Cricket News ASHES 2023

'Greatest all rounder of this generation' - Fans go berserk as Ben Stokes leads England's charge with blazing hundred on Day 5 at Lord's

Ben Stokes displays the peak of 'Bazball' cricket at Lord's with a blistering century on Day 5 of the second Ashes Test.

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Australia may have felt relieved after taking two wickets in the opening session of Day 5 at Lord's on Sunday. But it all changed when England skipper Ben Stokes reminded them of the 'Headingly comeback' with a stunning counter attack that helped the hosts balance the game. Jonny Bairstow had to depart on a controversial umpire's call, but it roused the fighter in Stokes to smash a blazing century.

Day 4 ended with neither team having the upper hand with Australia needing six wickets to win while England needed 257 on Day 5. Stokes and opener Ben Duckett got off to a good start, but Hazlewood pulled the right strings to remove Duckett (83). With Bairstow, their last recognised batter, coming out to bat, Australia may have been hoping to shed one more wicket to regain control.

However, things went Australia's way when the third umpire controversially ruled in favor of sending Bairstow back. The right-handed batter ducked to escape a bouncer from Cameron Greenโ€™s final delivery of the 52nd over. As soon as the ball went straight into the hands of wicketkeeper Alex Carey, Barstow assumed that the over had finished and stepped out of his crease.

Bairstow brings up his 13th Test ton with three consecutive sixes

Carey, with a great presence of mind, run out the English batter with an underarm throw. The incident somehow ignited the fire in Stokes, who has not been at his best with the bat so far in this series. He was batting on 62* off 126 balls when Bairstow walked off the field, but in the next 16 balls he hit a four and three consecutive sixes off Green in the 56th over to bring up his 13th Test century.

Stokes led the attack with an unbeaten 108 to take England to 243/6 at lunch. Stokes is the only remaining batter, but he is not ready to give up the 'bazball' approach. England hopes for Stokes to stay until the end to complete a historic chase comparable to the famous Headingly Test.

Here's how fans reacted:ย 

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