No ‘holding back’ vows Ben Stokes despite injury problems
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England captain Ben Stokes promised there will be no “holding back” when he recovers from his latest injury problems, insisting he is ready to keep digging deep for his country. Stokes was forced to watch the final stages of his side’s 423-run thrashing by New Zealand in Hamilton from the sidelines, having pulled up with hamstring trouble while bowling his 37th over of the third Test.
He did not appear again, handing the captaincy reins to Ollie Pope in the field and deciding not to bat in a lost cause as England were finished off for 234 – barely a third of the way towards a vast target of 658. England still took the series 2-1, their first success on these shores since 2008, and the last order of business before they depart is a scan for Stokes at a nearby hospital.
That is familiar territory for the 33-year-old, who badly tore the same left hamstring in August and also had major knee surgery on his left knee little more than a year ago. His body may be rebelling after more than a decade of going through the wringer of international cricket, but he will not contemplate the notion of reducing his workload or easing up on the intensity he prides himself on.
“Nah, I ain’t holding back,” he said after the conclusion at Seddon Park. “I was obviously incredibly disappointed walking off the other day, I was very emotional about the whole thing. But you sleep on it, take the emotion out and realise that every time you walk out on the field as an athlete, you’re putting yourself at risk of injury.
