Stokes is predicting a similar display to that of Jonny Bairstow at Trent Bridge, from someone in the England ranks, at Headingley - which itself has just a bit of a reputation for the dramatic
Ben Stokes has asked his England team to match their Trent Bridge entertainment value in the third Test against New Zealand at Headingley.
Jonny Bairstow's extraordinary century propelled Stokes's side to an unassailable series lead in Nottingham last week, and the hosts can complete a whitewash against the reigning World Test Championship champions with a win in Leeds over the next five days.
Stokes, who has brought a fresh, combative and aggressive approach to the captaincy, wants to see more of the same from his team.
"We want to walk away with the series winning 3-0 because it does sound better to 2-1," he said on Wednesday.
Ben Stokes takes part in training on Wednesday [Gareth Copley/Getty Images]
"But, as I said upstairs to the lads before we started training today, the result will look after itself this week. Let's carry on what the what we've been doing the last two weeks and try and think that we're in the entertainment business not the sporting business this week.
"What you saw last week on that day five is exactly what it was. For us it was it was a matter of just chasing the runs down not how many overs there. At not one stage did we look at that. I think was pretty clear by the fact we knocked them off in 16 overs in the last session. Me and Jonny just decided that was a time to put as much pressure back on them as we possibly could. And that's what we're doing this week."
Bairstow and Stokes - mainly Bairstow - make a mockery of chasing 160 in the final session at Trent Bridge, with Bairstow producing a display of consistent hitting which is rarely seen in the red-ball arena.
But his captain is predicting a similar display, from someone in the England ranks, at Headingley - which itself has just a bit of a reputation for the dramatic.
"There will come a time, at some point this week, we have to do it with the ball or the bat," he said. "So yes, I wouldn't be surprised if you saw something similar to Jonny did last week, because I'm sure if any of our guys get in they’ll be looking to do something - maybe not as good as what Johnny did last week - but something similar."
Stokes congratulates Jonny Bairstow after England's win at Trent Bridge [Getty Images]
One player who will be the subject of particular scrutiny in the final game of the series is Zak Crawley.
The Kent opener has 56 runs from four innings in the series to date.
"I certainly hope he's feeling this could be his week. Zak's a team man," Stokes said.
"It's always disappointing when you're struggling to get runs yourself, but there's a reason why Zak is in this team. Because everyone knows what a player he is and what a big future he has in an England shirt. But Zak, not doing well last week and seeing Popey [Ollie Pope] and Jonny do well, would not faze him.
"Winning is the most important thing for him. The quality player that Zak is, we know that a big score is only just around the corner. And when he does it, it will definitely be entertaining."
Meanwhile, Stokes backed Eoin Morgan to continue in the white-ball captaincy. Morgan's position in the team has been questioned in places following a recent run of meagre returns with the bat, but the Middlesex batsman remains an integral part of the squad dynamic, forged over the past seven years.
"I think the press are the only ones giving him a hard time and I think the players have shown it's not an issue with them," Stokes said.
"People are allowed to not score many runs and, more than that, he's our captain. He's a phenomenal leader and always will be so I've got no issues with anything going on with him at the moment."
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