England captain Ben Stokes stunned the cricketing world with a bombshell mid-match retirement before confirming his status as the outgoing people’s champion with a magical farewell wicket.
On a jaw-dropping fourth day of the series decider at Trent Bridge, a statement dropped at 3.25pm announcing that one of the most celebrated, storied and successful players of his generation would be walking away for good at the end of the match.
Defeat in his 122nd and last Test outing seems certain – England thrashing their way to 103 for four chasing 373 – but Stokes’ dramatic goodbye demanded top billing.
As the shock news filtered through the crowd in Nottingham, the stadium rose as one to give the departing Test skipper a spontaneous standing ovation – just as the 35-year-old was ready to start the 11th over of a trademark mammoth bowling spell.
With a true showman’s timing, Stokes did the unthinkable with his very next delivery – taking Zak Foulkes’ edge and sealing a dismissal that earned an instant place in his stacked pantheon of unforgettable moments.
The crowd erupted in celebration, while his team-mates engulfed him in their own private retirement party. He was cheered to the rafters as he walked off for tea and was last to return to the pitch for the evening, with the rest of the England side and New Zealand’s not-out batters giving him a guard of honour.
When New Zealand finally declared on 288 for nine, leaving a massive target on an unreliable pitch, Stokes had one last surprise up his sleeve. He moved himself up the order, from number seven to opener, indulging a final act of ‘Bazball’ hubris as the chapter closed.
He batted manically for 20 balls, launching two big sixes to delight his public but also swinging wildly as he wheeled through a repertoire that included reverse sweeps and ramps. The music stopped on 30 when he dragged Foulkes to midwicket, momentarily chastising himself before accepting handshakes from his opponents and taking in another burst of acclaim from the stands.
There would be no repeat of his Headingley miracle from the 2019 Ashes, or his matchwinning turn in another seemingly doomed chase in that summer’s World Cup final. This time, Stokes had run out of road.
The end of Stokes’ era comes exactly three weeks after the nightclub visit that plunged England into turmoil and cast his own future into doubt. After a disciplinary investigation, he and Gus Atkinson were handed a written conduct warning by the England and Wales Cricket Board for breaching “specific contractual obligations” but were effectively cleared of anything more than being out in the early hours following a Test victory at Lord’s.
Stokes informed the England team and entourage of his decision in a passionate dressing room address before the start of play, imploring them to come with him on one final ride in the Test arena.
The England and Wales Cricket Board shared a clip showing the moment Stokes broke the news to his colleagues, with the skipper holding court as an open-mouthed Jacob Bethell watched on in disbelief.
“This is my last two days as your captain, and my last two days as representing England,” he told them.
“Reasons can wait (as to) why, but I’ve had many trips to the well before for this team, for you blokes, for people beforehand, and I’ve got one more trip to do. The only thing that I ask, please, is can everyone else please just do the same?
“All the taps on the a***, all the emotion, all that kind of stuff, please can it just wait until the end of this game?”
Rumours that Stokes was ready to announce his exit initially swirled in the 24 hours after the ECB announced he and Atkinson were being investigated and referred to the Cricket Regulator following an incident at Chelsea nightspot the Rex Rooms. A physical altercation with Saracens rugby union player Totoa Auvaa had taken place but it was later established that Stokes did not even witness two “unprovoked attacks”.
Tensions eased sufficiently for Stokes to return to lead the team in Nottingham but it was apparent at his pre-match press conference – the first time he addressed events publicly – that things were not right.
He apologised to his team for setting in motion events that saw them lose in his absence at the Oval but did not mention his employers or offer any direct assessment of his treatment. Pressed about his future, he offered a deliberately opaque answer that invited speculation over how long he would be around.
The answer to that is now known but there are questions still to answer. First, what home truths he will tell when the confines of his central contract are removed and second, whether there are any other senior casualties as the Bazball project concludes.
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