Ben Stokes

[meninblue]

Before there are too many stats -- I would like to make a point. ------ you don't get a hundred and take a five fer in a test match against the Aussies unless you have something about you ---- he has made a great start.

He has indeed excelled in both the formats very early in his career. iirc he is just 22 . 100's and five fers are special performances imo, whoever the opposition is. Having made those against in form Australians will make him and England thinktank much more happy.

[Arthur Crabtree]

It's not possible to make a lasting impact on your first tour. But given it's one tour, he has made a very good start. I can't really understand why anyone would bother to contest that.

[D/L]

It's not possible to make a lasting impact on your first tour. But given it's one tour, he has made a very good start. I can't really understand why anyone would bother to contest that.

I don't think anybody is contesting the notion that Stokes has made a good start.

It's valid, though, to point out that Stokes' bowling performances have been a little lucky and that his potential seems to be more as a decent middle order batsman who may be useful for a few overs bowling too.

Perhaps we need to be most cautious about the fact that he is new and probably hasn't been "worked out" by the opposition yet.

It's a little worrying that the hype we see in this thread seems to be in the media too. We have seen public adulation destroy many a young sporting career.

[Making_Splinters]

It's not possible to make a lasting impact on your first tour. But given it's one tour, he has made a very good start. I can't really understand why anyone would bother to contest that.

A good start, but one that is been quite over stated by many. As for the lasting impact comment, when no young player in a long time has gone on from their start, it stands to reason that a great deal of caution is needed when looking to the future.

[meninblue]

After an excellent tour of Australia in tests and ODI series, Ben has had a very bad ODI series versus in West Indies.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Yes and he's not had much bowling to do. He came into the ODI side as a bowler, and now he's in the team as a batter. I'm not one of those who lament the player being 'messed around'. Any opportunity gives you the chance to impress. And if you do, from a small chance, you'll get a bigger chance. Unless you're Samit Patel. But Stokes did ok in Australia in both formats, scoring runs and taking wickets, which will do for now. Young players are inconsistent, and allowances should be made for that.

[meninblue]

Yes, Arthur. He has played 3 series and has had excellent success in 2 of them.I think selectors will show faith in him in ODI's as well even after the bad performance versus West Indies.

[Red Devil]

Yes, Arthur. He has played 3 series and has had excellent success in 2 of them.I think selectors will show faith in him in ODI's as well even after the bad performance versus West Indies.

but he's gone and broken his wrist hitting a locker after getting out so he's out of the T20 WC

he's had an absolute shocker in the WI

[Durhamfootman]

Yes, Arthur. He has played 3 series and has had excellent success in 2 of them.I think selectors will show faith in him in ODI's as well even after the bad performance versus West Indies.

but he's gone and broken his wrist hitting a locker after getting out so he's out of the T20 WC

he's had an absolute shocker in the WI

of course, what he should have done was throw his bat through the window........ easy enough to replace a broken bat, although a little bit harder to have to apologise for being petulant.

[Making_Splinters]

Considering all of the hype which built up around him, and his two pretty decent series as an England play, his abject failure in the Windies must have been tough to take.

[alfie]

Indeed he is unlikely to remember this trip with any affection !

Though it it may not hurt in the long run that he has been somewhat brought down to earth after his Test success against Australia. Restarting in the summer with more to prove and a bit less hype around him might be a healthier situation than walking out in the first Test against Sri Lanka as the New Anointed One...

Someone pointed out earlier that new players are often a bit inconsistent. Fair enough - I don't think a run of outs here proves he is rubbish , any more than some stand-out efforts down under make him a superstar. He remains - for me - a , very promising , work in progress.

[meninblue]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cricket/26585499

In a age where fitness is very much a factor for being more efficient in field as well as for team selection, it is very basic mistake to hit some hard object with hand and make a attempt yourself to get injured.Ponting has smashed bat on radio , Vinod threw his bat in dressing room once, Virat too has reportedly thrown his bat .I remember he was warned before for some misconduct.He missed some important series because of that.Now he will miss another important series due to self fault.When the selectors are keen to pick a player in team and a player does something like this it becomes tough for them to develop players who have showed promise on field.

[D/L]

Yes, Arthur. He has played 3 series and has had excellent success in 2 of them.I think selectors will show faith in him in ODI's as well even after the bad performance versus West Indies.

but he's gone and broken his wrist hitting a locker after getting out so he's out of the T20 WC

he's had an absolute shocker in the WI

of course, what he should have done was throw his bat through the window........ easy enough to replace a broken bat, although a little bit harder to have to apologise for being petulant.

Promising cricketer, in the longer format, but following this incident, perhaps also a bit of a plank.

[Aidan11]

What I find strange here is that the ECB actually told the truth rather than smokescreen it by saying he picked up an injury in the field or in practice.

Why are they telling the truth now? New regime wanting to be open and frank? Make an example of Stokes?

Stokes isn't the first England player to injure himself in a fit of pique and he wont be the last.

Admittedly though, he does have to learn to cool it.

[Gingerfinch]

Nothing wrong with being peeved off at getting out. A bat at the wall though is the safer option.