Less than a month after reversing his ODI retirement, Ben Stokes set a brand new England document with a blistering 182 towards New Zealand.
Stokes, taking part in simply his third 50-over match since agreeing to return for subsequent month’s World Cup defence, was in brutal type as he unloaded 9 sixes and 15 fours throughout a devastating 124-ball innings.
He broke the document in sometimes emphatic vogue, clobbering Ben Lister excessive over long-on for a most, with earlier holder Jason Roy rising on the balcony to indicate his appreciation alongside a offered out Kia Oval crowd.
Roy, absent from the XI having suffered again spasms, has sat on high of the pile for greater than 5 years with a cracking 180 in Melbourne however now slides into second place following Stokes’ explosive knock.
His efforts carried England to a formidable complete of 368, however England tailed off on the finish of the innings and had been surprisingly bowled out with 11 balls unused.
Stokes, who at one stage appeared intent on changing into the primary Englishman to make a double century, got here to the crease in simply the third over with the rating at 13 for 2 and didn’t depart till the forty fifth. By then the entire had had moved to 348, greater than half of which got here off his bat.
He was wonderful towards extremes of tempo, going through down Lockie Ferguson at 94mph and punishing him repeatedly earlier than blasting spinner Rachin Ravindra out of the assault with three sixes in two overs.
This was not solely the most important of his 4 ODI tons however the quickest too, one faster than his 77-ball hundred towards South Africa six years in the past.
If there was one down facet it was the acquainted sight of Stokes often wincing in ache as his power knee issues reappeared.
Access limitless streaming of flicks and TV reveals with Amazon Prime Video
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial
Sign up
Access limitless streaming of flicks and TV reveals with Amazon Prime Video
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial
Sign up
Stokes has taken a calculated gamble that he can handle the situation, but it surely was obvious {that a} six-week post-Ashes break has not resolved the matter.
While Stokes’ innings rightly dominated proceedings, Dawid Malan’s 96 was notable in its personal proper.
Malan is among the gamers whose spot has come beneath scrutiny ought to England choose to parachute Harry Brook into the World Cup squad, however he was at his managed finest as he joined Stokes in a 199-run stand for the third wicket.
Malan, rejoining the facet after the start of his son, deserved a ton of his personal however was unlucky to get a skinny edge on a Trent Boult supply that had initially been referred to as extensive by the umpire.
Boult completed with 5 for 51, escaping a lot of the worst punishment doled out by Stokes and hanging at each ends of the innings.
He had Jonny Bairstow caught at sq. leg off the very first ball of the match after which noticed Joe Root drag on to proceed a lean collection for the quantity three because the Kiwis began strongly.
