West Indies v England: Ben Stokes hit 120 from 126 balls, his first hundred in Test cricket since the death of his father Ged, who passed away on Day 2 of the 2nd Test in Barbados in 2020.
Ben Stokes remembers late father after finding form in master class in Barbados (AP Photo)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Ben Stokes racked up his 11th Test hundred on Day 2 in Barbados
- Stokes paid tribute to his late father after receiving the hundred
- It was Stokes’ first hundred since his father’s death
Ben Stokes called his 11th Test hundred the ‘most memorable’ as he paid tribute to his late father after hitting the landmark on Day 2 of the 2nd Test between England and the West Indies in Barbados.
The England vice-captain hit 120 balls from just 128 on Friday as he transferred the attack to the West Indies bowlers, shattering 11 boundaries and 6 sixes in an entertaining inning. Stokes’ hundred, which followed Joe Root’s father hundred, meant England declared 507/9 in their first innings.
It was also Stokes’ first hundred since his father Ged died of brain cancer in late 2020. Stokes had been on a mental four-month break, missing last year’s English summer and struggling to find form in the Ashes.
Stokes only made 49 runs over 2 innings in the first Test, but he showed signs of returning to top form in his dominant hundred in the 2nd Test.
SPECIAL FEELING
After reaching the milestone, Stokes took off his helmet, looked up at the sky and flexed the middle finger in his left hand to commemorate his late father Ged, who had the same finger amputated after suffering multiple dislocations during his career New Zealand national rugby player.
“It was a very special feeling,” said Stokes.
“Of the hundreds I have personally, this is probably one of the most memorable, with everything that’s happened in the last 18 months.
“I got 99 in India last year and it was a bit of a dagger in the heart but it was nice to get there and remember [his father] this way. I don’t like to speak selfishly, but it felt nice to be looking up at the sky.”
Stokes expressed his delight that England are in a position of strength after posting more than 500 in the first innings. West Indies reached 71/1 on Day 2 in Stumps.
“We have a very long batting lineup and as soon as I got in I tried to take advantage of the opportunity that we have so many runs on the board,” Stokes said.
“You won’t always be in such a fortunate position, good wicket, lots of runs on the board, try to get as many runs as possible.”
