Ashes 2019: England captain Joe Root hails ‘freak’ Ben Stokes after spectacular innings against Australia
Stokes, who was the hero of England’s equally dramatic World Cup win, put together a 76-run 10th-wicket stand with his final partner, Jack Leach
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Your support makes all the difference.England captain Joe Root described Ben Stokes as a “freak” after the all-rounder’s astonishing unbeaten 135 at Headingley kept their Ashes hopes alive.
Stokes, who was the hero of England’s equally dramatic World Cup win, put together a 76-run 10th-wicket stand with his final partner, Jack Leach, who scored only one run as he fended off Australia’s bowling attack for long enough to allow Stokes to smash the ball to all corners of the ground.
His innings included eight sixes of all types, with one huge reverse sweep as well as an audacious scoop over Australia’s captain and wicketkeeper Tim Paine behind him.
“Ben Stokes is a freak, he’s incredible,” said Root. “The message at the start was to just keep believing. If we had two people out there still breathing then we have a chance.
“After Stokes got to 60-70 he looked like he wasn’t going to get out. To win a game on your own from there is just amazing. He does have recent experience of doing it. Just incredible to watch unfold.”
Paine and his Australian teammates were magnanimous at the finish, congratulating Stokes on one of the great Ashes performances.
“Ah look, it happens mate,” Paine said of his team’s gut-wrenching defeat. ”Ben Stokes has played one of the great innings. It’s got to sting but we have to trust our process, we were very close. We are on the right track and we have two more chances to win the Ashes.”
The one-wicket victory means the series is level at 1-1 going into the fourth Test at Old Trafford, which begins on 4 September.
“I never gave up,” Stokes said. ”When Jack Leach came in it was pretty clear what I had to do. I told him five and one, I’d take five balls and give him one. Leachy is our super-nightwatchman so I backed him knowing what we had to do. I couldn’t watch at the end. I couldn’t watch the balls going down.”
Former England all-rounder Ian Botham, speaking in the Sky Sports studio, said afterwards: “It takes a remarkable man and I said this morning that someone needed to front up and be strong. I’ve banged the Ben Stokes drum for a long time now and I know when other players see him they think there is something special about him.
“He is very, very valuable to cricket -- not just England, he will sell the game worldwide. He should enjoy every moment. It was a really remarkable performance.”
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