Ben Stokes thrives in such tough situations: Moeen

Another day, another tough batting conditions with the team on the back foot, and yet another Ben Stokes special. It isn’t surprising anymore, isn’t it? Stokes is made for such situations, and on Friday (July 7), the English skipper yet again was influential with the bat in England’s first innings when he scored a stunning counter-attacking 80. 

Stokes’ 80 also helped England close down on the gap between their first innings and the visitors to just 26. England’s all-rounder Moeen Ali, who stitched a partnership with Stokes, insisted that the English skipper thrives in such tough conditions and he’s one player in the world that everyone would want in such situations. 

"Ben's a brilliant player. He's the one player in the world who everyone will be thinking about in that situation, especially against Australia because he has done it a couple of times now,” Moeen Ali said in the post-match press conference. 

"As long as he's there you've always got a great chance of winning. It's the situations more than anything, he loves those situations, he thrives off them,” he added.

Having said that, however, Moeen added that England can’t always rely on him to play such miraculous knocks and added that the team has to contribute. 

Moeen added: "We can't rely on him all the time. We do have dangerous players who we just need to come to the party as well as Ben... His body has obviously been through a lot but there's one thing with Ben, he can't do anything without it being 100 percent."

"My finger is fine, it's sore but I can bowl," said Moeen. "I'm pleased with the 200 wickets."

Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald also heaped praises on Stokes, saying that with the Durham all-rounder at the crease, no team is ever in total control. 

"When Stokes is there you are never in total control," admitted Australia head coach Andrew McDonald, who added: "Full credit to Ben, his way of batting with the tail is probably second to none.

"We have to work out a way to navigate through Ben Stokes in the second innings."

(With inputs from AFP)