It was the Ben Stokes’s year, with the Englishman playing an integral role as England won the 2019 World Cup against New Zealand, six weeks after the all-rounder pulled England back from the brink of defeat in Australia and kept a five-match series alive. England all-rounder Ben Stokes played a heroic 135 not out and helped England to a 3rd Test victory with only a single wicket.
An astounding 135 not out by Ben Stokes replicated his heroics at the World Cup to hand England one of their greatest victories and ensure that their Ashes series with Australia would remain alive. Although the England Test side lost the last match to drop the series 2-2, Stokes was one of Englands best performers.
England vs New Zealand Day 1 Full Highlights
In the must-win game against India in the Group Match, Stokes played a very important innings, scoring 79 runs off 54 balls as English side won the game by 31 runs. Just as he had pulled England over the line against New Zealand with super-overs, Chasing 242, Stokes was still unbeaten for 84 from 98 balls, the highest by any of the two men, with England finishing at 241/8.
Stokes played one of the most amazing Test innings of any England player, levelling the Ashes series 1-1 with Australia. He then took three wickets in the second innings to add to his single scalp in the first, as Australia were bowled out for 246, setting England up 360 to win and draw the series. Ben Stokes ended the match on a boundary off Pat Cummins, guiding England to victory by a single wicket, his 135 runs coming from 219 deliveries, including 11 fours and eight sixes.
England all-rounder Ben Stokes capitalised on his lucky break, and as he cut off Pat Cummins towards the spot, not only did he ensure the Ashes were still alive, but also that his place at the top end of English cricketing history was permanently secured. After all, from blocking the hell out of everything – he was 3* off 72 balls at one stage – to switching into fifth gear and smoking Australia to all corners of Leeds courtesy of switch-hits, reverse-pacers, vicious hooks, belligerent square cuts. Ben Stokes played every single gear that day to help England record Englands first 350 run chase in Test match cricket. Ben Stokes scored 135 not out, channelling the spirit of Sir Ian Botham back in 1981, and even surpassing his game-winning knock in the final ICC World Cup, leading England to the unlikely total of 359. Headingly was elated and shaking when Ben Stokes scored a winning run as a boundary, with England winning the 3rd Test by one wicket, and with Stokes standing out like a hero on the pitch pumped and screaming.