‘Super over is a scary place, I never want to do it again’ – Ben Stokes
England hero Ben Stokes has spoken out about the “scary” super over he had to endure during their dramatic victory over New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup final on Sunday.
The all-rounder hit 84* to bring England’s score level with New Zealand’s on 241, which prompted a super over where both sides hit 15 runs in their six-ball innings, with England eventually claiming victory owed to a superior boundary count.
“It’s not one of the things I ever want to be involved in again,” Stokes said to ITV’s Good Morning Britain. “When I went upstairs I had to give myself five minutes because Morgs [Eoin Morgan] asked me to go back out and do the super over. I had to go back into the shower room and give myself five minutes.
“Can you take those four runs off? We don’t want them.” #cwc19 https://t.co/nqolFvAR6M
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 17, 2019
“I said we should send Jos [Buttler] and Jason [Roy] out, but Morgs [Eoin Morgan] said we needed a left and a right-hand [combination] because there was a small boundary.
“To go out there and have the pressure on you batting first and try to get as many runs as you can is a scary place to be, especially in a World Cup final. But I’d rather be out there in the middle trying to do it than have to watch.
Referencing the 2016 World T20 final in Kolkata, where he was hit for four consecutive sixes by Carlos Brathwaite as England failed to defend 18 in the final over, Stokes quipped: “I definitely wasn’t going to bowl it [a super over] again”.
Roy ✅
Gregory ✅
Stone ✅
Leach ✅
Archer ❌
Wood ❌
Sibley ❌https://t.co/EJSnP00Cvw— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 17, 2019
However, his T20 ordeal did help him give some crucial tips to England youngster Jofra Archer, who bowled the super over which won his debut tournament. “Stokes told me before the over ‘win or lose, today doesn’t define you – everyone believes in you,’” explained Archer after the epic final. “I’m glad the guys look up to me and trust me to do it.”
Stokes has been given some time off after his heroics and was subsequently rested for the upcoming Test against Ireland as England prepare for the Ashes.
