London Telegraph: Ben Stokes fails to look like England's Ashes saviour as he struggles with bat and ball on Canterbury debut

Ben Stokes did not look much like England's Ashes saviour as he struggled with both bat and ball on his playing return in Christchurch.

Before his first game for Canterbury opposing captain Jimmy Neesham dismissed the Stokes threat by saying he's "no Bradman". Stokes was below his own standards, let alone those of the Don, and looked very much like a player out of rhythm and short on practice after more than two months out injured.

In his first game since his arrest, Stokes was out for two off seven balls and his nine wicketless overs cost 49 runs making a mockery of the thought he could be parachuted into the Ashes and suddenly have the Aussies on the run. All players need time in the middle and Stokes was rusty. It was largely forgotten that in the Bristol incident Stokes suffered a broken hand that would have put him out of England's warm-up games in Australia and possibly the first Test. He needs time to find form and fitness.

There was another slight injury scare here. Stokes was feeling his left side after exerting himself trying to bowl a bouncer on a dead slow pitch. Canterbury put it down to stiffness from lack of cricket, and they expect him to play against Auckland at Eden Park on Wednesday.

Stokes stayed on the field and was recalled for the death overs as Otago wobbled badly collapsing from 175 for none to 198 for seven chasing just 222 to win. With 13 required it was set up for Stokes to be the hero blowing away the tail, but his third ball was pulled for six by Jacob Duffy and that was the end of Canterbury's hopes of winning and their new star player making an instant impression.

Batting at four, Stokes was in early at the Rangiora Oval, but lasted barely ten minutes himself before he was bowled off an inside edge trying to work left-arm spinner Anaru Kitchen through the leg side.

At 32 Kitchen has been around the domestic game in New Zealand for a decade without pushing through to play international cricket and he counted Stokes's wicket as a career highlight.

Canterbury had laid on extra catering in expectation of a good crowd at the Rangiora Oval, but in the end only around 350 showed up. Stokes' mind must have wandered to the Adelaide Oval and the 53,000 crowd he should have been playing in front of instead.

Canterbury have no idea how long they will have Stokes in the side but with his case under review by the Crown Prosecution Service, and his Ashes chances diminishing with every legal delay, hopes are building in Christchurch he will play a major role in their white ball season.

"If anything he probably tried too hard. It was expected that he was going to be a little bit rusty. He'll be better for the run. I'm sure of that," said Gary Stead, Canterbury's director of cricket. He's been seamless the way he's fitted in with us. He's got on with his job. He's done his work he needed to do to get prepared for the game. It didn't come off today, but hopefully it will next time he plays."

Stokes opened the bowling with a 19 year old at the other end, Fraser Sheat, due to Canterbury's injury crisis, and his first four overs were pricy going for 26. Another second spell of four overs mid innings was better but by then Otago were coasting and did not have to take risks. In an attempt ruffle up the batsmen Stokes banged the ball in short but the extra effort led to a twinge in his left side. The Canterbury physio came on with a drink and Stokes decided to stay on, fielding for the rest of the innings on the boundary square of the wicket where his parents were sat.

It was all very low key, but at some point Stokes will come alive for Canterbury once he has had time for a bit more match practice. By then though it will probably be too late to play the Ashes saviour.