Ben Stokes sought to allay concerns about his fitness and expressed his eagerness to participate in the second Test at Wellington after the England captain ended his bowling efforts mid-over during the eight-wicket victory at Hagley Oval. At the close of a year that has already seen Stokes miss four Tests due to a hamstring injury, there were worries that the all-rounder had sustained another injury when he limped after three balls in the fifth over on the fourth morning. However, with England already on the verge of victory against New Zealand, which was later achieved with a day to spare thanks to Brydon Carse's impressive six-wicket haul, Stokes was merely exercising caution after experiencing minor stiffness in his lower back.
"I believe my body will be ready for this match," Stokes said, having bowled 19.3 overs in the game and rediscovered his form with 80 runs in England's first innings. "I haven't spent this much time on the field in a long while. I also hurt my back while diving for a ball on day one. It was more about managing the situation: given our position in the game, it didn't seem necessary to bowl any more than I had to. I think my body will be ready for this match, and I'm eager to play in Wellington."
Following a challenging tour of Pakistan, Stokes seemed revitalized, and his performance as an all-rounder could be crucial for England's chances of securing an unassailable 2-0 lead when the series resumes at the Basin Reserve on Friday (10pm UK Thursday). The team is already dealing with a few changes. Although the arrival of Ollie Robinson in New Zealand as wicketkeeping cover after Jordan Cox's fractured thumb may not significantly alter the dynamics, the decision to give Ollie Pope the gloves in Christchurch proved successful. Pope's solid work behind the stumps and his 77 from number six were pivotal in transforming a precarious 71 for four into a match-winning 499 all out.
"I believe we made the right decision by allowing Popey to focus on batting and wicketkeeping separately," Stokes said, crediting Pope's 151-run partnership with Harry Brook (171 from 197 balls) for the turnaround. "We encountered a problem and resolved it. That was the strategy for this game, and we'll see how it plays out in Wellington."
There was no question about the captain's admiration for Carse, whose 10-wicket match was the kind of performance Stokes expected from his county teammate. "He was very raw when he first joined Durham [10 years ago]," Stokes said. "But he had natural talent. One ball could be 90mph, the next could be 82mph, but he would keep bowling, even if his toe was torn. He wouldn't show any pain, just keep going and going. He's become the cricketer I always thought he could be. He's worked incredibly hard to get here, and I think he's going to be playing for England for a long time now... which is a shame for Durham."
Carse, named player of the match and now boasting 19 wickets from his first three Tests, said: "I've known Ben for 10 years, and we have a good relationship. To have him as my captain is a huge factor – he knows my cricket inside out. It's a very calming influence on me, allowing me to be myself and play my natural game."
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