When Ben Stokes' Masterclass At Headingley Elevated The Crowd
Ben Stokes brought Headingley to its feet (Twitter)
On this day, four years ago, the cricketing community was lit aflame by an innings of audacious genius by England all-rounder, Ben Stokes. At Headingley in Leeds, amidst the age-old rivalry of the Ashes, Stokes unleashed a whirlpool against the Australians and played a match-winning knock that will be spoken of in hushed tones for generations.
Stokes rescued England from the abyss in 2019 Headingley tets
It's notable that earlier that year, Stokes had etched his name into the World Cup history. He played an instrumental role during the heart-stopping Super Over climax, guiding England to lift the World Cup 2019 trophy. However, the cricketing fraternity was yet to witness the encore that Stokes had prepped for them.
Facing an elephantine target of 359 – a record-breaking chase for England – Stokes remained unbeaten on 135 off 219 balls, an innings filled with with 11 boundaries and eight sixes.
Watch: Ben Stokes Headingley knock highlights
It wasn’t merely the volume of runs but the audacity of his shots, from switch hits to scoops, which caught the world's eye. Not for a moment did Stokes seem fazed, his poise and grace a proof of his unbreakable spirit.
But the match was more than just Stokes' heroic effort. England's first innings debacle, where they were bowled out for a paltry 67 in response to Australia’s 179, painted a grim picture, setting the stage for one of Test cricket's most memorable comebacks.
Stokes's knock wasn’t without its moments of serendipity – a dropped catch by Marcus Harris when he was on 116 and a Jack Leach’s missed run-out chance by Nathan Lyon, both of which, in hindsight, proved costly for the Aussies.
Stokes was ably supported, in spirit more than in runs, by Leach. Their 76-run partnership for the last wicket, with Leach contributing just a single run off 17 deliveries, was a firm example of what this resilient English side was all about.
This partnership eventually sealed the match on Day 4's second session as Stokes smashed Cummins for a boundary towards covers, squaring the five-match series 1-1 and keeping England's Ashes dream very much alive.
When Stokes struck the winning boundary, an avalanche of emotion swept through Headingley. From Leeds to London, from Melbourne to Mumbai, the cricketing fraternity was united in admiration.
As records tumbled and applause echoed, one thing was certain – cricket had found one of its finest hours, all thanks to a once-in-a-generation innings from Ben Stokes.
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