porridge is served
Ben Stokes, the bad boy of English cricket is not an idiot. Ben Stokes, the man’s man of willow & leather is not a have-a-go hero. Ben Stokes, the hard-living embodiment of Beefy Botham is a thug and a criminal. With a rap-sheet that includes spending a night in the cells, a six-month driving ban and a formal on-the-record caution for obstructing the police, slugger Stokes went one better in the damning video of last week’s street brawl and was rightly arrested on the suspicion of causing actual bodily harm.
At 2.30am, just hours after representing England against the West Indies, Stokes is seen throwing fifteen punches before finally KO’ing a guy with a right hook. True, it has been claimed he became involved because of homophobic taunts but this does not for one second justify any of his actions. He would have done better remembering the playground retort of ‘sticks & stones may break my bones’ as he himself suffered a broken finger and one of his assailants had to be hospitalised. Mind, it has to be said it was a socker of a final punch and perhaps Rio Ferdinand shouldn’t be the only ex-athlete considering a future in the ring!
Sadly, these are actions witnessed on any weekend night on any high street in the land. As such, Stokes should face the full force of the law and this should constitute nothing less than a custodial sentence, perhaps not the maximum of five years but certainly long enough for the errant sportsman to consider the error of his ways.
Stokes, undeniably our finest all-rounder in all formats, was the only combatant the Aussies truly feared in the up-and-coming Ashes test series. A little time in the clink will at least allow him the opportunity of counting the cost to his country’s team. That and perhaps considering how much of his £1,700,000.00 fee for participating in fourteen Indian Premier Leagues matches he should’ve spent on anger-management therapy.
