Amid being surrounded with controversies, Ben Stokes has once again showcased his importance with a classy 95-run inning against Northamptonshire while representing Durham in the County Championship on Saturday. On the other hand, England felt the absence of their regular skipper during the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval.
Special knock from Ben Stokes amid investigation
Stokes, who was prohibited to participate in the second Test against New Zealand because of an ongoing investigation into an alleged curfew breach after the first Test at Lord's, narrowly missed out on a well-deserved century. The star all-rounder was removed by Harry Conway just after tea at Chester-Le-Street. He faced 118 deliveries during his stay at the crease, where he managed to smash 18 boundaries.
Notably, Stokes came out to bat at a very crucial time as Durham were reeling at 30/3 in reply to Northamptonshire's formidable first-innings score of 450.
Ben Stokes becomes saviour for Durham
In the first innings, Northamptonshire showcased a power packed performance, as Ricardo Vasconcelos recorded his career-best knock of 187. In reply, Ben Stokes was the one who displayed some fighting spirit with a great knock, stitching a 153-run stand with Will Rhodes to revive the innings.
The 95 was one of Stokes' most important first-class innings in recent years. Had he reached the century, it would have been his first hundred in the format since his 141 against India in July 2025 and only his second first-class hundred since August 2022. However, the 95-run knock turned out to be a sweet reminder that Stokes still has that fire inside him.