Britain's Most Extraordinary Sporting Week Continues: Stokes, Cricket and the Fifth Day Chase

[ProperJobs89]

England began day five of the deciding third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge on Monday morning needing 354 runs to win, secure a 2-1 series victory and give Ben Stokes the perfect send-off. They did not get there. New Zealand's young seam attack, led by Ben Sears and Jacob Duffy, dismantled England's batting in conditions that had deteriorated significantly from the earlier days, bowling them out for 261 to win by 92 runs and take the series 2-1. Stokes walked to the crease for what turned out to be the final time in an England shirt, made 19 runs and was caught behind, then walked back through a guard of honour from both teams in scenes that had every person at Trent Bridge on their feet.

The cricket was secondary to the occasion. New Zealand played brilliantly and deserved their series victory, but the day belonged to Stokes and to what he has meant to English cricket. His teammates raised their bats in unison as he walked off. McCullum embraced him at the boundary. Kane Williamson, who announced his own retirement the same day, was among the New Zealand players applauding. That two of the greatest cricketers of their generation should retire on the same day, one in his final Test innings and the other stepping away simultaneously, was the kind of narrative coincidence that makes cricket feel as though it writes its own stories.

Stokes ends his Test career with 6,206 runs, 200 wickets and the most important captaincy tenure in English cricket since Mike Brearley. The 2019 World Cup final, the Headingley Ashes, the Bazball revolution, three Major tournament wins with England. The search for his successor as Test captain begins immediately with Joe Root and Harry Brook the two primary candidates. Root captained England from 2017 to 2022. Brook at 27 has never captained at any level. The ECB has a significant decision to make in a very short window.

Ben Stokes: England captain to retire from international cricket after New Zealand serieswww.skysports.com