Australia v England: Latest news, reaction and reports from the first T20I
Ben Stokes had an ugly falling out with Alex Hales following his infamous arrest outside a Bristol nightclub. Now they are back in the same team.
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England’s newly appointed Aussie coach Matthew Mott faces a supreme test of his renowned man manager skills as he tries to patch up one of cricket’s iciest feuds in the quest for World Cup glory.
Superstar Ben Stokes had an ugly falling out with exiled England bad boy Alex Hales following his infamous arrest outside a Bristol nightclub in 2017, when graphic CCTV footage captured the England Test captain punching another man to the ground.
Hales was also present that night but reportedly went to play golf the next morning without telling anyone what had taken place, while Stokes – later acquitted at trial – woke up in a police cell.
It’s understood Stokes felt the opener left him stranded following the incident and in a recent Amazon documentary about his life and career, Stokes refers to Hales coldly as, his “friend at the time.”
When asked recently about their personal relationship following Hales’ recall to the England team, Stokes played the straightest of straight bats.
“My goal, Alex’s goal and everyone else’s goal who is part of that squad is to win the World Cup,” said Stokes.
In the middle of the delicate personality balancing act for this World Cup is Mott, the all-conquering coach of Australia’s champion women’s team who has switched sides and will on Sunday lead England into battle against the Aussie men in a warm-up in Perth.
Mott - the best mate of Andrew Symonds - coached the likes of David Warner, Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith and Aaron Finch when they were kids coming through the system, but his biggest task might be to ensure his own England dressing room remains united.
Australian women’s star Alyssa Healy declared that while she’s unaware of the reported tension between Stokes and Hales – her former coach Mott is the perfect man to manage big personalities.
“I don’t know a lot about that stuff, but I think Motty, one of his strength as a coach and as a leader within that side is his personability, and the fact he gets along really with everyone,” Healy said.
“There’s not too many people around the (cricket) world that would say they haven’t had a beer with Motty or (haven’t) got along really well with him.
“That’s one of his strengths and I think that’s what he’ll be able to bring to this English side and make sure there is that real harmony there.
“He can have those conversations with people who need it.
“They’re (Stokes and Hales) two of the most dynamic players in the world and you want them firing at the same time. I think Motty is the right person to get them going.”
Mott has a pragmatic attitude to making the Stokes-Hales relationship work.
“… As far as that (Stokes relationship goes, they might not be best mates, and that’s OK,” said Mott on England’s recent tour of Pakistan.
“I’m sure you work with colleagues all the time who aren’t your best mate but you can work with them if you’ve got a common goal. Ben’s come out and stated that as well.
“He wants to win World Cups. I’m sure Alex does as well and we all do.
“… if they end up becoming good mates again that’s great, if not, as long as they’re going towards that goal of winning the World Cup together then that’s how team’s function.”
A large part of Hales’ rehabilitation as a player has taken place in the Big Bash League for the Sydney Thunder, where he has resuscitated an international career which appeared irrecoverable when he was cut from the 2019 ODI World Cup squad for failing a second recreational drugs test.
England teammate – and BBL No.1 draft pick Liam Livingstone – said Hales’ had made a seamless return to the camp.
“… From what I’ve seen over the last couple of days, he’s fitted in perfectly and everyone is very happy to have Halesy back,” he said.
Mott has broken new ground switching from women’s to men’s cricket and his achievements with Australia has earned him great respect within the England camp as an out and out “winner”.
“In any professional sport, winning is winning. It doesn’t matter whether it’s men’s or women’s,” said Livingstone.
“His record with Australian women was unbelievable and it’s certainly something that’s very well respected with us.
“He’s probably got that attitude of always wanting to win and he’s certainly brought that into our group.”
AUSTRALIA’S NEW FINISHER: WADE’S ULTIMATE COMPLIMENT
The man who redefined white ball cricket has declared Australia now has another finisher for the ages in underrated star Matthew Wade.
Michael Bevan said he marvelled at the remarkable career turnaround of the former Test wicketkeeper and does not hesitate in anointing Wade as a gold-plated rescue operator.
Wade saved Australia’s bacon at the start of last year’s Twenty20 World Cup against South Africa and then delivered one of the great matchwinning knocks in the epic semi-final triumph over Pakistan.
Some probably questioned whether Wade should go on after the World Cup, but the 34-year-old has continued to prove himself arguably Australia’s most valuable T20 player with three sizzling innings from his past four starts, including Wednesday’s impressive clutch performance against the West Indies.
Wade’s resurrection as a cricketer across all three formats has been grossly underrated (not least of all by selectors who didn’t give him a contract this year), because it should be celebrated as one of Australia’s great rebirths.
Since he was dumped as the Test wicketkeeper, Wade reinvented himself as a specialist batsman where he stood up as one of the stars of the drought-breaking 2019 Ashes tour of the UK.
In white ball cricket, Wade has risen to the esteem of captaining his country and being crowned a World Cup-winning hero.
Bevan will always be synonymous with the art of the chase in white ball cricket, and has endorsed Wade as the real deal.
“He’s a very talented guy. He hits the ball around the park and is pretty dexterous and has a good strike rate,” Bevan told News Corp.
“Then obviously we’ve seen it, he can finish off matches as well.
“I’m a big fan.
“He’s a really good player and can definitely play that finishing role.”
Wade’s batsmanship and tempo in navigating the middle to late overs has been something to behold, with his ability to work twos and threes and access all areas of the ground a major asset.
Had Wade fallen over against the West Indies, Australia would have been carrying an embarrassing loss into the World cup, but instead he boosted the team’s confidence that they can win from anywhere.
Bevan said he was pleased selectors had finally locked Wade into a role after years of him being shifted up and down the order.
“Wade obviously has been playing numerous roles over the past few years but finally it looks like he’s found his position right now,” he said.
Teammate Marcus Stoinis, who shared in the unforgettable partnership with Wade that clinched Australia’s ticket to last year’s World Cup final in Dubai, said his only concern is the fact the plucky wicketkeeper is now being recognised for his achievements.
“It’s nice to have a bit more positive media around our team heading into this World Cup, but I warn you, don’t be too nice,” said Stoinis.
“Wadey did play well on Wednesday night but don’t get around him too much as well because he likes it when his back is up against the wall.”
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