Ben Stokes blasted 108 as England posted 339 for nine to take control of their bottom-of-the-table World Cup clash against the Netherlands in Pune.
With their semi-final chances a distant memory, both sides still had plenty to play for, with a place at the 2025 Champions Trophy the prize for a top-eight finish, and England had Stokes to thank for their putting them in the box seat.
At 192 for six they were making life extremely difficult for themselves, but Stokes raced through the gears to do the hard work his side so badly needed.
Having ground out a hard-working fifty in 58 deliveries, he exploded into life and took just 20 more to reach his fifth ODI century in a display of power-hitting that helped bring 114 runs in the last 10 overs.
Despite not hitting any boundaries as he dug in between the 29th and the 43rd, he finished with six sixes and six fours before holing out with two balls left.
Coming off the back of five demoralising defeats in a row, Stokes produced a show of skill and character that reinforced his status as his team’s “spiritual leader” – a title first uttered by under-pressure head coach Matthew Mott during his spell on the injured list at the start of the tournament.
Former England seamer Steve Harmison, Stokes’ close friend and former Durham team-mate, called on England to send the 32-year-old home ahead of this match to accelerate his forthcoming knee surgery, but it is hard to see who could have provided the impetus had they done so.
Chris Woakes provided good support as he made 51 in a seventh-wicket of stand of 129 with Stokes, while Dawid Malan (87) was on course for a ton of his own until a silly run out cost him.
England had bossed the opening exchanges, Malan pounding out 10 boundaries in a 36-ball fifty in the powerplay, and even papered over Jonny Bairstow’s sloppy dismissal for 15 via a top edge.
The score was 133 for one when Joe Root attempted, for the second time, one of his trademark reverse scoops over the wicketkeeper. The first one had raced away for four, but this time he got his timings all wrong and was clean bowled through his own legs without even committing a full swing of the bat.
Root has struggled for runs for much of the last month, but falling to a Logan van Beek nutmeg was a new one on his bingo card.
Malan, who had driven expertly and swept two big sixes off Roelof van der Merwe, then fell on his sword in the very next over.
Setting off for a single despite tapping straight to cover, he was sent back by Stokes and caught an inch out of his ground by some smart work in the field.
Suddenly England looked vulnerable again, with the recalled Harry Brook (11) pulling Bas de Leede tamely into the leg-side to fluff his opportunity back in the XI.
Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali followed for single figures, the off-form skipper picking out mid-off and his deputy arcing the softest possible catch to long-off.
Stokes grafted hard to keep the innings alive, getting his eye in before finally indulging himself at the back end.
Aryan Dutt’s last over went for 24, De Leede’s final two shipped 34 and Paul van Meekeren delivered a steady stream of wides as the pressure told.
Stokes reached his hundred with a reverse sweep and finally departed in the closing moments looking for one last blow.
Jeremiah Louis set to reunite with brother Mikyle at St Kitts and Nevis Patriots for CPL 2024
Seamer Jeremiah Louis is set to join his younger brother Mikyle at the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots for the 2024 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), marking the first time the Louis brothers could potentially play together in the tournament. Jeremiah, 28, has been drafted into the Patriots squad as a replacement for Sherfane Rutherford, who has withdrawn from the competition due to personal reasons.
Jeremiah's inclusion adds depth to the Patriots' bowling attack and brings a wealth of experience to the team. Having played six CPL games between 2016 and 2022, Jeremiah has taken three wickets at an average of 38.66, with an economy rate of 9.66. In addition to his CPL experience, Jeremiah also represented the Patriots in the 6IXTY competition, where he took four wickets in five matches in 2022, although he struggled with an economy rate of 10.68.
Despite his presence in the shorter formats, Jeremiah is best known for his red-ball prowess. Over 57 first-class matches, he has amassed 151 wickets at an impressive average of 25.43. His red-ball form earned him a call-up to the West Indies Test squad for their recent tour of England, though injury unfortunately ruled him out before the tour commenced.
