Ben Stokes and Dan Lawrence impressed for England during the second West Indies Test in Barbados
(Picture: Getty Images)That England were in with a sniff of winning the Second Test in Barbados on the deadest of pitches was down to the impetus provided by two of their batters: Dan Lawrence and Ben Stokes, who was back to his best with bat and ball.
Our treatment of Stokes in the last few years has confused me. We spend decades looking for the new Ian Botham, then years searching for the new Andrew Flintoff. Stokes came along and so many people rush to push his bowling to one side and make him a batter. People always talk about what he shouldn’t be doing. The focus should be on what he can be: the heartbeat of a team in all facets.
