'Role Model' Stokes Set to Open for Adelaide Strikers
Ben Stokes will be available for the full Big Bash League campaign on a deal believed to be worth $500,000, coach Tim Paine said.
- On Tuesday, Ben Stokes signed with the Adelaide Strikers for the Big Bash League, with coach Tim Paine planning to deploy the former England captain as an opener rather than in his usual middle-order role.
- Paine believes Australian wickets suit Stokes' aggressive style at the top of the order. "I think he's made to open in the Big Bash. The pacey, bouncy wickets in Australia really suit him," Paine said.
- Stokes secured a $500,000 deal for the entire tournament and will partner Strikers captain Matt Short. "He can play 360, he's got power," Paine said of the 35-year-old.
- Despite the Englishman's history of off-field controversy, Paine dismissed concerns and stated Australian fans respect Stokes' competitive spirit. "We expect he'll be a fantastic role model for our club and for our fans," Paine said.
- The Big Bash League campaign runs from mid-December through January 26, marking Stokes' return to T20 franchise cricket after a 2015 stint with the Melbourne Renegades.
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Radio France Internationale
France24'Role model' Stokes set to open for Adelaide Strikers
All-rounder Stokes, who signed for the T20 franchise on Tuesday, is usually a middle-order batsman but ex-Australia captain Paine has other ideas. "I think he's made to open the batting in the Big Bash. The pacey, bouncy wickets in Australia really suit him," said the Strikers head coach. "I've been on the end of a couple of his devastating innings in Test cricket where you feel like you can't defend the field. He can play 360, he's got power." …
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