. If the average remains underwhelming , the impact efforts are adding up...

He bowled pretty well too , I thought.

Way to go to challenge the Great Allrounders ; but I reckon he has sewn up an England spot for the foreseeable future.

[Durhamfootman]

Way to go to challenge the Great Allrounders ; but I reckon he has sewn up an England spot for the foreseeable future.

so do I

along with Broad, he's undroppable for the next year at least. Of course, the last time he had secured himself a long run in the side, he opted for lockergate instead. Hopefully he's learned this time around

[Durhamfootman]

I have no doubt that he's done so well that, while every other England player is turning out for their county ahead of the first test series of the summer, he'll be ordered to rest.

[captaincolly]

I have no doubt that he's done so well that, while every other England player is turning out for their county ahead of the first test series of the summer, he'll be ordered to rest.

There was a suggestion in The Journal that he might be in the IPL auction. Shouldn't be imo - an allrounder involved in all 3 forms has a heavy enough workload.

[meninblue]

He was the best England player in test series. Now he has played a cameo in ODI as well. It is nowadays important for players to adapt and perform well quickly and ben has shown he is able to do that.

[meninblue]

Nice 100 yesterday in conditions different to what he is used to in his home country.

[Alviro Patterson]

Nice 100 yesterday in conditions different to what he is used to in his home country.

Needs to work on his bowling though, no better than a 4th seamer.

[meninblue]

Is Ben the best allrounder right now ?

[sussexpob]

Have you mistaken your mouthwash for the after shave again, Adi .....

It isnt even a contest, is it? Surely no one can even remotely claim Stokes is anywhere near as good as Ashwin?

Woakes is a better bowler and I believe has a better batting average, so not sure he even wins for his own team....

Shakib is better too off the top of my head.

[meninblue]

Have you mistaken your mouthwash for the after shave again, Adi .....

It isnt even a contest, is it? Surely no one can even remotely claim Stokes is anywhere near as good as Ashwin?

Woakes is a better bowler and I believe has a better batting average, so not sure he even wins for his own team....

Shakib is better too off the top of my head.

I agree Shakib and Ashwin are better.

[sussexpob]

Ashwin's wicket taking ratio is really something else. 220 wickets in under 40 games. I think out of bowlers to take 200 wickets, this must put him in the top 3 behind Grimmet and Murali in terms of wickets per game....And a low 20's average that in modern day players, only Murali compares with...

Ashwin's stats are consistent with an all time great.