England star Ben Stokes on ignoring personal milestones in heroic Ashes knock: 'I looked at the bigger picture'

Headingley hero: Ben Stokes' 135 not out kept England alive in the 2019 Ashes series
AFP/Getty Images
Will Macpherson25 August 2019

Ben Stokes said the knowledge that the Ashes would be lost if he failed inspired his extraordinary 135 not out that gave England a miracle one-wicket win, squaring the series at 1-1 with two Tests to play.

Stokes’ innings conjured memories of Ian Botham’s heroics in the Ashes Test of 1981.

Stokes had two runs from 61 balls, but went through the gears and ended up with the most sixes in an Ashes innings, eight, causing bedlam in Headingley’s famous Western Terrace.

Stokes, who revealed that he prepared by eating a “knock-off Nando’s” and two Yorkie bars on Saturday evening, said his innings comes “very close” to topping the World Cup triumph that he was so central to six weeks ago.

This time he made a century, but did not celebrate when reaching the milestone because he knew the job was not done.

In Pictures | England chase down 359 to win third Test

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“I looked at the bigger picture,” said Stokes. “There was still a lot of runs to get. Personal milestones, especially in that situation, mean absolutely nothing.

"There was still a lot more runs to get. I was not bothered about how many runs I was on, it was all about making sure we got over the line. I did not really care to be honest.

“Walking off there at the end when the whole of Headingley was standing up and celebrating was a very special moment and something I had to try to take in because moments like that don't come along very often.

"It was just an amazing game to be a part of, to be there at the end and still keep our Ashes hopes was a pretty special feeling coming off at the end.

“In terms of where we were at in the Ashes series, I'm obviously over the moon that we've managed to stay in the series.

"We knew if we lost this game then the Ashes were gone. To be sat here, especially after getting bowled out for 67, to still be in with a chance of getting the urn back is an amazing feeling.

In Pictures | England capitulate at Headingley | 23/08/2019

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“Walking off there at the end was a time to take everything in and realise what we've just done as a team, not as an individual. Bouncing back from getting bowled out for 67 to then chase down 359 was brilliant.

"We've got a few days off before the next Test starts so when we turn up to Manchester, we've got to put everything behind us, what we've just managed to achieve, and start again because this will all be forgotten if we lose the next Test because then the Ashes are gone.”

Stokes paid tribute to Jack Leach, the No11 who contributed one run but survived 17 deliveries in their hour-long stand of 76 to win the game, describing the bespectacled Somerset spinner – who is rapidly becoming a cult hero – as having “big b*******”.

“When a No11 needing 70 to win, I knew what I had to do in terms of the game situation,” said Stokes. "The only time I started to get a little bit nervous or panicking was when we got into single figures.

"But those will be the most important balls Jack Leach has ever faced, or will ever face in his Test career, the best one he's ever got in his career.

“It takes two to tango in situations like that but for a No11 to come out under that kind of pressure and to deliver when he needed to deliver was fantastic for him to be able to do that.

"A lot of credit has to go to him as well for us being able to cross the line there at the end.”

Tim Paine, the Australia captain, was equally unable to explain what he had just seen, saying that it would be no consolation that he had a front-row seat for an all-time great innings.

“Not yet, certainly won't be for the next few months,” said Paine. “I said on air with Mark Nicholas before in five or six years when we're ex-players or maybe sooner - four years is probably a stretch for me.

"We'll look back and know we've played in an amazing Test series. You look to a lot of Ashes series, 2005 springs to mind. Every time you turn on Fox Cricket, Channel Seven, there's highlights of that because it was unbelievable cricket not because who won or lost.

“There were awesome players playing, unbelievable innings, unbelievable spells, and so far this Ashes series has been the same for both sides."

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