England Captain Stokes on Jimmy Anderson's last Test Match for England and Gus Atkinson's impressive debut
12/07/2024
Lord's Cricket Ground, London, UK
12/07/2024
Lord's Cricket Ground, London, UK
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00:00Hi, Ben. Is it strange to think you'll never throw the ball to Jimmy?
00:04Sorry, I'm just trying to swallow my chewing gum.
00:08I thought I'd made you cry for a minute.
00:10Not yet.
00:11Yeah, it is. I think walking off there at the end,
00:16obviously taking the last wicket to win the game,
00:20I think you could sort of see from everyone it was like,
00:22right, game's done now, but there's also that
00:26overwhelming feeling of this is the last time that
00:30we will get to walk off the field with Jimmy,
00:32but also the last time that the crowds have come out to watch us,
00:35we'll see Jimmy walk off the field.
00:36But I think the whole week, every time that we've walked out onto the field,
00:40Jimmy's led us on, the reception he got,
00:42and then obviously walking off and then, you know,
00:44that half an hour after where he got the sort of reception
00:49that he deserved was very, very special to be a part of.
00:52And can he still offer a lot to English cricket?
00:54He's going to take on this mentoring role.
00:56How's that going to work? How's that going to look?
00:58Yeah, I think so.
00:59I mean, look, he's really keen to help the fast bowlers,
01:04you know, progressives and performers.
01:07I mean, you know, I don't think I could think of a better person
01:09to be able to do that.
01:12You know, we've got obviously some inexperienced guys
01:15with a lot of talent, you know, who are going to get an opportunity,
01:19you know, over the coming months.
01:22And, you know, Gus Atkinson being one of them,
01:24Matthew Potts back into the squad,
01:26and Dylan Pennington as well, first time in the squad.
01:28So, to have someone like Jimmy Anderson there to,
01:31you know, speak to them and give him, to give them advice,
01:37you know, I couldn't think of a better person to be able to do that.
01:39And it is the end of an era.
01:41Obviously, James Anderson is irreplaceable,
01:43but how pleasing to see Gus Atkinson come onto the scene
01:46and immediately announce himself in that fashion?
01:49Yeah, incredible.
01:51You know, first time I'd seen Gus sort of live
01:54was in our 50th World Cup in India.
01:56He obviously come into that team on the back of,
02:00I think, bowling at Jost in the 100.
02:03And when you watch someone bowl live in training,
02:06you know, I got a real sense of, you know,
02:08he's more than just someone who can run up and bowl fast.
02:09He's very skilful.
02:12It's just an added bonus that he can, you know,
02:13bowl, you know, up at 90 mile an hour as well.
02:16And I think this week, obviously, taking 12 wickets on debut proves that.
02:22I think he uses slope from the leaning end very, very well.
02:28And he knows what he's doing, you know,
02:30he can nip the ball, but he can also, you know, swing the ball.
02:32So someone who can, who's got that skill set,
02:35but can also bowl up at 90 mile an hour is very, very useful to have.
02:40And he has the attributes, do you think, to be an opening bowler?
02:43Ah, definitely. I think, you know,
02:44you look at the way in which the sort of Dukes ball has sort of behaved over the last couple of years.
02:52It generally doesn't do that much in the air until the lacquer comes off,
02:55and then you get a nice buff side when it starts swinging.
02:58So, you know, to have someone who can exploit any seed movement out of a wicket,
03:04but then also swing the ball when the conditions are in favour,
03:07it's very exciting to have someone like that in your ranks.
03:11Rory, Lauren.
03:13Benny, Jimmy was saying that, you know, the thing he would miss most
03:17was sitting with you guys in the dressing room after a win, a Test match win.
03:22What was it? How's it been like in there?
03:24Have you managed to make him crack yet?
03:25He's held it up so far as far as we can see.
03:27Well, he's been busy doing media duties for the last 40 minutes.
03:30So I think he's looking forward to getting up there and, you know, enjoying the moment.
03:35I think the interview he gave to Nasa was pretty special.
03:39Nasa, I know, played a lot of cricket with Jimmy when he was younger,
03:42and so for him to be able to do that interview whilst he's in the dressing room
03:46with all the emotions still of, you know, walking off after winning the game,
03:50was very cool to be a part of.
03:52And I thought Jimmy spoke brilliantly, I thought Nasa interviewed him very, very well.
03:57So, yeah, next couple of hours will be interesting.
