Watching that makes you realise how much cricket has fallen in popularity. Botham was a household name, as big as any football player of his day.

Stokes could have similar cross over appeal but I guess cricket just doesn’t have the following anymore.

"It feels much better than it ever did, much more sensitive." John Wayne Bobbit

It is subjective but the predicament that Stokes was in and the response shades it for me, clearing six after six with Aussie fielders on the boundary, 73 for the last wicket.

Such is cricket, in the first innings of 67 Stokes gave away his wicket with a wretched shot, followed by a wayward spell of fast bowling going for 7 an over.

I believe Stokes actually has a slightly higher batting average.

Do agree with you about Botham though, but not by a mile

"It feels much better than it ever did, much more sensitive." John Wayne Bobbit

All excellent players and whilst I think Botham was possibly marginally better in his day, Stokes' World Cup and Ashes innings edges him for me. You can have all the talent in the world, but to perform like that under that pressure and when everyone else is falling apart around you in immense.

Agreed. So often in the past when our players have faced an uphill task they have capitulated. It's as if they don't have the stomach or mental make-up for a digging in and batting against the odds, and rush things as if they just want to get it over with.

That's what made Stoke's innings very special. He set about his task in a business like way and didn't hurry things unnecessarily. And when the crunch came with only Jack Leach left he played intelligently and bravely.