Ben Stokes Ashes 2019 Headingley Explained: 135 Not Out, England Win by 1 Wicket
Ben Stokes's 135 not out at Headingley (August 2019) — England were 286/9 chasing 359, needing 73 more with last man Jack Leach at the crease, Stokes hitting Pat Cummins for 6 to bring the scores level, and the extraordinary final over that England won with 1 wicket standing. Plus: why the innings is considered one of Test cricket's finest.
The 3rd Ashes Test of 2019 (Headingley, Leeds, August 22-25) produced the most celebrated individual Ashes innings of the 21st century. England, needing 359 to win in the fourth innings, were 286/9 — 73 runs short with Jack Leach (number 11, a specialist spinner with a Test batting average of approximately 7) as the last man. Ben Stokes was on approximately 60. Over the next 73 runs, Stokes scored 72 of them; Leach contributed 1 not out. England won by 1 wicket. Stokes finished on 135 not out. The game went to the final ball of the day. Australia, who required only 1 wicket, failed to take it.
How England Were 286/9: The Collapse
Australia's bowling in England's fourth innings: Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon were the central bowlers. England's chase started steadily with Rory Burns (36) and then Jonny Bairstow (36), but the wickets fell to 261 with genuine batting partners available. From 261/5, England fell to 286/9 — a collapse of 4 wickets for 25 runs as Australia sensed victory. Pat Cummins (4 wickets) and Hazlewood (2 wickets) drove the collapse. When Leach came to the crease: England needed 73 from an unknown number of overs remaining, with the day's play ending at stumps. Stokes was facing Australia's best bowling attack (Cummins, Hazlewood, Lyon, Mitchell Marsh) with no batting partner. Leach's task was simply to survive deliveries addressed to him; Stokes would score all the runs.
The Last-Wicket Stand: Stokes and Leach
The Stokes-Leach last-wicket partnership: (1) Jack Leach's contribution: 17 balls faced; 1 run scored (a single off Nathan Lyon). Leach also survived several desperate appeals (LBW, caught behind), maintaining sufficient technical defence to give Stokes the strike. His 17 balls were the most important 17 balls of non-scoring cricket in a famous innings; (2) Stokes's tactics: Stokes was not scoring every ball — he took singles to keep the strike, played out difficult deliveries, and accelerated specifically in the moments when he could be most aggressive. The 6 off Pat Cummins (which tied the match at 358 all, 1 needed) was the climactic shot; (3) Nathan Lyon missed the last run-out: Lyon's under-arm throw to the stumps (attempting a run-out) missed — England's last batter was diving and was 2 inches short of the crease as the ball passed. Had Lyon hit the stumps, England would have lost. The moment was later confirmed as Lyon struck the stumps but the bails had already been dislodged by a prior unsuccessful run-out attempt — making the dismissal not valid. England completed the run and won the match.
Stokes's Career Beyond Headingley
Ben Stokes (born June 4, 1991, Christchurch, New Zealand; plays for England) is England's greatest all-rounder since Ian Botham: (1) Test career: 100+ Tests, 6,000+ Test runs (average 36-37) and 180+ Test wickets (average 32-33) — a genuine all-round contribution across batting and bowling. His batting average understates his match-winning impact (he often produces his best batting in final-innings pressure situations); (2) 2019 World Cup Final: Stokes scored 84 not out in the super over regulation final (England vs New Zealand at Lord's, both sides scored 241 and 15 in the super over) — England won on boundary countback. Stokes was at the crease at the end of both the regulation innings and the super over; (3) Bazball: Stokes and McCullum's Test captaincy and coaching partnership (from May 2022) produced 12 wins from the first 17 Tests — a transformation of England's Test cricket. Their aggressive, fearless approach changed the global conversation about Test cricket strategy; (4) Retirement from ODIs: Stokes retired from ODI cricket in July 2022 to manage his workload — he plays Tests and T20Is only for England. His Test captaincy is the central focus of his career.
Frequently asked questions
What was Ben Stokes's score at Headingley in 2019?
Ben Stokes scored 135 not out at Headingley in the 3rd Ashes Test 2019 — one of the greatest individual innings in Ashes history. England needed 359 to win in the fourth innings and were 286/9 (last man in) when Stokes was batting. He scored 72 runs in an unbeaten last-wicket partnership with Jack Leach (who contributed 1 not out) — England won by 1 wicket. The final 6, hit off Pat Cummins, tied the match before England completed the winning run. The innings is considered one of Test cricket's greatest fourth-innings rescue performances.
Who hit the winning run at Headingley 2019?
Ben Stokes hit the winning run at Headingley 2019. In the last over of the final day, with England needing 1 to win and the match tied, Stokes hit Pat Cummins for the run that completed England's victory by 1 wicket. Nathan Lyon's attempted run-out of Jack Leach (the last batter) was not completed in time to dismiss him — Lyon's under-arm throw struck the stumps but the bails had already been dislodged by a previous attempt, making it not a legal dismissal. England's victory was confirmed. Stokes finished 135 not out.
How did England win after being 286/9 at Headingley?
England won the 2019 Headingley Ashes Test (chasing 359) after being 286/9 through an extraordinary 73-run last-wicket partnership between Ben Stokes (who scored 72 of the 73 runs) and Jack Leach (who scored 1 not out). Stokes batted with exceptional skill and control under pressure — hitting Pat Cummins for 6 to level the match, then completing the winning single to win by 1 wicket. Leach's role was to survive the deliveries addressed to him (he faced 17 balls) and protect his wicket while Stokes scored from his end. England's win came on the last ball of the day.