While Mikyle Louis made his CPL and T20 debut this season, the chance to play alongside his older brother will be a special moment for both siblings. The addition of Jeremiah brings another dynamic to the Patriots' squad, as the team looks to build momentum in the CPL 2024 season.
The reunion of the Louis brothers promises to be a highlight of the tournament, with fans eager to see how the siblings combine their talents on the field for the Patriots.
ICC launches ‘Whatever It Takes’ campaign to celebrate players elite mentality ahead of Women’s T20 World Cup
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday launched ‘Whatever It Takes’, a campaign designed to build excitement and anticipation for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled for October 3-20 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Showcasing the dedication, focus, and relentless pursuit of excellence that defines the world’s best cricketers, the campaign provides fans a glimpse into the efforts undertaken by players as they prepare to take their place on the world stage.
The ‘Whatever It Takes’ campaign comprises a series of films featuring a trio of world-class cricketers—India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, and India’s Shafali Verma—each renowned for their talent and commitment to the game. Through powerful visuals and inspiring narratives, the campaign captures the essence of their journeys, revealing the sacrifices made, the challenges overcome, and the self-belief that drives them towards greatness.
From gruelling training sessions to intensive competition on the field, ‘Whatever It Takes’ embodies the sacrifices that cricketers make in their pursuit of being crowned world champions. It underscores the understanding that success at the highest level is not merely a product of talent but the result of dedication, perseverance, and an individual’s determination to break boundaries.
ICC General Manager: Marketing and Communications, Claire Furlong, said the campaign adds to what promises to be a spectacular tournament.
“The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is the pinnacle of the T20 format, and we’re looking forward to having the world’s best players on display in Dubai and Sharjah throughout October. The ‘Whatever It Takes’ campaign embodies the spirit and objectives of the ICC’s Women’s Cricket Strategy, which aims to grow the women’s game by improving its visibility, perception, and awareness for cricket fans around the world," said Furlong.
“We are committed to delivering a world-class event that will usher in a new generation of heroes while providing fans with an unforgettable experience on every match day. ‘Whatever It Takes’ is not just about who lifts the trophy at Dubai International Stadium on October 20; it is about the journey, the sacrifices, and the pursuit of greatness. It is about inspiring a new generation of cricketers, dreamers, and achievers," she added.
Phillip takes 2 wickets, makes 41 on debut but Lancashire suffer innings and 63-run loss to Durham in County Championship Division 1
Trinidadian pacer Anderson Phillip took two wickets in his debut for County Championship outfit Lancashire but it wasn’t enough to prevent them from going down by an innings and 63 runs to Durham in their Division 1 encounter from September 9-12 at the Riverside Ground in Chester-Le-Street.
Durham, after winning the toss and electing to field first, restricted Lancashire to 228 all out in 94.3 overs.
Matty Hurst led the way with 90 while Josh Bohannon made 49 against 5-44 off 25 overs from medium pacer Ben Raine and 3-58 off 26 overs from Matthew Potts, who recently represented England in their Test series against Sri Lanka.
Durham then put themselves in a dominant position with the bat, putting the Lancashire bowlers to the sword on the way to a mammoth 573-9 in 135.3 overs before declaring with a lead of 345 runs.
South Africa Test batsman David Bedingham led the way with a career best first class score of 279 off 359 balls including 27 fours and a six.
Netherlands all-rounder Colin Ackerman provided excellent support for Bedingham with 186 off 312 balls including 17 fours.
Spinner Luke Wells took 4-69 off 13.3 overs while Phillip took 2-101 off his 21 overs.
A career best spell from Matthew Potts then steered Durham to an innings win.
The medium pacer ran through the Lancashire batting on the way to figures of 9-68 from his 24.2 overs.
Similar to the first innings, Matty Hurst and Josh Bohannon led the way with the bat for Lancashire with 67 and 56, respectively.
Anderson Phillip showed fight with a 68-ball 41 batting at number 10.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
