'Like a fairy tale': Ben Stokes' New Zealander parents on watching son's star performance in World Cup Final
New Zealand-born Ben Stokes’ parents have described watching their son’s performance in England's Cricket World Cup Final win as a “fairy tale”.
Man-of-the-match Stokes held his nerve to contribute an unbeaten 84 to leave the scores tied at the end of a dramatic 100 overs – and returned to bat for the Super Over, outing another 15 alongside Jos Butler.
Dad Gerard Stokes and mum Deb watched from their home in Christchurch and told TV3 News they will be recording the highlights to watch again on Monday night "just to make sure it was real”.
Mr Stokes said: “It wasn’t just an ordinary game of cricket, it wasn’t just a world cup final, it was something special and to witness that and to have your son be a huge part of that is something like a fairy tale.”
He recalled how even when his son was "in nappies" that he had a "natural talent" and said how quickly time has gone since then to where he is now.
Stokes moved to England when he was 12 and dad Gerard, who was a Kiwi's League international, reminded his countrymen there is some good news from Sunday's defeat.
"There's still a bit of Kiwi on that cup and that's the main thing, isn't it?" he said.
On watching the highlights, Deb added: "We'll be recording the highlights and if there is any percentage left on our sky record it'll stay there forever."
Cockermouth School PE teacher Chris Hayes, who taught Stokes for four years at secondary school, said he was not surprised by his former pupil's performance.
He said: "I was absolutely convinced he would not be out. I've seen that in him before. He won't give his wicket away.
"He'll take that responsibility to try and see the job through and close the deal - and by hook or by crook he did.
"He had that determination all the time, that game management as well as the talent. It doesn't surprise me at all that he was able to do that.
"You talk about his lack of concentration in the team meeting or school environment, but the ability to concentrate with that bat in hand is unbelievable and he showed that on many occasions with us."
England’s victory would have been inconceivable without Stokes' efforts, with captain Eoin Morgan in no doubt as to the significance of his talismanic all-rounder's contribution.
Morgan said: “To come through it is extraordinary. He's almost superhuman. He has really carried the team and our batting line-up.
“To bat with the lower order the way he did, I thought was incredible. He managed to deal with the emotion and atmosphere in an incredibly experienced manner.
“Hopefully everyone watching at home will try to be the next Ben Stokes.”
Stokes' previous final in an England shirt ended in heartbreak when he conceded four successive sixes as the freewheeling Carlos Brathwaite secured the World Twenty20 crown for the West Indies in 2016.
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Morgan added: "A lot of careers would have been ended after what happened in Kolkata. But Ben has stood up individually, and in the unit for us, a huge number of times since then.
"Here he's had a huge day out, and we're thankful for that."
Stokes recognised the magnitude of the finale, watched on by 30,000 at the home of cricket, a mass gathering at Trafalgar Square and a bumper audience, swelled by being broadcast on free-to-air television.
At the presentation ceremony, he said: "I'm pretty lost for words. All the hard work that's gone in over these four years, this is where we aspired to be.
"To do it with such a game, I don't think there will be another like this in the history of cricket.
"The lads, in this one-day team, the Test team, my family, their support has been massive.”