Saturday 4 November 2017 09:06, UK
Michael Atherton believes that Ben Stokes could bat as high as No 4 in future after the all-rounder struck another half-century during England's 124-run win over the Windies.
Stokes made 73 from 63 balls, after which a rapid century from Moeen Ali led took hosts up to 369-9 in the third ODI at Bristol before bowling the Windies out for 245.
While England have struggled to find players to fill the position at No 3 and No 5 in Test cricket, Atherton argued Stokes should be kept at six for now but has the technique to be promoted in the years to come.
"He has taken his own game on," Atherton told Sky Sports. "I think that is the impressive thing about Ben Stokes, he is someone who is constantly learning and looking to improve.
"With cricketers like Stokes, you sometimes think of natural ability, brute force and strength, you don't necessarily always think of them as thinking cricketers or cricketers who are looking to develop and expand their game. But I think he is.
"I've watched him as a batsman now over the last two years and if you look at his play against spin, his defensive technique against spin, the range and adaptability of strokes that he's got now - we saw him play a reverse sweep for four so it is not just the power strokes down the ground he's got.
"I think technically, after Joe Root, he is as pure a technical player as England have got. He keeps it very simple, he stands still and has lovely rhythm and flow about his game. He drives when it is full, he pulls and cuts when it's short and, as I say, he is improving against spin all the time.
"I don't think they should move him from six [in Tests] because at the moment he is a genuine all-rounder and you want his bowling as well, that is a critical part of his game.
"But I think eventually, as the physical wear and tear of the game takes its toll on his body, and as his bowling starts to become a second suit, he could easily move up to No 4 or No 5.
While Stokes and Ali continue to impress, it was another day of frustration with the bat for captain Eoin Morgan, who was dismissed for a first-ball duck.
One problem for the 31-year-old, according to Atherton, is a lack of cricket and time in the middle.
"It is an issue because you always want to be leading from the front but you can carry a captain longer if you are winning," he added.
"I think the problem for Eoin is that he just doesn't get enough time at the crease, in the middle. He's not playing any first class cricket for Middlesex now, I think his last first class game was July 2015 - that's over two years ago.
"He is effectively just playing a lot of T20 cricket and if you bat in the middle-order in T20 then you're probably going to bat for 20 or 30 balls maximum. So if you then get yourself in a bit of a trot in 50-over cricket as well then you're not getting any time at the crease.
"It is all very well netting at Lord's and in and around the Middlesex games but if you're not getting any time at the crease, I think it is a bit of a problem."
