Trevor Bayliss says he is looking forward to witnessing how a cricketer like Ben Stokes will develop over the next decade after the all-rounder’s career-best figures helped set up the Ashes-sealing victory at Trent Bridge.
Stokes claimed six for 36 to see Australia bowled out for 253 only 39 minutes into the third day of the fourth Test, adding the wicket of Mitchell Starc to his overnight haul in a display of swing bowling the England head coach compared to the absent attack leader Jimmy Anderson.
That return followed his stunning one-handed diving catch on the first morning of the match and two half-centuries earlier in the series. While his understated Australian coach was keen to keep the hype to a minimum, he conceded England have a special talent at their disposal in the 24-year-old.
“We don’t want to put too much expectation on him and say he’s going to be the next Ian Botham, or the next Andrew Flintoff. He’ll be the next Ben Stokes,” Bayliss said. “Certainly, his batting is right up there. With his bowling, as we’ve seen here, he could be another Jimmy Anderson.
“To have that rolled up in one player is a good thing for English cricket, and on top of that he’s probably the best fielder in the team as well. I’m sure we’ll all enjoy watching where he’ll end up, and the performances he puts on the board over the next 10 to 15 years. I’m looking forward to it.”
Bayliss joined the team just a day before their training camp in Spain and has been credited as a relaxing presence in the dressing room by the players. He admitted the feeling of masterminding his own country’s downfall did stir the emotions, however. “I’m not going to gloat … well, not in front of them, anyway,” he said, jokingly. “I know how much they will be hurting in that changing room. Certainly, when the boys took that last wicket, and the lap of honour, the hairs on the back of the neck were standing up.”
On his own calm demeanour, he added: “I’m like a duck under the water, feet paddling pretty quickly. I think if the coach is showing his emotion, looking and feeling nervous and making comments that are not necessarily helpful that just makes the players even more nervous.”
Amid the jubilant scenes came a reminder from Bayliss that his team remain far from perfect and that an Ashes victory must not paper over the cracks if they are to one day top the world Test rankings.
“We’re not going to paper over the cracks,” he said. “There are some improvements to be made with this team if we want to be the best in the world, and want to play consistent cricket over a period of time and on foreign soil. We know there’s some hard work ahead of us.”
Asked about the captaincy of Alastair Cook, who he has known for only just over a month, he said: “First of all, he’s a fantastic guy. He is very well-respected in the dressing room, not just because of his own record but the type of person he is. He’s captained extremely well in this series so far – being pro-active, not reactive – and I think the results speak for themselves.”
