Stokes wishes scandal away in sleepy NZ town

THERE’S a cemetery across the road from Mainpower Oval in Rangiora. But rather than a place cricket careers go to die, the oval looms as the location for the rebirth of Ben Stokes.

Ben Stokes chooses his weapon.

THERE’S a cemetery across the road from Mainpower Oval in semi-rural Rangiora.

But rather than a place cricket careers go to die, the lush green fields loom as the location for the rebirth of Ben Stokes.

In English, Australian and even New Zealand newspapers, and across radio waves in all three countries, the arguments continue for and against the playing resumption of the brilliant all-rounder.

But as Stokes smashed ball after ball through the air on the middle wicket at Rangiora, a ground surrounded by grassy banks and tall trees, where the sound of willow hitting leather was the only noise to interrupt the twilling of local birds on a hot and sunny Saturday morning, the hue and cry over him playing was not on the Englishman’s mind.

Ben Stokes after a Canterbury training session in Rangiora.

That’s an assumption of course, and his head down, say nothing attitude as he walked past a small gathering of four reporters, an Australian and three from the UK, who had trekked across the ditch to get his thoughts on matter, suggested he was well aware he had more to think about than the Otago bowlers he’ll face on Sunday.

But the pending conclusion of the matter, be it in his favour or not when the Crown Prosecution Service in the UK decide whether to charge him or not, is not all-consuming for Stokes.

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At least it’s not according to coaches and teammates at Canterbury, the club which was willing, despite the absolute certainty for backlash, to sign Stokes up as quick as they could when it emerged he would be in town, his old home town, to visit his parents.

There is also, according to Canterbury one-day coach Brendon Donkers, even a touch of romance about Stokes playing for the Christchurch based team.

“I heard his dad (Gerard, or Ged) say that never in his wildest dreams did he think he would get to see his son play for Canterbury,” Donkers said.

Ben Stokes chooses his weapon.

“So it’s a pretty special day for them.”

It’s been a special week for Canterbury’s players too, according to Donkers, head of cricket Gary Stead and captain Andrew Ellis, who said their heads were spinning to have a player of Stokes’ world class ability among them.

The magnitude was not lost on Donkers either, who said he had “never had four microphones” in front of him before a domestic one-day game.

Ben Stokes rolls the arm over at Canterbury training.

It’s a big deal Stokes is playing in Rangiora, a town which gets behind Canterbury when they play at their second ground.

But it’s a big deal in different ways to different people. It’s a bad big deal for some, and that’s their prerogative.

He’s playing though as the debate continues to rage, and probably will on the grassy banks at Rangiora on Sunday.

They’ll be full though, to watch Stokes. That’s a judgment in itself.

Originally published as Stokes wishes scandal away in sleepy NZ town