'Made to open': Paine reveals Stokes' role for Big Bash return

Having won the race to recruit ex-England skipper Ben Stokes, Adelaide Strikers head coach Tim Paine knows exactly how he wants to use his former Ashes combatant.

Stokes, one of the game's great allrounders, was last night unveiled as the Strikers' marquee overseas signing for KFC BBL|16, putting pen to paper on a one-year deal with full availability, including finals. 

The Paine-coached Strikers edged out lucrative offers from Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Renegades to secure the 35-year-old's services. 7News reported Stokes' Strikers deal is close to $500,000 for the season.

"It was in the works for a while," Paine said.

"I think most clubs were sort of sniffing around once news of Ben's Test retirement came out. The thought was that he may be available and looking to start a bit of a franchise career.

"For us, he just ticks so many boxes ... he's still an incredible player. He can impact games with the bat. He can impact in the field (and) he can impact with the ball.

"There's not that many players I wouldn't have thought out of the world that tick all of those boxes and are still at a really high level of cricket."

Stokes has played limited short-form cricket since helping England lift the 2022 T20 World Cup with a match-winning innings in the final against Pakistan at the MCG.

He skipped ECB's recent Hundred season to instead play 50-over matches for his county side Durham, and he has not played a T20 fixture in two years.

But that matters little to Paine, who has seen the destructiveness of his boom recruit up close.

The former Aussie Test captain was on the receiving end of Stokes' famous 2019 Ashes knock at Headingley. He's clear on the role the Englishman can play for the Strikers this season.

"I think he's made to open the batting in the Big Bash," Paine said.

"The pasty, bouncy wickets in Australia really suit him. I've been on the end of a couple of his devastating innings in Test cricket where you feel like you can't defend the field.

"He can play 360 degrees. He's got power (and) some real class, so I think he can do a terrific job opening the batting."

If the move comes to fruition, it will see Stokes likely partner Strikers' captain and two-time BBL player of the tournament Matt Short at the top of the order.

It's a prospect Paine believes should excite Adelaide fans as they attempt to climb back into the finals for the first time since the 2023-24 season.

"I love the combination," he said. "They're both really different (and) both absolutely world-class, so if you're sitting in front of your TV and those two are walking out to open the batting, I think it'll be pretty exciting.

"We're looking forward to putting them together. We've got some other options as well that we might throw up.

"Matt Short has showed in other leagues that he's more than happy to bat at three and play different roles as long as the team he's in is getting better. We've had that discussion with him and it's an option as well. It's nice to have high-quality players that we can choose from."

Facing stiff competition from the Sixers and Renegades, who Stokes played four games for in BBL|04, Paine revealed the Strikers were aligned with the left-hander on his preferred batting position as part of their recruitment strategy.

"We (thought) that we'd like to bat him in the top three, and he was in agreeance with that," Paine said.

"As soon as that (decision) was made, then we were full steam ahead. It was just perfect alignment that he wants to bat in the top three (and) we want to use him there.

"We probably wouldn't have pursued it as hard if we weren't aligned with the role that we wanted and needed him to play, and what he sees himself doing as well. I think that was an important conversation to have really early."

But it's not just with the bat where the former gloveman believes Stokes can have a significant impact for his side.

Since his retirement from international cricket, Stokes has continued to contribute with the ball, taking five wickets for Durham in a first-class fixture against Derbyshire last month to go with a half-century in each innings.

Despite a chequered injury history that's seen him unable to bowl for periods of his career, Paine is adamant he'll be a viable bowling option for the Strikers.

"We think he can surprise people," he added. "He's a bit quicker than people think.

"He's got great skill. He can swing the ball both ways, so we feel like we can use him in all phases of the game with the ball as well."

As a major protagonist in world cricket since his international debut 15 years ago, Stokes' relationship with the Australian public is set to be tested this summer.

Despite the controversies surrounding his exit from the England team, Paine expects local fans to warm to one of sport's iconic figures.

"I think Australian fans will really warm to his character and his personality," he said.

"We expect he'll be a fantastic role model for our club and for our fans. He's been one of the guys that's come over from England that we've kind of loved to hate.

"When you think about it, most of those guys that we are like that with is because they're up there with some of the best players the game has ever seen. I know Australian cricket fans have loved beating England and loved beating Ben Stokes, but they've absolutely always respected the way he plays the game, how competitive he is (and) how much he wants to win.

"When you put a guy like that into the team that you support, coach, or play for, I'm sure all Australian fans, but certainly the Strikers' fans, will be absolutely looking forward to seeing him on our shores."

Under new Big Bash contracting rules introduced last week, there is no longer a minimum requirement for clubs to contract an overseas player each season. Despite the change, Paine revealed the Strikers' BBL|16 squad would include three internationals, the maximum number permitted on a club's primary list.

Adelaide Strikers BBL|16 squad (so far)

Contracted for BBL|16: Alex Carey (contracted until BBL|17), Mackenzie Harvey (BBL|16), Thomas Kelly (BBL|16), Lloyd Pope (BBL|16), Jason Sangha (BBL|16), Liam Scott (BBL|16), Matt Short (BBL|17), Ben Stokes (BBL|16), Tom Straker (BBL|16), Henry Thornton (BBL|16), Jerrssis Wadia (BBL|17)

 

Uncontracted: Hassan Ali (Pakistan), Cameron Boyce, Jordan Buckingham, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Harry Manenti, Harry Nielsen, Jamie Overton (England), Alex Ross, Tabraiz Shamsi (South Africa), Luke Wood (England)

 

Head coach: Tim Paine