Ben Stokes lit up a cigarette just ahead of the Super Over in 2019 WC final, reveals book excerpt
A chapter from Nick Hoult and Steve James’ newly-released book ‘Morgan's Men’ revealed that Ben Stokes took a few minutes for himself to light up a cigarette ahead of the 2019 WC Super Over. The book also revealed that Eoin Morgan was trying to bring calm to the England dressing room.
Ben Stokes played one of the craziest cricket knocks ever exactly one year earlier to this date and during his game with destiny, the English all-rounder was doing everything he could to bring semblance to the side. After an overthrow that hit his bat to go for a four, he apologised instantly but that meant the scores were level with New Zealand’s first innings total and the game had to go to Super Over.
With tension all around, Eoin Morgan had a decision to make about who to send for the Super Over but Stokes was in mood to take any further tension. To take the pressure off his head, the talismanic Durham boy went to the washroom to light up a cigarette. The secret was spilled by English cricket journalists Nick Hoult and Steve James in their book Morgan's Men: The Inside Story of England's Rise from Cricket World Cup Humiliation to Glory.
"Finding a quiet spot as the frenzy of the Super Over approached was hard in a ground packed out with 27,000 supporters and television cameras following the players from the middle, through the Long Room and up the stairs to the dressing room," the authors wrote, as revealed by the excerpt published on stuff.co.nz.
"But Ben Stokes had played at Lord's many times. He knows every nook and cranny. As Eoin Morgan tries to bring calm to the England dressing room and sort out their tactics, Stokes nips off for a moment of peace."
"He is covered in dirt and sweat. He has batted for two hours and 27 minutes of unbelievable tension. What does Stokes do? He goes to the back of the England dressing room, past the attendant's little office and into the showers. There he lights up a cigarette and has a few minutes on his own."
Stokes was eventually declared Man of the Match for his unbeaten 84-run effort to go with his extra eight runs in the Super Over that helped them secure their first World Cup victory.
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