04:00You'll be able to squeeze a tear out of him?
04:05Who knows? He is a very emotional person, Jimmy,
04:08even though he might not look like it.
04:10I think he's done well to hold the tears back.
04:13You know, obviously he's had an amazing reception here,
04:15watching his family, you know, ring the bell for the start of the Test match.
04:20I think he's done very well to hold back those emotions.
04:22But I think, you know, tonight and over the next couple of days
04:25you might see a bit more emotional Jimmy Anderson.
04:28Obviously with all the montages, retrospectives about Jimmy,
04:32it's always been a lot of looking back this week.
04:37As a captain, are you as excited, more excited about looking forward
04:41when you see Gus, Jamie Smith?
04:43I'm sure he's not managed to get into the game this week,
04:45but this is, as well as being a farewell to Jimmy,
04:47this was the start of throwing things forward?
04:50Yeah, I think so.
04:51I think as well, you know, I feel as if today,
04:55it's more of a celebration of Jimmy's career,
05:00looking back at all of the special moments that he's had over, what was it, 21 years?
05:05The amount of games that he's won for England with the ball, you know, by himself.
05:09But also, you know, I think as well, what a great person, what a great man.
05:15Well, I think what sums him up is,
05:17Gus actually apologised to him for taking that last wicket.
05:19And Jimmy just sort of, was this live?
05:24Told him to F off.
05:25So, you know, that just sums him up.
05:28You know, he's someone who loves seeing people do well.
05:32I'm sure he would have loved to have had that fairytale ending like Brodie did last year.
05:35But I think for him, seeing a young lad come in and take 12 wickets on debut,
05:39you know, I think he really enjoyed that for Gus as well.
05:43Ben, I was just going to ask about that interview with Nasa,
05:46because usually at the end of a game,
05:47you're probably popping champagne and slapping each other on the back,
05:50but everyone seemed to be listening incredibly intently to what Jimmy was saying.
05:54Can you sort of describe the atmosphere in there as you were hanging on his every word?
05:59Yeah, I think that's...
06:03Moments like that, I think you sort of take a step back from that
06:08and you actually really appreciate listening to someone like that,
06:12who's gone through such a long career,
06:14gone through so many ups, so many downs,
06:16that people were genuinely so interested to hear what Jimmy had to say
06:21to the questions that Nasa threw at him.
06:25You know, I think pretty special images for the public and the world to be able to see.
06:31You know, such a short period after winning a game,
06:34obviously we don't get to see that that often,
06:36but yeah, everyone was just so interested to hear what Jimmy had to say,
06:40you know, from players to support staff as well.
06:44Yeah, Jimmy did say he felt a bit under the pump there,
06:46because everyone was just staring at him,
06:47but I thought he spoke really, really well.
06:51We'll do Chris and then we'll...
06:53Ben just asked you, what's your personal,
06:55your favourite moment of Jimmy's time as an England cricketer?
07:01It's a lot.
07:05I think, maybe not a moment, but I think just,
07:08I think his character and his desire to constantly want to get better,
07:13I think is one thing that everyone who gets an opportunity in England
07:19should look to emulate.
07:22Jimmy's career has just got better and better over the years,
07:25in particular over the last six, seven, eight years.
07:29He was never happy with what he had.
07:31He was always looking to improve, add deliveries to his armoury,
07:35and obviously his stats have shown that.
07:39Every year I think, you know, the average, the strike rate,
07:43whatever it is, has always gone in the right direction that you want as a bowler.
07:46So, you know, for anyone who's come into the team
07:50or wants to aspire to be a fast bowler,
07:52everything that Jimmy has done over his career
07:54I think is something that everyone should look to emulate and work towards.
07:59And that attitude and the experience he's got, I guess,
08:02is why you want him to stick around this summer as a mentor.
08:06Is there a possibility, is there a chance,
08:09if he's up for it and you're up for it,
08:11that he could basically be your bowling coach or a mentor
08:14for the Ashes in Australia in a couple of years' time?
08:16Yeah, definitely.
08:17You know, that's why we're asking him to stay around.
08:21I mean, look, at the end of the day,
08:23he's going to be with us for the rest of the summer in that role,
08:26but it's up to him if he feels like it's something that he really wants to do.
08:32You know, if he's got the desire to help bowlers progress,
08:36like he did with his own career,
08:38then honestly I just can't think of a better person
08:41to influence all the fast bowlers who are going to represent England
08:45whilst Jimmy Anderson is still around.
