STOKES READIES HIMSELF FOR CANTERBURY DEBUT

Allrounder set to face Otago on Sunday

Ben Stokes says he is looking forward to getting back to the cricket.

Stokes’ considerable shadow continues to loom over this Ashes series. As England toil away at Adelaide, the absent allrounder has been training with his new Canterbury team-mates in Christchurch.

The Telegraph have reported Stokes as saying: 

"I'd been working hard back home as well so it'll be good to put into practice… I think it'll be go for the club as well, so I'm looking forward to getting out there and hopefully winning.

"It's the first time I've met quite a few of them [the Canterbury team] today. I knew a few of the younger guys because they'd been coming over to Durham on an exchange programme, so it's nice to know a few faces because it is always hard coming into a new team when you're meeting them for the first time. So it was nice to see a few friendly faces.”

Stokes looks set to make his debut at the Mainpower Oval on Sunday with Canterbury facing Otago in New Zealand’s 50-over domestic competition, the Ford Trophy.

Excited to be back on a pitch tomorrow with Canterbury.Good days training out at Rangiora today and was great to meet the team pic.twitter.com/yAbNEWDkME

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) December 2, 2017

.@benstokes38 training with @CanterburyCrick this morning in Rangiora.

(Video/@sportsnutDG) pic.twitter.com/m2Wv5JL1rZ

— Radio Sport (@radiosportnz) December 1, 2017