Stokes set for Championship return with Durham
- Ben Stokes, the captain of the England Test team, will play in the County Championship for the first time in two years on Friday at 11:00 BST when Durham takes on Lancashire.
- Ben Stokes to return to Championship cricket with Durham. Get the latest updates on his comeback.
In May 2022, Stokes made his last appearance for Durham in a championship match.
However, the 32-year-old will participate in the four-day Division One game at Stanley Park in Blackpool as he gets ready for England’s Test series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka later this summer.
“I recommend spending a few days in Blackpool to witness the legendary Ben Stokes’ comeback for Durham,” stated Ryan Campbell, the head coach of the team.
In order to concentrate on getting healthy enough to play as an all-rounder for the Test side, Stokes has decided not to travel to the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA next month.
Stokes played all five Test matches during England’s tour of India after undergoing knee surgery in the winter, although he only bowled five overs in the entire series, all in the last Test.
There are four possible red-ball matches Durham could play before England’s first Test against the West Indies begins at Lord’s on July 10. Durham’s match versus Lancashire is one of those matches.
Because he treated his knee injury prior to the Ashes, Stokes did not participate in any county cricket last summer.
To get ready for his first game as England captain in 2022, he participated in three Division Two games for Durham.
During that tenure, he took 4-72 against Middlesex at Lord’s and struck a stunning 161 off just 88 balls against Worcestershire at New Road.
With one of the best cricketers in the world at their disposal, Australian Campbell has acknowledged how exciting it is for Durham to have Stokes back in their ranks.
“As soon as he walks into the room, there’s this excitement all around,” Campbell said to BBC Radio Newcastle.
“You wish to compete against the world’s top players. However, it’s incredible to have one of those on our own team to mentor and guide us through his experiences.”
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