Ben Stokes still appreciates being part of an unforgettable near miss in Wellington last year but insists victory “in any way, shape or form” is the only priority as England return to Basin Reserve.
New Zealand edged one of the tightest finishes ever witnessed when the sides played here in February 2023, becoming just the second Test team in history to win by a single run and the fourth to triumph after following on.
Stokes cut a remarkably magnanimous figure at the time, declaring himself “blessed” to experience an instant classic in the moments after Neil Wagner dismissed last man James Anderson amid the nerve-shredding drama.
And even though he still looks back with fondness on that battle, his focus now is on doing whatever it takes.
England have not won an away series in two years and have the chance to take the newly minted Crowe-Thorpe Trophy by going 2-0 with one to play.
“It was an unbelievably memorable Test match last time. Even though we were on the losing end it was something pretty special to be part of,” he recalled.
“To go down to one run separating two teams at the end of a hard-fought match is something you can look back on and say it was pretty cool to be involved with something like that. It was hard to feel too disappointed because of the emotions we were going through watching the game unfold
“But this week I’ll take any win, in any way, shape or form.”
Last time around Stokes was unable to play his part with the ball, struggling visibly with the knee problems that would lead to major surgery last winter.
His return to full-blooded all-rounder duties has not been without the occasional hiccup, missing four of his side’s last seven games with a torn hamstring and pulling up sore on the final day of last week’s win in Christchurch.
He felt soreness in his back midway through the fifth over of a spell and immediately withdrew himself from the attack. After a couple of light training days to recover, he put himself through his paces during the team’s final practice session in the capital, bowling run-throughs in the middle as assistant coaches Jeetan Patel and Paul Collingwood looked on.
Stokes moved to ease any concerns over his fitness, suggesting at the age of 33 he had simply shed his lifelong habit of pushing himself to the limit and beyond.
“I just used my common sense for once,” he said.
“If you look back to where we were in the game we were obviously well ahead of that one. If the game had been in the balance I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have just walked off halfway through an over.
“It’s about understanding things as you get more experienced, as you get older. I understand my body a bit more and I might listen to it a bit more than when I was in my twenties. I’m all good for this week.”
England head into their penultimate fixture of a hectic year boasting the top two batters in the ICC’s world rankings, Harry Brook’s 171 in Christchurch leaving him just behind leading man Joe Root.
Just 41 points separate them, the kind of margin that can quickly be flipped, and Stokes is sure that fact will not have gone unnoticed by the Yorkshire duo.
“I think those two will be fighting it out up there for quite a while now,” he said.
“They don’t really talk about it between themselves but it will be at the back of their heads and Rooty will want to keep it that he’s number one and Brooky is still number two.
“They are two incredible players. There’s Joe, who has played a hell of a lot of cricket and is an incredibly experienced man, and at the other end you’ve got Harry Brook, who is 20-odd matches into what is going to be an incredible Test career.”
New Zealand have matched England by naming an unchanged XI, resisting the urge to recall batter Will Young or spinner Mitchell Santner.
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