How Smith helped Stokes succeed

Some technical advice from Steve Smith to England allrounder Ben Stokes may have come back to haunt the Australian skipper at the Champions Trophy and could do so again in the Ashes this summer.

Teammates at Indian Premier League franchise Rising Pune Supergiant, Smith and Stokes were opponents in Birmingham on Saturday as the Englishman blazed a superb hundred to knock the Australians out of the tournament.

Stokes had previously discussed a power-hitting training session during the IPL when Smith had offered the left-hander some technical advice and the allrounder's full range of shots was on display in his unbeaten 102 at Edgbaston.

Even though the 26-year-old played down the role his IPL skipper played in his match-winning knock.

"That was a power-hitting session that we obviously need in Twenty20 cricket," Stokes said.

"It was literally just a mini thing - he thought my back leg was falling away sometimes. That was pretty much it."

Speaking last month, the allrounder expanded on the unusual situation he and Smith found themselves in at the IPL ahead of the resumption of Ashes hostilities later this year.

"From playing with a guy you play against – England v Australia and the hype around England v Australia – then playing with him, it was really good actually," said Stokes.

"I remember doing a batting session with some power hitting where the guy who I will actually be playing against in the Ashes in our winter was helping me, which is something that you would never be able to fathom when you are playing against each other. The IPL is probably the only place where you get that."

When asked if he was sure Smith was trying to help and not engaging in some under-handed subterfuge, Stokes replied with a smile: "It would be a good tactic if he wasn't."

Not only did Stokes and skipper Eoin Morgan rescue their side from a perilous 3-35 in an entertaining run chase at Edgbaston, they did so predominantly in boundaries.

Sixty-four of Stokes' 102 runs came via balls hit into our over the rope, while almost 56 per cent of the deliveries he faced were dot balls (61 out of 109).

Morgan, too, found the boundary with ease; 62 of his 87 runs came via fours and sixes and played out 36 dot balls (44 per cent).

Stokes says the freedom with which this England side plays meant neither the situation of the match nor the build-up of dot balls hampered his natural aggression.

"Our natural game is to be positive so being 35-3, there was no reason why we should change the way we've been played," he said.

"Play every ball on its merits - if they bowl a good ball, keep it out and still try and attack the looser balls that they bowled.

"With the way we're playing at the moment, you probably going to have more boundaries … trying to take that positive option.

"We never put ourselves under any pressure whatsoever even though we did feel we were having too many dot balls. Because we always found a way to have that big over."

Stokes admits he's "probably" in the best form of his life with the bat, but says a recent knee injury means he has some way to go before he returns to full capacity with the ball.

"Now that my knee has settled down, I've got the confidence to not have to worry about that anymore," he said.

"I've just got to go back to bowling how I was in the IPL. I'm trying and training, but it's just not coming out the way that I want it to at the moment.

"But I'll keep trying and keep trying to help the team out with that side of things as well."

England will take on the winner of Monday’s match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the first semi-final in Cardiff on Wednesday.

Champions Trophy 2017 Guide

Squads: Every Champions Trophy nation

Schedule

1 June – England beat Bangladesh by eight wickets

2 June – New Zealand v Australia, No Result

3 June – Sri Lanka lost to South Africa by 96 runs

4 June – India beat Pakistan by 124 runs

5 June – Australia v Bangladesh, No Result

6 June – England beat New Zealand by 87 runs

7 June – Pakistan beat South Africa by 19 runs (DLS method)

8 June – Sri Lanka beat India by seven wickets

9 June – Bangladesh beat New Zealand by five wickets

10 June – England beat Australia by 40 runs (DLS method)

11 June – India beat South Africa by eight wickets

12 June – Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Cardiff (D)

14 June – First semi-final (England v B2), Cardiff (D)

15 June – Second semi-final (Bangladesh v B1), Edgbaston (D)

18 June – Final, The Oval (D)

19 June – Reserve day (D)