If there is one innings that defines Ben Stokes, it is Headingley 2019.
Barely a month after inspiring England to their first-ever ODI World Cup title, Stokes returned to Test cricket with another mountain to climb. Australia led the Ashes 1-0 heading into the third Test at Leeds, and England needed something extraordinary to keep the series alive.
Set a daunting target of 359, England looked well placed at 156/3 at the start of the final day. But the Australian attack, spearheaded by Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, tore through the batting order. Suddenly, England were 286/9, still needing 73 runs with only Jack Leach for company.
What followed remains one of the greatest Test innings ever played.
With Hazlewood closing in on a 10-wicket match haul, Stokes launched a stunning counterattack, smashing 19 runs in a single over to bring up his century before following it with two towering sixes. He farmed the strike brilliantly, shielding Leach while taking on Australia’s best bowlers almost single-handedly.
Australia had opportunities to finish the game. Marcus Harris dropped Stokes on 116, Lyon fumbled a straightforward run-out chance involving Leach, and an leg-before decision that would have ended the innings couldn’t be reviewed because Australia had already exhausted their referrals. Every twist seemed to favour England’s talisman.
With scores level, Leach scampered through for a single before Stokes drove Cummins through the covers to complete one of the most remarkable victories in Test history. Arms outstretched, he let out an unforgettable roar as Headingley erupted around him. It was an innings that not only kept England alive in the Ashes but also cemented Stokes’ place among cricket’s immortals.
