CUMBRIAN cricket sensation Ben Stokes insists that England can win the ICC World Twenty20 title and that they have “the right type of bowling attack and destructive batting line-up” to complete the job.

Speaking days before leaving for the event in India, and just weeks after completing a mammoth winter tour to South Africa, the 24-year-old former Cockermouth School pupil is recharging his batteries after an incredible few months that saw his name etched into the record books once again.

Few will forget Stokes’ swashbuckling effort in the Second Test at Cape Town, an innings that saw him hit 258 from 198 balls, including 30 fours and 11 sixes.

That feat eclipsed the memorable innings of Sir Ian Botham (208 runs) against India at the Oval in 1981, Stokes taking 57 fewer balls to reach his double-century.

Stokes’ extraordinary knock led England legend Botham to say: “It’s an innings that will change his life. I don’t think it will affect Ben that much himself though because he is a pretty uncomplicated character who just likes to go toe-to-toe with the opposition.

“That is certainly what motivated me and I am sure it’s what motivates him”.

Stokes said: “I didn’t intend to go out and play as I did in Cape Town but, when I got to 70 or 80 runs, I was thinking we need quick runs and not about the personal stuff.

“It was a pretty flat pitch. On the morning of the second day, things just happened. Once I started playing a few shots, the runs started coming and all I was thinking about was the team getting a big total even if I was to get out.

“It was a crazy day.”

After an incredible 12 months, the Cockermouth star now holds a number of records: England’s fastest ever century and double-century, the fastest ever Test match 250, and the highest score for a Test batsman batting at six.

He also holds the record for the most runs scored by an individual batsman in the morning session of a Test match.

A total of 13 matches on tour brought an average of 47.94 with the bat, and 22 wickets at an average of 31.22, and Stokes was named Man of the Series.

But now he must turn his attentions to the 20-over game, a format which saw England lose out 2-0 to South Africa after beating Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan.

“We’re not going there not to win,” added Stokes. “I think we have the right type of bowling attack with three good spinners in Adil [Rashid], Liam [Dawson] and Moeen [Ali].

“In the past, there’s been a front-line spinner and a back-up but three spinners gives us a chance to vary the attack. It’s good that Eoin [captain, Morgan] can get a lot of overs of spin if he needs them.

“And with the seamers we have, we can mix it. Also, our batting line-up is so destructive. If we click we will be scoring more than 200. We are a young team, quite inexperienced at the T20 format and all we need is a bit of consistency.”

England begin their Twenty20 campaign against West Indies in Mumbai on Wednesday, March 16, before playing South Africa at the same venue two days later.

Troubles back home in Cumbria, meanwhile, were on Stokes’ mind during the South Africa tour.

The December flooding of his beloved Cockermouth, and the plight his former cricket club and friends were going through, were not forgotten. “It was horrible to see what was going on back home,” said Stokes,who used to live with his parents Ged and Deb on the Main Street in the town.

“I think that’s three times in recent years that Cockermouth has been hit and there needs to be a huge rethink into the flood defences which, in the long run, is going to mean more money spent but that means a lot of money has already been wasted.

“It’s not just the cricket club – my heart goes out to the people as well.

“It mustn’t happen again. But there isn’t an on/off button for the weather, is there?”