Ben Stokes, the new England test captain, insists the first LV = insurance test against New Zealand at Lord’s is a “blank canvas” for his team, rather than the start of the much-vaunted ” restart the red ball “, and he hopes his team. The partnership with head coach Brendon McCullum will allow players to feel “ten feet tall” when they leave the pavilion Thursday morning. As a sign of his determination for clarity in his new era, England confirmed his XI finish. 24 hours before the game, with memories for James Anderson and Stuart Broad, and a debut for Stokes teammate Durham Matthew Potts, who has been the fastest Englishman on the county circuit this summer with 35 ports at 6:57 p.m. to date. .
Overall, however, there is a sense of continuity with England’s first team of the summer, with seven survivors of their ten-port loss to the West Indies in March, not to mention the new ball experience. of 1177 wickets at the disposal of the team. However, despite the recent record of a test victory in 17 outings, Stokes insists players should not be affected by what has happened before.
“I just want everyone to feel free under my captaincy,” Stokes said after taking over from Joe Root last month. “Obviously there has been talk of the word ‘reboot’, which is something I don’t particularly like. I just see this as a full, blank canvas for this testing team in the future.
“We have a lot of experience in that locker room, with me, Joe, Broady, Jimmy, Jonny [Bairstow], and at the other end we have inexperienced younger guys, but this is our time. We will dictate how things are going, go ahead. There is nothing in this blank canvas. Everyone is starting again now, be it Matt Potts or Stuart Broad or Jimmy Anderson. “
The feeling of new beginnings coincides with Broad’s insistence that he will treat his return to the side as a second debut after the pain of getting lost in the Caribbean. But for Potts, England’s number 704, this feeling will be too real, and Stokes has no doubt that he will live up to the opportunity.
“Obviously he’s a Durham guy; there’s no bias,” Stokes said. “I’ve known him over the years in Durham, and he’s been great in the games I’ve played, and even before that, he’s been the guy that Scott Borthwick [their captain] turned to grab ports “.
Potts and Stokes have played together in Durham and Northern Superchargers • Getty Images
In a summer already marked by high scores across the county circuit, the Potts wickets count, which includes four runs of six or more, and a 7-for-40 best against Glamorgan, is especially remarkable, and Stokes was full. of praise for the tenacity he had shown even when conditions had not been in his favor.
“County cricket has not been an easy sail for bowlers [this season]as it has been for the last few years, “he said.” You’ve really had to work for your ports and have managed to create things out of nothing.
“One thing that really made me think Potts had that opportunity was when he threw us into the win against Glamorgan,” Stokes added. “He showed up on the fourth day with a slightly stiff side, and someone in his situation, with the test selection just around the corner, could have sat down and said, ‘No, I’ll just take care of myself here.’
“But he didn’t do it, he came in and he won the Durham game. That’s the attitude that puts you on the next level, and it really makes you open your eyes because this kid is ready. He’s been phenomenal – he’s an athlete and all I hope is for this team to move forward. “
Despite the magnitude of the occasion, Stokes insists he will not feel any extra nerves when he puts on his English jacket and goes out for the draw for the first time as the official captain of the event, having once presented himself before the West Indies in 2020.
“It’s a new responsibility, but I’m going to go out there, trying to do the same thing I did when I was 80. [79] matches I’ve already played, which is trying to win matches for England.
“I just have a little more to think about now. I’m excited, but I don’t see that as an impediment to what I bring to the team, as some people have suggested I could. It will be a great time to be proud, but that’s what “.
Either way, he knows he can count on the support of his friend and predecessor, Root, who is back in the ranks for the first time since 2016 after leading England a record 64 times.
“He says he will always be there, offering support and stuff like that, but he also said he doesn’t want to have the feeling that he is interfering,” Stokes said. “He just wants to let me be me, and I said the same thing to him,‘ Dude, just focus on your baptism now, you don’t have all the extra responsibility on your shoulders. Don’t feel like you have to come. for me, just focus on getting your careers up, and I’ll come to you when I need some advice.
“I supported Joe in these five years that he did, and I know very well that I will have his support, even though he has decided to move away from the role of captain.”
For now, Stokes’ main sounding board will be his teammate, McCullum, whom the team has been meeting in person for the past few days since his arrival at the IPL last week. And first impressions, Stokes said, were quite consistent with what had been expected of his new alliance.
“He’s done pretty much everything he explained, the way he trains,” Stokes said. “He hasn’t thrown a ball yet, he’s been up to it, but he’s been good. It’s about making everyone feel, in his words, ‘ten feet tall,’ and I think that’s pretty obvious. “His way of talking in the locker room, his way of playing cricket and when he was in charge of New Zealand. It’s been a good few days working with him.”
Andrew Miller is the UK publisher of ESPccricinfo. @miller_cricket