I AIM TO BE ON TOP OF WORLD

Stokes thirsting for England to claim No.1 spot in rankings

- By Mike Walters

BEN STOKES will happily fall off the wagon if England take the first steps to reclaiming No.1 in the Test charts at Trent Bridge.

When the ICC rankings, based loosely on the science of a lottery tombola, were revised earlier this month, England surfaced at No.2 behind Australia.

But with a series against India this summer and the Ashes tour in November, Stokes fancies planting the Cross of St George back at the summit.

After the new rankings were published, the captain sent head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key his mission statement in a five-word text message: “One more place to go.”