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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Emma John

Ben Stokes has been extraordinary for English cricket, it should cut him some slack

Ben Stokes stands in front of an England badge in the field
‘A guy in whom passion and cool effortlessly combine’: Ben Stokes has led England into a new era. Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images

There are times when it’s possible to keep sport in a sensible perspective, and then there are weeks it challenges your very sanity. This has felt like one of those.

Perhaps the US president erecting a cage‑fighting octagon in his back garden is – given the state of the world – not that crazy. After all, it’s probably less tacky than paving over the Rose Garden, or the proposed ballroom‑slash‑droneport‑slash‑triumphal‑arch. You say a World Cup referee has been denied entry to the US because he’s from Somalia? Well, really. Anyone who didn’t see that coming hasn’t been paying attention.

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