Cricket
Cricket
This is how Ben Stokes trained to win the Cricket World Cup
Find out what happened when Ben Stokes was thrown into a shipyard containing cricket pitches, 90mph bowling machines and 3 brutal challenges set to push him to the limit ahead of England's triumph.
This summer has proved pivotal in the career of England cricket's all-rounder Ben Stokes, with his excellent performances helping England to win the ICC Cricket World Cup title in memorable fashion on home soil.
England looked doomed halfway through their innings in the 2019 final against New Zealand at Lord's Cricket Ground. However, Stokes (84 not out) and Jos Buttler (59) dug-in to help them tie New Zealand's score, before combining with the bat in the Super Over to propel England to victory.
Afterwards, man of the match Stokes revealed, "I'm pretty lost for words. All the hard work over that four years – to get here and be champions of the world is an amazing feeling. Moments like that is what you live for as a professional cricketer."
To prepare for his World Cup triumph, Stokes put his world-beating batting and bowling skills to the test in the fast-paced video Tactical Training. Watch as he takes on three specially-designed challenges set out over a relentless course in an abandoned shipyard in Sunderland, England.
Challenge 1: Target Bat
Tactical Training: Challenge 1 – Target Bat
© Greg Coleman/Red Bull Content Pool
With three cricket pitches, three targets to hit and three seconds to get to each pitch before a bowling machine fires a 144kph (90mph) ball at the stumps, this is the ultimate test of batting speed and accuracy. Target one demands a perfect pull shot, target two a powerful square cut and target three, set way in the distance, requires Stokes to launch the ball across the course with a square drive.
Challenge 2: Bowling Alley
Tactical Training: Challenge 2 – Bowling Alley
© Greg Coleman/Red Bull Content Pool
Here, Stokes faces three cricket pitches that push his bowling skills to the limit. On each pitch are a set of stumps. Stokes's challenge is to smash the red stump on each pitch out of the ground. With a ball waiting for him on each pitch, he must continuously sprint down each one to take the red wicket. It's an almost-impossible feat – set to challenge even the best in the world. With the final wicket still flying through the air, Stokes must turn and, without pause, sprint to the final and most demanding challenge of all...
Challenge 3: Fire Ball
Tactical Training: Challenge 3 – Fire Ball
© Greg Coleman
Three ball machines – set to 144kph (90mph) – launch balls that Stokes must catch in three different zones. Zone one sees him in a slip position, as several balls are fired in rapid succession. Once complete, he must get to zone two fast, where quick reactions and fearless commitment are required to dive and reach high, wide balls replicating pull shots. Finally, in zone three, Stokes must catch a ball that's launched at him from across the warehouse.
Once the last ball has been caught, Stokes must throw it to the other side of the building and knock over the final target.
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