Chris Woakes says Ben Stokes’ record-breaking 182 has given England a well timed reminder of what they’ll obtain along with his “superhuman” abilities.
Stokes was in rampant kind in opposition to New Zealand on Wednesday, making the nation’s highest-ever ODI rating in simply his third innings since reversing his year-long retirement from the format.
With England’s World Cup defence lower than three weeks away, it was an ideal approach for the person who carried them to victory within the 2019 last to show his sense of event as soon as once more.
Stokes has nothing left to show on the massive stage however watching him bully England’s first World Cup opponents with 9 sixes and 15 fours despatched a wave of power by means of the dressing room.
England went on to wrap up victory by an enormous margin of 181 runs, one other reminder that when he’s within the facet, the entire workforce walks a bit taller.
“We obviously see Ben as this superhuman that can do incredible things. We know he can,” stated Woakes, who picked up the baton with three early wickets within the subject.
“It was great for the group and brilliant for Ben too. He’s an unbelievable cricketer but coming back into the team having retired, it will do his confidence a world of good.
“We at all times have doubts and efficiency anxieties at the very best of occasions, so it is nice for his confidence and nice for the workforce’s confidence and perception that we are able to publish big scores.
“It was amazing to be here and play in the game because that was an incredible knock.
“He struck it cleaner than anybody else on the market. It simply reveals how good a participant he’s.”
Since walking away from 50-over cricket last summer citing workload issues, Stokes has poured his energies into his role as Test captain.
Working closely with head coach Brendon McCullum, he has revitalised the red-ball set-up, flipping their fortunes in dramatic fashion and playing out a thrilling drawn Ashes series that gripped the nation.
Woakes feels that stepping back into the ranks under Jos Buttler’s leadership, and operating as a specialist batter rather than all-action all-rounder, is a good thing for Stokes.
“I believe him coming again into this workforce might be a refreshing feeling for him, with out the captaincy on his shoulders. To run the England Test workforce is a tricky job,” he stated.
“He’s in all probability seen this as a breath of recent air, to play his pure recreation and be his pure individual, which he at all times does.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au