Ben Stokes’ dad admits he was supporting New Zealand in World Cup final… but is ‘very proud’ his son was England’s hero
BEN STOKES' Kiwi dad Gerard has admitted he was supporting New Zealand in the World Cup final.
The former rugby league prop hails from the other side of the world and son Ben was born in Christchurch in 1991.
England thrillingly won the title thanks to a Super Over in which Stokes batted after producing a gruelling - and unbeaten - 84 in normal play.
It was Stokes' bat which the ball hit and went flying to the boundaries for six in the final over, while it was his shot to the boundary that was caught out by Trent Boult... only for the fielder to step on the rope.
Speaking on GMB Gerard admitted: "I deeply support New Zealand, but I also support England and my son.
"We’ve had a boogie over here and bloody hell I’m knackered I tell you.
"Everybody is still buzzing over here. Everybody I’ve spoken to today, the media, friends, family, they’re ecstatic – they’re over the moon.
"Not just for their association with Ben and us but also for the fact it was such a belting game of cricket.
"I’ve never seen anything like that in all the time that I’ve watched sport. It was absolute theatre.
"It took two extraordinary groups of players to come up with that sort of scenario."
New Zealand looked odds on to win for much of England's batting innings, but it was Stokes who pulled through after the home side's openers fell by the wayside.
After his trial for affray, which ended with an acquittal in August last year, the family have been through a tough year.
But in the country where rugby union is king, Gerard does not seem to concerned at being branded "the most hated dad in New Zealand".
The other part was the long drawn out saga which was extremely hard on everybody
Gerard Stokes
He added: “I’ve just spoken to Ben, he is still pinching himself and still can’t believe it was such an epic game and that he played such an influential part of it.
"The other part was the long drawn out saga which was extremely hard on everybody.
"We know he shouldn’t have been there and it shouldn’t have happened.
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"He was put into a corner that night and somewhere along the line the right thing was done even though it was the wrong place and wrong time.
"I look back on that and think what else can somebody do but defend people and that’s just Ben’s character. We had to get through that.
"I had a feeling he could do it, I knew he had the talent to do it and the opportunity was there."
