Ben Stokes is still evolving and can lord it over even Ian Botham
Ben Stokes #BenStokes
Many more innings like the one he scored here on Friday and there must be a peerage around the corner for Ben Stokes, though I’ve not yet ascertained where he stands on Brexit, which is obviously crucial. It is 13 years since we learned Ian Botham was to be knighted and I recall being asked to cast aside my astonishment – and delight – for a moment to pen a swift profile for the Observer. This time no profile is required; not that much has changed for Sir Ian since 2007 but perhaps the manner peerages are distributed has.
Related: ‘Not in a position to say’: Ian Botham refuses to comment on peerage claims
Stokes now treads a similar path to Botham. The parallels are irresistible and frequent, especially when rain interrupts a Test match: both brilliant, charismatic, fearless sportsmen capable of dominating the front pages for good or ill, let alone the back ones. Stokes will prove to be the more reliable run-scorer but he will never be able to match Botham the bowler when he was at his lithe peak between 1978 and 1981. Both impose their will on proceedings in a manner way beyond ordinary mortals.
They have less visible similarities. Both have revelled in playing surprising innings. It was instructive to hear Stokes say the most satisfying element of his knock at Old Trafford was not reaching three figures (for the 10th time in Test cricket) but that he had batted for 300 balls – “I never thought I would be capable of that,” he said.
Likewise Botham was quite proud of his last half-century for England, in August 1987, against Pakistan at the Oval, an unbeaten 51 from 209 balls, with a sub-Sibley strike rate of 24.4. He was obliged to bat out the day for a draw alongside his captain, Mike Gatting, and he took pleasure in demonstrating he could block with the best of them.
Cricketers do not like to be cast as one-trick ponies. Once I asked Derek Randall about his favourite innings, fully expecting him to recall his epic, impish, Lillee-baiting 174 in the Centenary Test of 1977, a knock touched by genius. But he said he preferred his 150 at Sydney 18 months later; there he batted for almost 10 hours, faced 498 balls and had a strike rate of 30.12. He had received an “almighty bollocking” from his captain (Mike Brearley) for his rash shot in the first innings and he wanted to prove he could bat responsibly and dourly if necessarily.
He shared a long slow, partnership of 85 with Brearley at the start of his vigil; to aid concentration in searing heat they decided to divide each session into 15-minute segments, which led to Randall’s memorable exhortation to his captain: “Stick at it, Brears. In 10 minutes, it will be 15 minutes to tea.”
Stokes stuck with it all right at Old Trafford. He showed the way in an extension of the leadership role he was given temporarily at the Rose Bowl. Botham was also a great leader, though not necessarily when captain. He was the dominant force in the dressing room. Brearley has spoken of his tactical nous and sensitivity towards colleagues. Botham would be the first to welcome newcomers into the fold (he would not, after all, feel threatened by them) and would help out however he could when they hit trouble.
I sense another similarity here. Stokes has had his trials, spectacular ones, and has valued the support of teammates in the tough times. No wonder that he should now stress how “we need to be there to support Jofra”. Archer may be isolated at the moment but Stokes has said that he will do all he can to make sure he does not feel alone. Botham would have done the same three or four decades ago.
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But there are differences, which are reflected by their attitude to running. Even at 29 Stokes trains with ferocious commitment and in this regard he is a role model for the team: Dom Sibley has cited him as an inspiration for losing 12 kg since the tour of South Africa. My memory may be faulty but it is hard to recall Botham adopting a similar approach as he neared 30. Nor did Ian work so earnestly on his game as the years passed.
Stokes is evolving as a batsman. He will never offer a blithe defence of “that’s the way I play” because he has proven over the past couple of years that he can play in a variety of ways; he prides himself that he adjusts to the situation, which is a selfless approach. Jacques Kallis, another great all-rounder, batted in the same way whenever he went to the crease, whatever the situation. That was a pragmatic way to do business and very productive but Stokes has higher aspirations. He is an immense batsman now and still desperate to improve, which means he probably will.
