Ben Stokes superhero
Flickr photo by NAPARAZZI shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA 2.0) license.

Ben Stokes: Cricket’s very own superhero

Mustafa Ismail·
Test
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On the back of two record-breaking performances, Ben Stokes has established himself as the cricketing equivalent of a superhero…

While lifting the World Cup is typically considered the pinnacle of cricket, England’s win over Australia to level the Ashes illustrated that the series carries similar importance to fans and players of the two nations. It was a packed crowd at Headingley on the fourth day of the Test, with England on the brink of losing the Ashes to their fierce rivals. The home side had lost nine wickets, but needed 76 runs to survive as Ben Stokes and Jack Leach occupied the crease. What followed was truly unbelievable.

Stokes planned his innings to perfection and Leach offered tremendous support. With just 2 runs in 50 balls at the end of day three, the Englishman rode out the storm with solid defensive technique. His display was reminiscent of Harvey Dent’s Two-Face in the Batman universe – with Stokes suddenly switching gears at the death and clobbering the ball around the park. He proved himself a proper Test cricketer, offering the patience and solidity needed to scrape through until he could pull out the big shots.

Perhaps the highlight of Stokes’ performance, as Joe Root pointed out in the post-match conference, was his ability to evade the Australian players patrolling the boundary. The wicketkeeper, the single man at slip, and the bowler were the only ones inside the ring. Placing the ball into the gap for doubles or fours required an unbelievable amount of skill, and Stokes duly obliged. Even the sixes he pulled off were audacious, with a reverse sweep off Nathan Lyon and a slog-sweep off Josh Hazlewood clearing the boundary.

Ben Stokes needed to channel plenty of energy to execute such shots – and doing so after four hours on the pitch only made him more deserving of his superhero status. Similarly, the clarity of thought was unequivocal. Up until the target reached single figures, Stokes looked in complete control. He exhibited unwavering faith in his own ability and in England’s cause – and the Australians had no answer to it.

Not only has Stokes resurrected England’s chances in the Ashes, but he’s also reminded fans of the timeless nature of Test cricket. The 2005 Ashes set an incredibly high bar for the format, but Ben Stokes had already shown his record-breaking prowess at the 2019 World Cup final. He added another iconic moment to his personal highlight reel at Australia’s expense – and reinforced his love for the biggest stage.

To accompany his lethal batting performance, Ben Stokes also bowled a remarkable spell in Australia’s second innings. Jofra Archer had been sidelined through injury as Stokes grabbed the ball and bowled twenty overs on the trot. He was swinging the ball and rattling the batsmen with his pace, almost akin to Andrew Flintoff in 2005. In spite of England’s precarious situation, he bowled his heart out.

Much like Ashes heroes of the past, Ben Stokes is the go-to player for his captain. Despite the team’s weaknesses, the all-rounder possesses an unbridled confidence that could win his side the series. Australia had their chances towards the end, but they wasted a review when the ball was clearly going down leg side and it cost them dearly. Replays showed Stokes out lbw to Nathan Lyon with just two runs remaining and no reviews available.

Lyon also missed a simple run-out chance when Leach hit the panic button. The spinner was found way short of his crease, just like Alan Donald in the 1999 World Cup semi-final, but Australia were unable to pounce. While it seemed easy from afar, one must account for the pressure Lyon was under. England required just two runs at that point and the crowd was absolutely beaming.

However, Australia are known for their resolve under pressure – and with Steve Smith returning for the next Test, they’ll be raring to go at Old Trafford. England, bolstered by their very own superhero in Ben Stokes, will relish the challenge. We’re in for a cracking finish to the series, with plenty more drama to witness for cricketing faithful. If the final match comes anywhere close to matching the excitement at Headingley, the 2005 Ashes will finally meet its match.