Ben Stokes...

[Jordi Culé]

Taking a break from cricket.

No word from Piers Morgan yet, strange?

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Ben Stokes...

The usual digs about mental toughness will carry no weight this time because the pressure Stokes was under in that Ashes test at Headlingley and the World Cup Final makes that sound daft. He’s been subdued this season after losing his father in the winter and he dropped a very easy catch by his standards in his last Hundred game which led to him getting a lot of stick from the crowd.

I’ve been watching a lot of the old Big Match programmes from the 70s and 80s lately and they really are an eye opener when you compare, say, how a player from the away side is treated when they go over to take a corner. Forty years ago, players had to face the odd comment from the opposing fans when were preparing to take a corner, but it was often good natured. These days however, they get dog’s abuse and genuine hate from what seems about half of those close by them - it seems we’ve changed a lot since the 70s and 80s and yet the expectation is that players should carry on as they always did.

Jonathan Agnew was interviewed this morning about Stokes and said he expects more withdrawals ahead from the Ashes tour in the winter - in fact, he thought there was a chance it will be cancelled. When you think what men and women are going through at the moment just to compete in their chosen sports and combine it with the inevitable reappraisals that are going on and will go on in response to the Pandemic, I don’t think it is surprising at all that what seems to be a growing number of sportsmen and women are asking whether they want to go through all of that while being separated from their family - England’s cricketers in Australia will get something similar to those away players taking a corner I was talking about as well.

A media which builds hypes up sn event one weekend and then forgets about it within a day as they move on to the next “most important” encounter to be played in a weeks time and a fan base that labels a mid table League Two game in September as “huge” all plays a part in putting the modern day game player under intense pressure - no wonder some are saying “I’ve had enough of this”.

[ninian opinian]

Re: Ben Stokes...

Taking a break from cricket.

No word from Piers Morgan yet, strange?

He's commented now. He’s made out Stokes a hero because he pulled out before the game and not during. The mans a father so you’d think he’d have some empathy with young athletes and what they go through. Coming from someone who cried and walked out when he received mild criticism live on air. Vile individual.

[Jordi Culé]

Re: Ben Stokes...

The usual digs about mental toughness will carry no weight this time because the pressure Stokes was under in that Ashes test at Headlingley and the World Cup Final makes that sound daft. He’s been subdued this season after losing his father in the winter and he dropped a very easy catch by his standards in his last Hundred game which led to him getting a lot of stick from the crowd.

I’ve been watching a lot of the old Big Match programmes from the 70s and 80s lately and they really are an eye opener when you compare, say, how a player from the away side is treated when they go over to take a corner. Forty years ago, players had to face the odd comment from the opposing fans when were preparing to take a corner, but it was often good natured. These days however, they get dog’s abuse and genuine hate from what seems about half of those close by them - it seems we’ve changed a lot since the 70s and 80s and yet the expectation is that players should carry on as they always did.

Jonathan Agnew was interviewed this morning about Stokes and said he expects more withdrawals ahead from the Ashes tour in the winter - in fact, he thought there was a chance it will be cancelled. When you think what men and women are going through at the moment just to compete in their chosen sports and combine it with the inevitable reappraisals that are going on and will go on in response to the Pandemic, I don’t think it is surprising at all that what seems to be a growing number of sportsmen and women are asking whether they want to go through all of that while being separated from their family - England’s cricketers in Australia will get something similar to those away players taking a corner I was talking about as well.

A media which builds hypes up sn event one weekend and then forgets about it within a day as they move on to the next “most important” encounter to be played in a weeks time and a fan base that labels a mid table League Two game in September as “huge” all plays a part in putting the modern day game player under intense pressure - no wonder some are saying “I’ve had enough of this”.

I remember Marcus Trescothick suffering with depression and retiring from international cricket permanently. I also remember Geoff Boycott talking about the stresses that international cricketers faced mentally.

I’m just waiting for Piers expert view on this so I can subscribe to his opinion.

Agree with you about the differences in the crowd hostility shown towards players.

[chrisp_1927]

Re: Ben Stokes...

If anyone in the press has a pop at stokes or Biles for taking a break they should be removed from their job in my opinion. It's well known what they've been through in the recent past.

I wonder if there was an element of stokes throwing himself back into the cricket in the aftermath of losing his dad, maybe it's all catching up with him now. Feel for him, can't ever be nice to lose a parent. But to then have to spend so much time in quarantine alone with your thoughts in the aftermath must make it even harder to cope with mentally.

Never quite seen the fuss in stokes the player myself, but apart from a couple of high profile mistakes he's always seemed like a well grounded decent bloke.

[MacAdder]

Re: Ben Stokes...

