Ben Stokes has shown recurrence of a left hamstring injury on day 03 of the third test of the England tour of New Zealand 2024. He will be undergoing a scan this evening to understand the full extent of the injury.
England’s captain pulled up after the second ball of the 56th over of New Zealand’s second innings. He pulled up feeling the back of his left thigh after delivering a bouncer that Rachin Ravindra smashed four.
It was the same hamstring he tore in August while batting for Northern Superchargers against Manchester Originals in the Men’s Hundred 2024.
As a result, he has been sidelined due to two months. Bowling from the city end, Stokes put his hand on his face and kept walking in the direction of the team dressing room away. New Zealand were leading by 409 runs at the time, as left arm spinner Jacob Bethell finished the over.
An ECB update at tea stated Stokes will not return to the field for New Zealand’s second innings while he receives treatment, with a further assessment to be made on whether he will bat.
England will face a mammoth chase as the hosts were 478 ahead at the interval.
“It’s great that he’s got his body back into a place that he can bowl as many overs as he feels he needs to. It’s a huge positive for us moving forward.” said assistant coach Paul Collingwood.
Stokes’ 36.2 overs in Hamilton were the most he has bowled for in a test since 40 overs at Trent Bridge in 2022. On day one his 23 overs were the most he has managed in a single day, split between spell of eight, eight and and seven.
Prior to final test, Stokes was optismistic he was in good place, with a better understanding of his body.
“I have to work so much harder on the physical side of the job to allow me to go out and do my job but I got a good amount of overs in during the last two games and I am more confident about getting through a lot of spells in a day.
“That is where I got to before I pulled my hamstring. I bowled nice in summer, had a setback but now feel out of that and worrying about anything else happening again. As you get older you think about your body a bit more but I work harder because I have to.”
Now, the 33 year old must undergo another period of rehabilitation. England’s next test match is not until May 22 against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, but a lucrative 800,000 Euros with MI Cape Town in the SA20 which begins on January 09.
Having signed a two year central contract in October, the ECB has the power to withdraw him outright from the tournament. Even if the extent of injury is less, it may prevent Stokes from Bowling long spells or just play as a pure batter in the side.
Earlier a knee injury did not allow Stokes to bowl. In his absence, Ollie Pope led the side in home series against Sri Lanka and the series opener in Pakistan.
