Daily Mirror - 27.08.2019

mirror.co.uk TUESDAY 27.08.2019 DAILY MIRROR^5

DM1ST

HERO TALKS TO THE MIRROR

THE FRIES

to the national team he showed the

maturity and dedication that has

made him the undisputed hero of

English cricket.

Because he knew his loyal wife was

with him every step of the way.

And it was Clare who suggested Ben

get a tattoo of a phoenix on his arm.

“She thought it symbolised me

perfectly,” he said. “Because whenever

I’m down, I always try my best to get

back up – to rise again.”

And if Ben ever falls, Clare is there

to catch him.

[email protected]

@RachaelBletchly

VOICE OF THE MIRROR: PAGE 8

mood if I’ve had a cr*p day.” Ben’s dad

said in 2016: “Having a family of his

own has been a massive turnaround.

It’s helped him take those final strides.”

And former England cricketer Steve

Harmison, who played with Ben at

Durham, said: “Ben’s an unbelievably

talented boy but what made him the

cricketer he is was becoming a father.”

Ben was arrested in September 2017

after a street fight in Bristol.

He was stripped of his role as

England’s vice-captain and missed the

2017-18 Ashes tour.

Last August, Ben, who said he had

been acting in self-defence, was found

not guilty of affray. And on his return

made it work.” He was 21 and still

loving lads’ nights out when Layton

was born. His son’s

arrival made him grow

up fast. Libby followed

in 2014.

He said: “It has

changed me being a

dad. Kids offer you a

release for angst and

frustration. Clare is

brilliant when she

knows things haven’t

gone well. She will

keep Layton up if I am

due home and his excitement at

seeing me completely changes my

cricketer. It was during a family trip in

August 2010 to watch Lancashire

versus Durham at Old

Trafford that Clare

caught her future

husband’s eye.

They began a long-

distance relationship as

Ben was living in

Durham, while Clare

was studying to be a

teacher in Taunton, a

640-mile round trip.

“I was 19, and wasn’t

necessarily looking to

settle down,” says Ben. “But we

enjoyed being around each other and

After spearheading England in their

record run chase to win a Test match

at the miracle of Headingley on Sun -

day, Ben was described by his captain

Joe Root as “superhuman and a freak”.

But it was his normal, happy family

life that has allowed him to mature as

a player and a person.

Born in New Zealand, Ben came to

England aged 12 when dad Ged

moved here as a rugby league coach.

They settled in Cumbria and Ben’s

cricket talent soon resulted in him

being enlisted at Durham’s academy.

Clare grew up in East Brent,

Somerset. Her dad, a cricket fanatic,

always told her she should marry a

g

“

COUPLE

ALWAYS

THERE

Ben with

supportive

wife Clare

Your family

go through

everything

with you...

the good

and the bad

BEN STOKES ON UPS & DOWNS

OF LIFE AS AN ENGLAND STAR

Clare and her hero husband relaxing

Mum Deb and dad Ged alongside Ben

PARENTS

Headingley Test had been “a hell of a game”.

Mr Morrison – who was invited to attend the

G7 gathering in France as a guest – agreed it

had been “a great match”.

Tipping Stokes for an honour, Mr Johnson

added: “I thought it was one of the most

extraordinary things I’ve ever seen – the

shots I saw were absolutely incredible.

“I think I’ve already promised that Ben

Stokes should get a dukedom, so I can’t go

any higher than that. Clearly it’s not a matter

for me. There’s some honours committee or

other and I am sure they will take the

appropriate decision in due course.”

As the importance of his historic innings

started to sink in, Stokes said in a late-night

tweet: “I f**king love Test Match Cricket.”

Victory really is

summit special

BY ANDY LINES, Chief Reporter

BEN Stokes’ heroics at Headingley even

reached the G7 summit as Australian Prime

Minister Scott Morrison congratulated Boris

Johnson through gritted teeth yesterday.

At their meeting in Biarritz, Mr Morrison

acknowledged the England victory that

levelled the Ashes series at one-all.

But he was quick to point out there are

“still two to go” – the final two matches of

the series will take place next month.

Mr Johnson admitted “we’re not taking

anything for granted”, but added that the

GRITTED TEETH Aussie PM Morrison

BURGER KING: SPORT