The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

England feeling at home in Delhi: Stokes

Roar Guru
28th March, 2016
0

Allrounder Ben Stokes claims England’s World Twenty20 semi-final against New Zealand in Delhi will feel like a home game.

Stokes and company may be more than 6000 kilometres from Lord’s, but by the time they take on the Black Caps on Wednesday they will have been based in India’s capital for 11 days.

They have already played and won two matches against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium and feel increasingly comfortable on a pitch that can be tricky to read.

New Zealand, on the other hand, have had a nomadic schedule, taking in games at Nagpur, Dharamsala, Mohali and Kolkata.

If there is a marginal gain to be had against the only unbeaten side in the competition, Stokes is happy to take it.

“This is our third game there, so you could say it’s like a home game, even though it’s in India,” he said.

“I think it does (offer an advantage), yeah. We learned a lot from the Afghanistan game leading into Sri Lanka, knowing we’re a little bit more used to the conditions, knowing it’s quite hard to get yourself in on a wicket like Delhi.

“And also having the experience of bowling here. We know that hitting that back-of-a-length is quite difficult, because it’s quite variable in bounce – some will skid through, others hold up. That’s one thing we’ll take into the game as well.”

Advertisement

Stokes’ destructive batting is known to New Zealand after blazing a rapid ton against them last year, but he has been honing his skills as a limited-overs death bowler.

In England’s last two outings, both must-win, he has been handed the final over of the match, giving up just eight against Afghanistan and half as many in a superb effort to close out victory over Sri Lanka.

“I’d much rather be doing that last over thing than sitting there watching and hoping whoever bowls it gets us through,” he said.

“I’d rather be the man doing it. It’s a lot easier on the nerves.”

close