'The new...'

Last night, at the embarrassingly late time of 4am, I found myself awake and watching the live coverage of the England XI vs Cricket Australia Chairman's XI game played on an Aussie Rules Football pitch. It was a fairly dull affair mainly due to the slow outfield, poor standard of bowling and general lack of any aptitude from a despondent and downtrodden England side.

Despite this, I did find myself briefly engaged due to one man - Ben Stokes. With a carefree walk to the crease and a nonchalant swinging of the arms he reminded me of a young, incredibly burnt, Clive Lloyd. Unfortunately that was as far as the comparison went, with his brief innings of 28 starting and stalling until he was well caught at short leg. The more time he spent at the crease, the more it lead me to another comparison with much more commonality than that of a West Indian legend - that of Andrew Flintoff.

Like Flintoff he started his career as more of a batter; hard-hitting, belligerent, and showing immense power and presence at the crease even at a young age. Also like Flintoff, he was perhaps the wrong side of the fitness line, 'high skin fold percentage' as the Australians would say. And even more like Flintoff, he had the hint of a reckless side - he was sent home last winter from an England Lions tour due for repeat offences of late-night drinking.

The disgrace of being sent home appears to have been the catalyst he needed - He has become bigger, broader and leaner, allowing him to develop his bowling and clock speeds of 90mph last summer, taking 42 First Class wickets at 26.57. His batting is still developing, and while he does have a propensity to be rash at times, his inclusion in the Ashes squad shows there is clearly enough to suggest he can succeed at test level.

I noticed him yesterday for none of these reasons, but solely due to his swagger and body language. After the absolute trashing England received at Brisbane, it was refreshing to see someone who looked confident and assured in the middle, as though he was above the bowlers and wanted them to know it.

It's easy after a heavy defeat to look for quick answers, a miracle cure. The selections of certain recent Australia players has shown the folly of this. It is also easy to look for 'the next...' and 'the new...' - every allrounder in the 90's was dubbed 'the new Ian Botham', and England are still searching for 'the new Andrew Flintoff'. So for any new allrounder, this may have to be an albatross they wear around their neck.

But in my opinion, Ben Stokes may be that man, and is worth a try for the next Test at Adelaide. He doesn't have the scars that Johnny Bairstow has, nor the timid look occasionally conveyed by Gary Ballance. Will he be the difference between the two teams? Probably not. May he fail miserably? Quite possibly. But the aggression and attitude he could bring to the team is something England are currently lacking.

The whole England team may be sent home in disgrace from this Ashes tour. But, there is a still a possibility that this new man on the horizon, could be the catalyst England need.