England only have themselves to blame for Ben Stokes, Ashes debacle, writes Ben Horne
MITCHELL Johnson left a trail of England casualties in his wake during the 2013/14 Ashes series. But this time, with Johnson in retirement, the hurricane of destruction is coming from England themselves.
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IT was estimated Mitchell Johnson’s blitzkrieg in the 2013-14 Ashes resulted in upwards of 20 casualties across England cricket.
What might be the toll be by the end of this summer?
Johnson might be still bowling vicious bouncers to old punching bags Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior on twitter, but otherwise the fast bowler is calmly retired.
The hurricane of destruction this time around is instead coming from England themselves, who are in the midst of an embarrassing mess that is largely of their own creation.
England’s handling of the Ben Stokes assault drama has been an unmitigated disaster from the moment stunning footage was published on The Sun website, to Tuesday when a conspicuous red-headed athlete with full cricket kit on his back boarded a plane at Heathrow bound for New Zealand.
Team supremo Andrew Strauss is the man who should be under the gun.
Strauss fronted the media in Brisbane on Monday and asked for an update on Stokes, said there was nothing to offer.
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Barely 12 hours on and Stokes was escaping London.
Confusion reigned as to whether Strauss knew what was going on back home.
It’s hard to believe he wouldn’t as the director of cricket, but in a way if he didn’t – it’s almost worse.
These days Stokes is struggling to get to his letterbox in Durham without being filmed, let alone flying halfway around the world unnoticed.
Either Stokes has gone completely rogue or ECB head honchos chose not to inform anyone – including members of its own backroom staff – that a high profile player currently under police investigation, was on his way to link up with New Zealand provincial side Canterbury.
Strauss is understood to have been filthy at the stupidity of Jonny Bairstow to leave himself so exposed by head-butting another man, let alone Australian opener Cameron Bancroft in a Perth pub.
He wanted to treat his players like adults, but has now been forced to impose a strict midnight curfew.
Strauss can’t control players every move.
However, what England don’t seem to understand is they are largely responsible for letting disciplinary standards slip to the point where a minor incident has exploded to this level.
Cricket Australia are privately astonished Stokes wasn’t banned from the Ashes from the moment such damning video evidence emerged. Glenn Maxwell says his contract would be torn up for such an act.
Michael Vaughan has previously reported that Stokes was previously out drinking during a Test match.
Bairstow and other players were fined 1000 pounds a pop for breaking team rules on the same night Stokes landed himself in hot water.
Still, captain Joe Root and Bairstow seem to remain in denial and think it’s Australia’s fault.
Even if Stokes does not end up playing a part in the Ashes, perceptions are everything.
And his brazen flight to New Zealand says that England cricket stands for nothing.