Ben Stokes Smashes 17 Sixes En Route To Breathtaking Century In Return To County Championship

England’s newly-appointed Test captain Ben Stokes celebrated his appointment with a stunning century in his return to County Championship. Playing for Durham, Stokes hit 17 sixes and blazed away to a 64-ball hundred.

The all-rounder had decided to skip the IPL 2022 season in order to focus on his red-ball performance. He marked his return by breaking Paul Collingwood’s record for the fastest hundred by a Durham batter.

Coming into bat at 360/4 with the platform well set, Stokes took his time and brought up his half-century in 47 balls. Once he had his eye in, there was no respite for the Worcestershire bowlers.

Ben Stokes hits 34 off one over

The 18-year-old Josh Baker bore the brunt of Stokes’ wrath, being pummelled for 34 runs in an over. Stokes hit 5 sixes off the first five balls before smashing the last one for a boundary over the bowler’s head.

The 31-year-old didn’t spare his England team bowler, Jack Leach, either. Stokes hit 5 sixes in total off the left-arm off-spin, before perishing for 161 off just 18 balls.

He ended with 17 sixes in the knock, the most-ever by a batter in a single knock. By the time he was done, Durham had gone past the 550-run mark, well on their way to a comfortable first-innings total.

Stokes has been named as the Test captain of the struggling England team after Joe Root stepped down following poor performances in the Ashes followed by a series defeat to West Indies.

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