08:47So I'm really excited to see how that goes
08:51and I know that he's very passionate at the moment
08:54about giving everything he possibly can to help the guys get back.
08:57So one each from Will, Stefan, Beran, and then we'll do one here and finish with Mike.
09:03Ben, I wondered if Gus's performances made you feel a bit more,
09:08even more confident in the decision you made around Jimmy
09:10and also made you think how ready you are to throw new guys in
09:14when they can take to Test cricket like that,
09:17you know, Dylan Pennington and whoever's beyond him in the squad.
09:19Are you ready to hand out some more Davies this summer?
09:24No, I don't think it's made me more confident about our decision with Jimmy.
09:28It's just made me more confident about Gus, to be honest.
09:31I've always, since the first time I've seen Gus bowl live,
09:37I've just always felt that there's something, you know, very special there.
09:41Bowls quick, he's got amazing skill and it's just effortless.
09:44And I think as well, you look back at his first day on the field,
09:47you know, bowling, the way he was able to sustain his pace,
09:50but with so much variety, whether he was, you know,
09:54trying to nip the ball or trying to swing the ball.
09:56And then obviously we've seen the ball with, you know, aggression
09:58when we're trying to go short, especially today, really encouraging signs.
10:04And yeah, you know, you've got to take, sometimes you look at players
10:08and you think about where they could go.
10:10You know, a good saying that sort of we like to live by
10:13is that this is the worst that they're going to be.
10:15And if you throw them out there in international cricket,
10:17they're only ever going to get better.
10:20Him and Jamie, I think have had brilliant first games out in an England shirt.
10:26So yeah, you know, the more time that they get out in the middle,
10:30the more exposed they are to situations, you know,
10:34and in particular pressure situations,
10:36the only good it's going to do for English cricket going forward.
10:40Ben, as a fielding captain, how much easier is your job
10:44when you've got a fully fit Ben Stokes as part of your attack?
10:47And just quietly when you are planning for the future,
10:50is what you've been able to do this week
10:53maybe the most important thing for the development of the team
10:56over the next 18 months?
10:59Yeah, I think I said to Baz, I think after when we bowled,
11:03I was like, even though it's only one more option,
11:05I felt like I had way more options
11:07than we have done over the last couple of years.
11:10You know, now I'm at bowling full time,
11:12you just feel like you can, I don't know,
11:14manipulate your decisions a lot easier.
11:17You know, I know I bowled two longer spells
11:21and you just feel like you can operate it just a little bit easier.
11:24I know Bash didn't get an opportunity with a ball this game,
11:27but that was purely down to the conditions
11:29that we sort of had with us when we had the ball.
11:31We always felt that scene was going to be the threat.
11:35But yeah, it's obviously a long summer
11:37and I'm sure conditions will,
11:39and game situations will dictate when Bash comes on to bowl.
11:44But yeah, it's always nice having five options
11:47to be able to turn to if you feel like you need to break a wicket.
11:50Just as an all-rounder, how does it complete you as a cricketer
11:53when you can, or affect you as a cricketer actually
11:56when you have one discipline taken away
11:58and now it comes back and can the batting feed off the bowling?
12:03Yeah, I mean, well, as a cricketer,
12:05it's obviously a big miss, you know.
12:07Being an all-rounder is something that I've done
12:09ever since I was a kid.
12:10So, knowing, you know, before I've had my surgery,
12:15knowing that I probably wouldn't be able to play the role
12:17that I've done for so long was obviously frustrating
12:20and more frustrating that I couldn't add
12:22or couldn't help out the guys
12:24when we were in sort of tricky situations
12:26and asking guys to come back for sometimes, you know,
12:29the false spells when they're tired
12:30and they put everything into it.
12:33But yeah, in terms of, you know, completing me as a cricketer,
12:35that's what I am.
12:38I always try and influence the game, I always have done,
12:40and now I've got back into a place where, you know,
12:43I know I can bowl without any worries.
12:45It's really good.
12:48Afternoon, Ben. This is Biram Qazi from Pro Sports.
12:50Congratulations on a fantastic victory.
12:52You guys were marvellous out there.
12:53England scored 370-odd runs in this game
12:56at a scoring rate of roundabout four per over,
13:00which is about one less run per over
13:02from the first iteration of baseball.
13:04Is this something we can expect more
13:06or are you just taking that game by game?
