Cricket: Success at last for Ben Stokes - on the golf course

Ben Stokes enjoyed a round of golf in Christchurch. Photo / Getty Images

England allrounder Ben Stokes has had what most would call a successful day's sporting endeavour after his disappointing appearance for Canterbury in the Ford Trophy – he's hit a 78 over 18 holes at Christchurch's Harewood Golf Club.

Stokes was dismissed for only two runs off seven balls in Rangiora on Sunday and failed to take any wickets, but his form with the golf clubs yesterday can hardly be faulted.

According to the Harewood Golf Club's facebook page, Stokes shot a six-over-par 78 on the Woodlands course, a score most amateurs would be happy with.

The club's facebook message stated: "Good to see Ben Stokes out here today enjoying the course and a cracking start to the Christchurch summer! His 78 would certainly be welcome in Adelaide at the moment."

The Woodlands course is described as "challenging" and "contrasting". [It] is very well drained and has excellent greens, year round. The fairways seem relatively flat but are, in fact, deceptively undulating."

A Harewood Golf Course employee told the NZ Herald he wasn't working yesterday and didn't have details of Stokes' round, but suggested a 78 "off the white tees", was "pretty bloody good".

Stokes is in Christchurch staying with family ahead of a possible return to the England team in Adelaide playing Australia in the second Ashes test.

England were well beaten by 10 wickets in the first test and are in trouble in the second. At the start of day three, Australia have a lead of 268 with six wickets remaining.

Good to see Ben Stokes out here today enjoying the course and a cracking start to the Christchurch summer! His 78 would certainly be welcome in Adelaide at the moment #theashes

Posted by Harewood Golf Club on Sunday, December 3, 2017

He has been excluded from the England team after being involved in a fight outside a Bristol nightclub in September and was a controversial inclusion to Canterbury's team as he seeks to find form Downunder.

On his arrival in Christchurch, Stokes told reporters he was seeing family and "working on my golf swing".

Stokes's second opportunity for Canterbury will come tomorrow at Eden Park's outer oval after he was named in the team to play Auckland.