ADELAIDE: An Ashes series shorn of Ben Stokes would be a great shame for cricket but England are heading for defeat with or without the troubled all-rounder, former Australia batsman Greg Blewett has said.
Test vice-captain Stokes and opener Alex Hales have been suspended from international cricket indefinitely, pending an investigation into an altercation outside a nightclub in Bristol last week.
Stokes was initially named in the 16-man squad for the Ashes tour starting in November but the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) rowed back on the decision a day later
Blewett, who struck a century on his test debut during the 1994-95 Ashes series, cast doubt on Stokes’s chances of playing a full part in the series.
“I’m sure they will (sanction him). They are having their internal investigation. That will play out,” Blewett, a 46-test righthanded batsman, told Reuters in an interview in Adelaide yesterday.
“It would be a shame if he’s not out here. I think everyone wants to play against the strongest possible team.
“It would be a shame if he doesn’t come out because he’s a bit of a drawcard, he’s a world class all-rounder and will leave a massive hole in their team.
“But even if he was (to come), I think Australia are going to be too good at home anyway. With or without Ben Stokes I don’t see a different result but I think England would love to have him in their side.”
Blewett said Australia and the team’s formidable pace attack led by Mitchell Starc would provide the toughest of initiations.
“Two or three of those guys in the squad haven’t had a great start to their careers,” he said.
“It’s not going to get any easier when they come out here.
“And it’s looking like Australia are going to be full strength with their bowling attack so (they) are going to be up against it.”