Ben Stokes must pay ultimate price and not be allowed to return for the Ashes, says Shane Watson
SHANE Watson says besieged Englishman Ben Stokes should be banned from the entire Ashes series, saying the all-rounder can learn the same lessons that David Warner has.
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SHANE Watson says besieged Englishman Ben Stokes should be banned from the entire Ashes series — and cites the undeniable resurrection of Australian opener Dave Warner among his reasons why.
Speaking with The Daily Telegraph, Watson insisted Stokes be outed from all remaining Test matches this summer, despite flying into New Zealand on Wednesday.
Currently preparing for another Big Bash stint with Sydney Thunder, the 36-year-old stressed that “a precedent needs to be set” with the English all-rounder, who remains under British police investigation following a wild brawl outside a Bristol nitespot.
Watson also suggested that coming down hard on Stokes, who has already been stood down indefinitely by the England and Wales Cricket board, would improve the international all-rounder even further — as it has with Warner.
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Four years ago, the flamboyant Aussie opener was banned from the opening two Tests of the 2013 Ashes series, following his own Birmingham bar altercation with English rival Joe Root.
While Warner was widely condemned for the incident, he has since made considerable changes, both on field and off, to ensure that while not yet a cricketing cleanskin, he is now undeniably a more composed, and popular, mainstay in all forms of the game.
Asked if he expected to see Stokes play against Australia this summer, Watson replied: “No, I don’t.
“And I think a precedent needs to be set to ensure something like this never happens again.
“Nobody wants to see a guy like Ben Stokes missing cricket but you also don’t like seeing an athlete of his calibre — a world class all-rounder — allegedly doing what he did.
“It shouldn’t happen. The general public shouldn’t have to see their hero, a guy they look up to, doing that.”
Watson then used Warner as an example of how Stokes could actually benefit from strong punishment.
“There has to be consequences for your actions, simple as that,’’ the former Test star continued.
“If you behave poorly, you should be punished. That way, you can also learn from it.
“Look at Dave. We’ve seen what he’s been able to do (since the Joe Root incident), the way he’s turned around not only his on-field performances, but himself as a person.
“Same with Ben Stokes. To get to where he already has with his cricket, he has to be a smart guy. So I’m sure this is a big reality check that’s going to make him a better person ... a better cricketer too if that’s possible.”
Apart from the Stokes incident, English wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow has also been outed for a bizarre altercation in which he headbutted Australian Cameron Bancroft in a Perth pub prior to the series opener.
Asked if the Poms were experiencing a culture crisis, Watson shrugged: “I’ve got no idea what’s going on inside that England team.
“To me, it just seems like they don’t have the same confidence they usually enjoy when Ben Stokes is in that side.
“He’s such a dynamic, world class player with both bat and ball.
“He’s really the heartbeat of their team — like Freddy Flintoff was through those key times when they pushed Australia so hard and won a series at home.
“So to me, (his absence) seems to be the issue.”