Ben Stokes is flattered by comparisons with former England captain Andrew Flintoff but would prefer forging his own path while helping his team win more matches, the all-rounder has said. Stokes was adjudged player of the match as England beat South Africa by 239 runs in the third Test at the Oval to go 2-1 up in the four-match series.
The 26-year-old hit a sparkling 112 in England’s first innings and took three wickets in the match, prompting paceman Stuart Broad to compare Stokes with Flintoff. “I don’t really know what to say to that,” Stokes told reporters. “It’s always nice being compared to that guy and some of the spells he produced for England were amazing to watch. But I am not trying to be anyone other than myself.”
Flintoff played 79 Tests for England, averaging 31.77 with the bat and took 226 wickets.
Stokes has already matched the 39-year-old in scoring five tests centuries. It might, however, not be a fair comparison between both all-rounders, with Stokes being a better batsman while Flintoff was more effective with the ball.
“All I’m trying to do is produce the moments for the team that can swing it our way and mean we are going to win,” Stokes said. “I am not trying to live up to anyone else’s reputation. I am trying to do what I do and keep on putting in good performances.”

Roland-Jones ready to ‘start from scratch’
Toby Roland-Jones has insisted his dream England debut will be put to one side when he next plays Test cricket. The 29-year-old Middlesex seamer took eight wickets, including twice removing star batsman Hashim Amla cheaply, during England’s 239-run win over South Africa in the third Test at The Oval.
That left England 2-1 up in the series with just the fourth Test at Old Trafford, starting tomorrow, to come. But Roland-Jones, whose hat-trick against Yorkshire sealed Middlesex’s County Championship title triumph last season, is knows that one good return is no guarantee of future success.
“I approach every game in the same way, I’m someone who looks to be as simplistic as possible in the way that I approach and my processes for bowling,” Roland-Jones told reporters at Manchester’s Old Trafford.  “It’s a case of reverting back to type, starting from scratch again and hopefully doing what I can to try and help the team win up here at Old Trafford.”
But after a heel injury to Durham fast bowler Mark Wood finally gave Roland-Jones his chance after he’d twice before been in the Test squad without getting a cap, he was understandably proud of his debut. “(It was) nice to have a day or so just to process everything,” he said.
“Obviously winning a game in any England side is always going to be a pretty special feeling on debut. From a personal point of view it was pretty exciting game to be a part of and I was pretty happy with the way that I performed.”



Related Story