Wowu, emangalisayo, kumnandi. Ndikwazi ukuya kwi: Uluhlu lwezinto ezibalaseleyo ukuchaza obuhle (Pha, Nditsalele enye ngaphakathi!) innings by Ben Stokes in the drawn second test has to rank alongside the best ever knocks in international cricket.
Ndiyazi-ndikhomba kulo mbhali ngokuchaza ubomvu 'kucacile! What his innings does do though is highlight the need for England to be able to not only spot talented individuals such as Stokes but to nurture them and encourage them to reach their full potential.
Abadlali abanjengoStoke baya kuba namaxesha abo amabi. Kodwa baya kuba namaxesha abo okuqaqamba okungagungqiyo. UStoke ukwinqanaba ledayimani kwaye kubalulekile ukuba abaphathi baseNgilane bajongane naye ngendlela ezisa eyona intle kuye. Ufuna ukulawulwa njengomntu kunye nenxalenye yeqela. UMichael Vaughan wayekrelekrele ekwenzeni oko xa engukapteni. Kusaza kubonakala ukuba kuza kuba njani xa uthabatha iintambo Cook Joe Root (Ndiyarhana ukuba iyakuba emva kokuba uthotho lwangoku luphelile). Ke xa uStoke efumana amadada ambalwa emgceni kwaye i-bowling yindlela encinci yeewadi kwaye unamathele kuye kwaye umnike nayiphi na inkxaso efunekayo..
Ii-Kudos kufuneka ziye kuseto lwangoku-zii-stratosphere kude nalapho bezihlala zikhona. Ndikhule ndibukele (ngokuchanekileyo ukubandezeleka) INgilani kwiminyaka yee-1990 kwaye yabona indlela abadlali ababini abangaphezulu ngayo 76,000 Iklasi yokuqala ibaleka phakathi kwabo - uGraeme Hick kunye noMark Ramprakash - baphathwa ngendelelo ngabaphathi babo. Khawufane ucinge ukuba ezo dayimani bezikhazimlisiwe kunokuba ziphoswe nje kwimfumba yenkunkuma. Loo nto ayithethi, kunjalo, ukuba iNgilane ikulungele konke. UKevin Pietersen Ewe uphuma engqondweni kodwa bakho nabanye. Logama nje wena kakuhle ngokwaneleyo ngoko kufuneka kwiqela.
UBen Stokes umele ikamva leNgilane. Ayikwazi nje yena bat kodwa unako isitya kakhulu. INgilane akufuneki iwele kumgibe wokumsebenzisa kuzo zombini iinkalo- kufanele ukuba ibe ngumthungi wesine- okt. ugcino olusebenzisekayo kakhulu- ukuba naye abe ngumthungi wesithathu kuhlaselo lwesantya esintathu kunye noMoeen ebonelela ngokukhetha ukungxola kokuhlaselwa komdlalo obuthathaka-ngakumbi ukuba omnye okanye bobabini uBanzi okanye uAnderson wenzakele.
“Ibhola epinki ibonakala ingwevu / luhlaza ngombala obomvu / oluhlaza, kuxhomekeke kubukhali bayo. Ndenze ulinganiso ngobumfama bombala…”