Sir Geoffrey Boycott has responded to comments made by captain Ben Stokes before – and during – the ongoing Ashes series between Australia and England.
England cricket legend Sir Geoffrey Boycott has delivered some advice to Ben Stokes following his ‘disrespectful’ comment in the build-up to the Ashes series in Australia. England are currently reeling from losing the first Test by eight wickets within two days in Perth.
Stokes’s team will now travel to Brisbane for a day-night Test, which is already being previewed as a must-win for England. The last time a visiting team won at The Gabba in an Ashes series was in 1986, with England led by captain Mike Gatting in that instance.
England’s decision to play just one three-day warm-up match against England Lions before the start of the Ashes was questioned by several former players – including Ian Botham, Michael Vaughan and Graham Gooch. This led to Stokes referring to critics as ‘has-beens’ – which the England captain has since apologised for.
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“Everyone knows it was a slip of the tongue,” said Stokes, via BBC Sport. “I got the words I said there completely wrong. I think everyone knows that.
“‘Has-beens’ is a horrible word. It’s the only thing that managed to come out of my mouth in that moment.
“I’m going to be one of those one day. It’s a complete wrong wording, and I think everyone does know that it’s not at all what I meant by that.”
Boycott, who scored more than 8,000 Test runs for England before continuing his work in the game as a TV pundit and commentator, has reacted to comments made by Stokes which came before the series even began.
“A piece of advice to Stokes about his has-beens remark when referring to ex-players,” Boycott told The Telegraph. “Ben is right that today’s cricket is different, but he forgets that cricket has always evolved.
“In 30 or 50 years’ time, there will be new innovations which, at the moment, we cannot envisage. But that doesn’t mean some things in the past are not still relevant today.
“That’s why people in Asia respect their elders for the knowledge they have gained and from that knowledge, they can give wise counsel to a discussion. If you are prepared to listen to the ex-players, there may be some things that the modern player can use in the modern format.
“You don’t have to agree with everything the past great players say but as Richie Benaud once said to me; ‘You can learn something every day’.
“Being stubborn can be a virtue, but if you are so intractable you never listen – and it is your way or the highway – then there is bound to be a fall.
“To call past players ‘has-beens’ was disrespectful especially as some of those ‘has-beens’ played in teams that won the Ashes in England and Australia.
“I’m glad that Ben has half apologised, saying it was a slip of the tongue, because none of this team have won the Ashes in Australia. Get the job done, because then you don’t need to say anything and you can bask in all the glory coming your way.”
The second Test of the Ashes will get underway on Thursday, with Stokes and England yet to confirm the line-up for the day-night showdown in Brisbane.
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