Ben Stokes was in all praise of senior speedsters James Anderson and Stuart Broad after England completed a come-from-behind 2-1 series win over South Africa on September 12.
After having endured a tough time in Test cricket until the beginning of the 2022 home summer, England, under the inspired leadership of skipper Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have turned the tables around, with seven wins from eight Tests in the season.
After having cleanswept New Zealand 3-0 and registering a comprehensive seven-wicket win over India at Edgbaston, England suffered an innings defeat to the Proteas in the series opener at Lord’s, prompting debate over their newly adopted ultra-aggressive approach. However, the hosts made a resounding comeback to take the next two Tests by a convincing margin to round off a highly successful summer.
Stokes was highly pleased with the overall effort and marked a collective performance as a major standout feature.
“It’s been a great series for us as a team. We’ve had no real individual standout performances, but different people throughout the whole series have put their hand up in crucial periods for us and, in a team sport, that’s what you want,”
Stokes said.
Stokes reserved high praises for senior speedsters James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who reunited at the start of the summer, and played their part in England’s success. Broad finished the joint-highest wicket-taker against South Africa with 14 scalps at 15.57, while Anderson bagged 10 at 16.60.
“They are just phenomenal. To have two of the great seam bowlers of world cricket in your team … I feel very blessed to be in the dressing room with them.
We’re very lucky as a nation to have two sporting greats still going out and doing what they’re doing. I mean, I’ve been called old at 31, I’m not quite sure what you can call Jimmy at the moment being 40, but they just keep turning up day in and day out.”
