Stokes takes out Worcestershire’s Josh Baker by 34 runs in one over (five sixes and one four) to complete an astonishing 64-ball hundred in the county championship; off-road fires at No. 6, the place he will now return to when England begin their summer test against New Zealand at Lord’s on June 2
Ben Stokes hit five straight sixes to win back his 64-ball century for Durham against Worcestershire in the county championship
New England Test captain Ben Stokes hit five straight sixes as he completed an impressive 64-ball hundred in his first appearance of the LV= Insurance County Championship season for Durham.
Stokes hit Worcestershire left-arm spinner Josh Baker for five straight sixes at New Road to add to his ton and then another four to end an astonishing 34-year career for the 18-year-old bowler.
By lunchtime on the second day, Stokes had progressed his score to 147, not out of 82 deliveries, with his 15 sixes for innings, one short of the County Championship record held by Andrew Symonds and Graham Napier.
The 30-year-old jumped the ropes 11 times in the final eight overs of the morning session alone, adding two more limits as his last 84 runs came from just 25 balls.
Stokes starred from the No.6 spot, which is where he confirmed earlier this week that he would switch to the England Test squad in a move he believes is “in the best interest of the team”.
The all-rounder succeeds Joe Root as England captain and takes charge of a team with just one win in their last 17 Tests, 11 of which have ended in defeat.
That tight run has seen them drop to sixth in the ICC Test ratings and to their lowest points rating in 27 years.
Stokes, whose term as captain begins against New Zealand at Lord’s on June 2, told reporters on Tuesday: “Completely realistic, winning one game in 17 is not good enough for the people we have.
“We can look at that and go, there’s only one left, which is upstairs.
“We haven’t been good enough. That’s not an insult to any individual, as I’ve been a part of it. As a team, we know we haven’t been good enough, we haven’t played at the level that we know we can.”
“It’s about understanding that and fixing it, but we have to understand that things aren’t going to happen overnight. I can’t expect it to click and all of a sudden we’re No. 1 a year from now.”
“I’m very excited about the role of making the England Test team great again. It’s a huge goal for me.”
“A great starting point for me on the pitch is that I want to have selfless cricketers who make decisions based on what they can do to win a game at that given moment.
“At the end of the day, you’re judged on winning games. That’s always been the most important thing to me. The decisions I make are based on what’s best to give us a chance.”
“I want to have 10 other guys with me that have that mindset.”