13:09No, I don't think, you know, looking at the run rate,
13:11it's probably not what, you know, should be focused on.
13:14One thing in particular with the batters,
13:16I just thought it was just so calm and clinical.
13:21You know, we did have a period,
13:23and just to go back to compliment one of our debutants,
13:25Jamie Smith, when he came into bat in a position
13:27that is completely new to him at number seven.
13:30He obviously lost Brookie, myself and Joe
13:32in quite quick succession when we were dominating the game
13:34with the bat, so that was a tricky situation.
13:36But he came in and just looked so calm,
13:38clicked at the crease and wrestled that momentum
13:40back towards us.
13:42Then obviously when he was batting with a tail at the end,
13:44the clarity he had to, you know,
13:47not only try and take the strike as much as he could,
13:50but just look at ease in that situation.
13:53And, yeah, I think that six he hit out the ground
13:56just proves the power game he's got as well.
13:58But I thought his all-innings, he structured incredibly well
14:00in a new position and a new role for him.
14:03You know, it was very, very exciting for us.
14:06But, you know, as a debut goes, not only with a bat,
14:11but also, you know, keepers always say that
14:13you don't want to be noticed, really, with the gloves.
14:16And when that happens, you've generally had a good day,
14:19and I thought he was very tidy behind the stumps as well.
14:21Cheers.
14:22Last one, Andrew, please.
14:23Ben, just in terms of the choreography of the day,
14:26for want of a better word,
14:27I mean, Jimmy's obviously synonymous with the pavilion end.
14:30Was there ever any thought about whether he should finish off there
14:33or was it just a case of Gus has got the wickets, he keeps the end?
14:36Yeah, well, obviously Gus had that one ball left to complete this morning.
14:40Jimmy, I didn't tell him it, but I said he was always going to bowl
14:45until we took that last wicket.
14:48However long it took, yeah, I wasn't going to take him off.
14:52Even if he said he was tight, I was like, no, you've got to keep going here.
14:57But, look, yeah, it was great.
14:58Obviously, Jimmy in his last game, fairytale ending was on the cards,
15:02but also Gus, ten wickets on debut.
15:04So, you know, I felt like those two were going to be the ones
15:08to get us over the line, however it happened.
15:11But, yeah, it was just how it sort of played out last night
15:15in terms of Jimmy having the far end
15:17as opposed to his favourite end here at the pavilion.
15:19And just in terms of the evolution of the team,
15:21obviously there's now two home tests in a row
15:24in which you lost Stuart Broad and now Jimmy.
15:27I mean, that's an awful lot of experience,
15:29an awful lot of emotions going on in consecutive tests
15:32for the home crowd as much as the dressing room.
15:34I mean, can you sum up the way you've been through it?
15:36Because, obviously, Brodie's retirement almost came as a bit of a surprise
15:39to most of us when he announced it on that penultimate day.
15:42Yeah, when we got back into the dressing room, I said to Joe,
15:44I said, well, we've been with Cookie, we've been with Brodie
15:49and now we've been with Jimmy.
15:50So, sort of, they just realised our age as well.
15:54But, yeah, look, I feel very fortunate to have been able
15:59to have played as much cricket as I have done
16:01with not only Jimmy but Brodie and Cookie,
16:05three goats of our game, three goats of the game as a whole.
16:08So, yeah, a very emotional day.
16:13Not just for us but also for Jimmy.
16:16And also, I mean, what an occasion for the new lads coming in
16:20to be a part of that.
16:22You know, Gus, Jamie, first taste of international cricket
16:25to see that reception that you can get as England players.
16:29So, even for me, you know, we've played a lot of cricket,
16:32it sends goosebumps down you.
16:33So, I'd love to know what they were feeling
16:35when they were watching that all unfold.
16:37Brilliant, thank you.
16:38Thanks, guys. Cheers.
16:39Sorry, before you all jump out and carry on,
16:41very, very quickly, very, very quickly,
16:44lots of celebrations for this game,
16:46Jimmy Anderson and so on and so forth.
16:48But I know he's kept it really quiet,
16:50but it's also Danny's 100th test as media manager for England.
16:55He's been a terrific friend to a lot of us for a long time,
16:59really supportive, got the respect of the players,
17:02the respect of the media,
17:03and he's certainly helped me out this week.
17:05So, as a token of appreciation from the West Indies team,
17:08we'll sign a memento for the game.
17:11APPLAUSE