During the fourth innings of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s Cricket Ground, Australia defeated England by 43 runs. However, the margin of defeat could have been considerably greater if not for England’s captain Ben Stokes’ valiant 155 off 214 deliveries.
The star all-rounder brought back memories of Headingley with his counterattacking strategy against the Australian bowling attack. After the home team was reduced to 194/6, Stokes went on a rampage and completed his innings with nine fours and nine sixes. He single-handedly maintained his team’s hopes for a historic victory.
Former England captain Eoin Morgan praised Stokes for his ability to perform well in pressure situations.
“He Ben Stokes just continues getting better in these big games. It appears that the more he expects of himself, the greater he becomes. Great players recognise situations in which they must either steal the game away from their opponent or reduce the intensity of the game. “He picked and chose when he wanted to do his thing, and that’s an incredible skill,” Morgan said while speaking to Sky Sports following the conclusion of the match.
It ranked among the finest ash hundreds: Ricky Ponting
In addition to Morgan, the legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting praised Ben Stokes for his defiant knock. Ponting also referred to the innings as “one of the finest Ashes hundreds.”
“The time has arrived for the arrival of Ben Stokes. When Bairstow left and Broad entered, he was almost compelled to play in that manner. And he succeeded. When most players are compelled to play in a certain manner, they simply hit the ball into the air. However, with 155 runs, it was one of the greatest Ashes hundreds,” Ponting said.
Australia holds a 2-0 advantage in the five-match Ashes series. To reclaim the prestigious trophy, England will need to win their remaining three matches.
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