The England all-rounder Ben Stokes says he "never wants to be involved in a super over again" after the nail-biting Cricket World Cup final win over New Zealand.
Ben Stokes shows the anguish of the scores being tied at the end of 50 overs in the final at Lord's. Photo: Photosport
The final went to a super over after both sides scored 241 from 50 overs - with England ultimately winning because they scored more boundaries.
"I had to go back into the shower room and give myself five minutes," Stokes told ITV's Good Morning Britain.
"To go out there and have the pressure of you batting first to try and get as many runs as you can is a scary place to be especially in the World Cup final but I'd rather be out there in the middle trying to do it than have to watch because that is the worst place to be - watching when you know you can't influence anything that is going on out there - it's not one of the things I ever want to be involved in again," Stokes said.
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Stokes, who threw himself to the ground as wicketkeeper Jos Buttler completed the run-out that sealed England's win, said he "broke down" at the moment of victory.
"I slipped, fell over and 'starfished' on the ground," said the 28-year-old.
"I had Mark Wood's glasses on and think I broke them on the ground. It was pandemonium."
Stokes was unbeaten on 84 at the end of England's innings and did not initially know he would go back out for the super over.
"I said we should send Jos [Buttler] and Jason [Roy] out, but Morgs [Eoin Morgan] said we needed left and right-hand combination," added Stokes, who is a left-hander.
It was Stokes and Buttler's partnership that put England within touching distance of chasing down New Zealand's 241 inside their 50 overs.
Needing 15 from the final over, Stokes hit a six and then benefited when a fielder's throw hit his bat as he dived to complete a second run and went for four.
England were given six runs but, as Stokes and Adil Rashid had not crossed when the throw was released, the law appears to say that was one too many.
Ben Stokes dives to make his ground during the final. Photo: Photosport
Stokes previously said he will be apologising to New Zealand captain Kane Williamson "for the rest of my life".
Jofra Archer, who only made his international debut in May, was tasked with bowling the resulting super over for England.
Stokes, who was hit for four sixes by Carlos Brathwaite in the final over of England's 2016 World Twenty20 final defeat by West Indies, offered Archer some advice.
"I said to him whatever happens here is not going to define your career if it doesn't go well," Stokes said.
"I was the person with the responsibility to do that [previously] and it didn't go well. I definitely wasn't going to bowl it again."
Not about Redemption
Stokes was found not guilty of affray in August last year after an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September 2017.
He missed England's Ashes tour of Australia in 2017-18 as a result and described that time as "probably the hardest period of my life".
Ben Stokes was player of the match in the World Cup final. Photo: Photosport
Stokes credited his family and his team-mates for helping him, saying: "I got emotional there at the end and that was probably the culmination of lots of things - happiness that we'd won it but maybe subconsciously thinking and remembering back to what I went through.
"Andrew Strauss [former director of England cricket] is a really good man. He did a great job supporting me."
Strauss spoke on Tuesday about attending the police station in Bristol with Stokes' wife.
"What struck me was his character because he stood up and said: 'I've got this horribly wrong. I apologise sincerely for what I've done,'" ex-England captain Strauss said.
"I knew it would be very noisy and hard for us to navigate, but people can go two ways after something like that.
"It's an easy story to say what happened in the World Cup is redemption for Ben, but I just think it was one of English cricket's great talents showing what he can do on the greatest stage."
Stokes told BBC Sport that redemption "is not a word I'll ever use".
"I'm an athlete, a cricketer, and it's what we are paid to do, win trophies," he added.
Stokes' family tribute
Stokes was born in New Zealand and his father, Gerard, represented the country in rugby league.
The cricketer occasionally pulls the middle finger of his left hand back in photographs - which he says is a tribute to his dad.
"My dad went to see the doctor about his knee and he said the finger needed surgery," Stokes told Good Morning Britain.
"He said: 'I can't afford to not play so can you just cut it off?' I try to get one done every team photo we do.
"I got one at Lord's and asked for the official photographer to send me one over."
Stokes also has a number of tattoos, including a phoenix - which he had done after the World Twenty20 final - and a pride of lions on his back for his family.
"The kids didn't really have a clue what we'd done. I'm pretty sure my wife was a nervous wreck," Stokes added.
"I'll be straight back doing the school run."
- BBC