If anyone in the press has a pop at stokes or Biles for taking a break they should be removed from their job in my opinion. It's well known what they've been through in the recent past.

I wonder if there was an element of stokes throwing himself back into the cricket in the aftermath of losing his dad, maybe it's all catching up with him now. Feel for him, can't ever be nice to lose a parent. But to then have to spend so much time in quarantine alone with your thoughts in the aftermath must make it even harder to cope with mentally.

Never quite seen the fuss in stokes the player myself, but apart from a couple of high profile mistakes he's always seemed like a well grounded decent bloke.

Ben Stokes is a phenomenal player when he is on his game and his head is right.
The way he carried his team in the world cup, particularly the final, typifies the man.

Wasn't really a fan of him to be perfectly honest but that world cup, in particular that final innings where he took the responsibility and guided his partners through the run chase, for me puts him among the best players in the world.

I concur with the above posts, the game is completely different to say the 70's and 80's where there was usually "banter" between player and supporter (Headingly aside of course!).
Nowadays, particularly with the quick forms of cricket being introduced and day/night games allowing people to attend after work, it is very much like a football match with full on barracking and abuse pretty much the norm, in international cricket anyway.

Back to the OP, it takes a brave person to do what Ben Stokes has done, especially if you are less well known.
As Kevin Pietersen said the other day, if you don't deal with the different pressures that come with top class sport then somebody else will.
This is the harsh reality.

Personally I hope this is a minor blip in Stokes's career as I think he has the potential to be one of the greats.

[Jordi Culé]

Re: Ben Stokes...

Ben Stokes is a phenomenal player when he is on his game and his head is right.
The way he carried his team in the world cup, particularly the final, typifies the man.

Wasn't really a fan of him to be perfectly honest but that world cup, in particular that final innings where he took the responsibility and guided his partners through the run chase, for me puts him among the best players in the world.

I concur with the above posts, the game is completely different to say the 70's and 80's where there was usually "banter" between player and supporter (Headingly aside of course!).
Nowadays, particularly with the quick forms of cricket being introduced and day/night games allowing people to attend after work, it is very much like a football match with full on barracking and abuse pretty much the norm, in international cricket anyway.

Back to the OP, it takes a brave person to do what Ben Stokes has done, especially if you are less well known.
As Kevin Pietersen said the other day, if you don't deal with the different pressures that come with top class sport then somebody else will.
This is the harsh reality.

Personally I hope this is a minor blip in Stokes's career as I think he has the potential to be one of the greats.

Fully agree with you about the bravery shown by Ben Stokes.

My dig at Piers Morgan is due to the fact he had no trouble stating an opinion on Biles or Osaka.

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

Re: Ben Stokes...

we all probably know someone who looked like they could play professional sport...but couldn't hack it in front of a big crowd.
that's the difference..bottle...once that's gone you move down a notch...or get out completely

[2b2bdoo]

Re: Ben Stokes...

I think it's great mental health has taken a front seat in conversations over the last few years and really feel for those with real mental health issues. It's can't help but feel some people use it as a go to these days which is unfair on those who really need help.

[willo1927]

Re: Ben Stokes...

Fully agree with you about the bravery shown by Ben Stokes.

My dig at Piers Morgan is due to the fact he had no trouble stating an opinion on Biles or Osaka.

Why do you say its brave?
If he needs to take time out then that's what he needs to do but I can't see where bravery comes into it?

[delmbox]

Re: Ben Stokes...

Why do you say its brave?
If he needs to take time out then that's what he needs to do but I can't see where bravery comes into it?

Telling millions of people that you're struggling with your mental health, which still has a stigma attached to it, is pretty ballsy

[willo1927]

Re: Ben Stokes...

Telling millions of people that you're struggling with your mental health, which still has a stigma attached to it, is pretty ballsy

But not what I call brave.
Putting your life on the line to save others is brave.
Not playing a few cricket matches is completely different
I understand he feels he needs a break and I'm not criticising him for that if that's what he needs then I wish him well.
But are you comparing this to a fireman rushing into a burning house to save kids or a soldier on the front line?

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Ben Stokes...

But not what I call brave.
Putting your life on the line to save others is brave.
Not playing a few cricket matches is completely different
I understand he feels he needs a break and I'm not criticising him for that if that's what he needs then I wish him well.
But are you comparing this to a fireman rushing into a burning house to save kids or a soldier on the front line?

So, you have a different definition of brave to him then, fine.

[delmbox]

Re: Ben Stokes...

But are you comparing this to a fireman rushing into a burning house to save kids or a soldier on the front line?

Why do I need to compare it to anything?

[willo1927]

Re: Ben Stokes...

Why do I need to compare it to anything?

How do you define brave?