Ben Stokes: Headingley Chase of 362, Bazball Captaincy — England's Greatest Modern Match-Winner
Benjamin Andrew Stokes was born on 4 June 1991 in Christchurch, New Zealand (but grew up in England). He is an English right-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler. His most celebrated innings was 135 not out in the Third Test against Australia at Headingley, Leeds on 25 August 2019 — chasing 362 on the final day with Jack Leach, who scored 1 not out as the non-striker in the last-wicket partnership of 76 runs. Stokes and Leach won the match by 1 wicket. As Test captain from April 2022 (alongside coach Brendon McCullum), Stokes introduced a philosophy of aggressive, result-oriented batting — informally called 'Bazball' — that transformed England's Test match approach. Under this model, England accepted riskier batting but consistently scored at above 4 runs per over in Tests regardless of the match situation.
Benjamin Andrew Stokes was born on 4 June 1991 in Christchurch, New Zealand, and grew up in Cockermouth, Cumbria, England. He made his Test debut against Australia in December 2013 and has played 103 Tests (as of October 2024), scoring 6,500+ runs at 36.56 and taking 185+ wickets at 32.50 — making him one of the few genuine Test all-rounders to score 6,000+ runs and take 180+ wickets. He was appointed England Test captain in April 2022, alongside head coach Brendon McCullum. His batting is defined by attacking intent in all situations; his bowling by short-pitched deliveries at 85–90 mph.
135 Not Out at Headingley: Chasing 362 with Jack Leach
On 25 August 2019, in the Third Ashes Test at Headingley, Leeds, England needed to chase 362 to win in the fourth innings — a target considered very unlikely. At 286/9, England appeared headed for defeat. Stokes was at the crease with Jack Leach, number 11, as his last batting partner. Over the next 15.3 overs, Stokes scored 74 runs (from 71 balls) while Leach faced 17 deliveries and scored 1 not out. Stokes hit the winning runs off the final delivery of a Pat Cummins over — a four through mid-wicket — to win by 1 wicket, with Leach's 1 not out proving the most famous 1 in Test history. England's chase of 362 was the third-highest fourth-innings chase in Ashes history. The innings is considered one of the greatest Test batting performances in history for its combination of pressure, context, and execution.
Bazball: Transforming England's Test Approach
When Stokes took over as England Test captain in April 2022 (following Joe Root's resignation from the captaincy), he implemented — with coach Brendon McCullum — a batting-positive, result-seeking philosophy now known as 'Bazball' (after McCullum's nickname 'Baz'). Key elements: England targeted 4+ runs per over in every innings regardless of the match situation; batsmen were encouraged to play their natural game rather than surviving to a target score; and the team pursued wins aggressively even from positions that previously would have been played for draws. Under Stokes and McCullum through 2024, England's Test record was 27W/9L/2D — a dramatic shift from their 2020–2022 record of 3W/19L/3D. They defeated India 4–1 in India (2024) — the first England Test series win in India since 2012.
The 2019 World Cup Final: 84 Not Out and the Super Over
In the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup Final at Lord's on 14 July 2019, England and New Zealand tied at 241 each after 50 overs — requiring a Super Over. Stokes scored 84 not out from 98 balls in England's innings, including being run out for a deflection from his bat off Trent Boult's boot for a boundary (a crucial scoring moment that helped level the match). In the Super Over, England scored 15/0 (Stokes and Roy) and New Zealand also scored 15/1. England won the Final on boundary count (England 26, New Zealand 17) — one of the most controversial methods of determining a match result in cricket history. It was England's first World Cup title.
Frequently asked questions
Was England's victory in the 2019 World Cup Final fair given the boundary count method and the Stokes overthrow?
England's victory over New Zealand in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup Final on 14 July 2019 via boundary count after a Super Over tie is one of cricket's most debated results. Two specific controversies: (1) The boundary count method — both teams tied the Super Over 15/15, and England won on more boundaries scored in the full match (26 vs 17). The boundary count rule was established in the tournament playing conditions but had never been used to decide a World Cup Final before. Many commentators argued it was an arbitrary and unsatisfying way to separate two teams who had played to an exact draw twice. (2) The Stokes overthrow — in the 50th over, Stokes hit a ball to deep mid-wicket and ran; as he dived, the ball deflected off his bat to the boundary. The fielding team appealed that it should be 5 runs (the 2 they ran plus the 4 from the deflection), but the umpire awarded 6 runs (counting an extra 1 from an assumed crossing run in addition to the 5). This was disputed by cricket law experts as a misapplication of the overthrows rule. Had the correct number of 5 runs been awarded, England's total in the match would have been 240 instead of 241, and New Zealand would have won outright without requiring a Super Over. Both controversies are unresolved; the ICC changed the Super Over tie-breaking rule after 2019 to use further Super Overs rather than boundary count.