The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Opinion

Remembering nerveless, gifted, superstar Stokes' unbelievable innings

Roar Rookie
13th April, 2020
Advertisement
Autoplay in... 6 (Cancel)
Up Next No more videos! Playlist is empty -
Replay
Cancel
Next
Roar Rookie
13th April, 2020
4

The year 2019 belonged to exciting all-rounder Ben Stokes.

Playing a memorable inning in the final against New Zealand, Stokes kept his nerve in one of cricket’s most thrilling and exciting games to guide England to their first World Cup title.

Then came the Ashes, in which Stokes produced one of the greatest performances in Test history.

Australia were leading the series 1-0 leading into the third Test. After England won the toss and elected to field, they bowled the tourists out for 179.

The hosts thought that they would take a big first-inning lead but the Aussies bowled out England on just 67. On the third morning, the Aussies got folded on the score of 246, setting a winning target of 359 – victory required the highest successful run chase in England’s history.

The hosts dared to dream when they resumed on a hot summer’s day at 3-156, with Joe Root unbeaten on 75 and Stokes locked and loaded having faced 50 balls for his 2 not out.

Australia’s attack, while frustrated on the third afternoon, kept the pressure on and, with the second new ball due after eight overs on day four, England faced a big task.

Advertisement

The job became even more unlikely when Root fell, having added just two runs, to a brilliant slip catch from David Warner – his sixth of the match – off the bowling of Nathan Lyon in the sixth over of the day.

Australia celebrate an Ashes win

AP Photo/Rui Vieira

Stokes and Jonny Bairstow swung the probability back to England’s side with a defiant 86-run partnership, but their union was broken when Bairstow, on 36, attempted to cut Josh Hazlewood but guided the ball to Marnus Labuschagne at second slip.

Jos Buttler went next, initially called through and then sent back by Stokes to be run out off a direct hit from Travis Head, before Chris Woakes chipped Hazlewood straight to Matthew Wade at short extra cover.

Jofra Archer gave away his wicket after a short cameo, then Stuart Broad was out LBW to a James Pattinson yorker.

As Stokes closed on his century, Hazlewood – who was one wicket away from claiming ten for the match – returned to the attack. Stokes proceeded to take 19 off the over, bringing up his ton with a four hammered through wide long-on, and following up with consecutive sixes.

Stokes was striking the ball purely and expertly, amassing 11 fours and eight sixes, while No.11 Jake Leach held his nerve and contributed the most difficult single run ever taken in a 76-run partnership.

Advertisement

Only once in the history of Test cricket – earlier in 2019 – had a last-wicket pair scored more to secure victory and Stokes admitted there were moments when he wasn’t part of the action that he couldn’t watch.

Leach leveled the scores with a single off Pat Cummins and when Stokes brought up the win on the next ball, smashing Cummins through the covers to the boundary, destiny was fulfilled.

Stokes let out a monster roar, arms outstretched, as Leach ran to hug his partner.

Australia certainly thought that they would win the Test match, but one man stood between them and his name was Benjamin Andrew Stokes.

Stokes’ unbeaten 135 handed England the most unlikely of victories, by one wicket, allowing them to level the series at 1-1.

It was a lucky day for England, with Stokes dropped on 116 when he sent a top edge off Cummins towards the third man, where Marcus Harris got his hands to it but couldn’t hold on.

Australia then wasted a review – which would come back to haunt them – when Cummins trapped Leach on the pad and the DRS confirmed the ball had pitched well outside leg.

Advertisement

Leach should have been run out after going for a non-existent single, but Lyon fumbled as he tried to gather the throw from backward point.

Finally, Stokes should have been out LBW attempting to slog-sweep the next ball, which was pitching on middle and leg and shown by Hawk-Eye to be hitting the stumps, but with no reviews left, Australia could do nothing.

Sports opinion delivered daily 

   

It seemed like so long ago that Stokes had to work hard with the ball for 24 overs to claim 3-56 in Australia’s second innings, when Labuschagne top scored for the tourists for the third time in as many innings.

It also made Stokes’ efforts with the bat all the more remarkable.

close