Be brave in everything you do – England skipper Ben Stokes will keep attacking

England captain Ben Stokes has vowed to keep swinging for the fences against South Africa, insisting the day has not yet arrived to “mellow down”.

Since taking over as Test skipper at the start of the summer Stokes has demanded his side play a proactive, ultra-aggressive style of cricket and has made a point of leading from the front.

His commitment to going on the attack has brought mixed results, with a top score of 75 not out in eight knocks, but an innings defeat by the Proteas at Lord’s last week has not shaken his belief.

The 31-year-old accepts that circumstances may eventually bring out a more cautious side in him, but do not expect to see it in the coming days at Emirates Old Trafford.

“Being the leader, I would never ask my team to do something I wouldn’t. There’s a bigger picture to it, if that makes sense,” he said.

“I’m sure there will come a time when it does have to mellow down a little bit but at this time, right now, I feel I’ve got a big responsibility to be the person hitting that message home. Be brave in everything you do.

“I want people watching going ‘he’s able to go out and do that in a difficult situation’.

“Even when we’re ahead I want to put even more pressure on them, for me that’s what it is.”

England’s final net session took place against a backdrop of a playlist populated by soft rock and retro pop, seemingly at the prompting of head coach Brendon McCullum, with Stokes giving a qualified thumbs up.

“There was a couple of songs where I have to walk over and skip, but there was a real good vibe at training,” he said.

“Sometimes nets can feel empty, lads just running in to bowl and batters batting, but having that stuff on in the background relaxes that mood a bit.

“It gets conversation going.