Ben Stokes has etched his name in history by becoming just the third player, and the first Englishman, to achieve the rare feat of scoring over 6,000 runs and taking more than 200 wickets in Test cricket. This milestone was accomplished during the first Test against the West Indies at Lord's, where Stokes claimed his 200th Test wicket by dismissing Kirk McKenzie in his first over. In 103 Tests, he has amassed 6,320 runs at an average of 35.30, including 13 centuries and 31 fifties, with a top score of 258.
In this exclusive group, Stokes joins the likes of West Indies' Garry Sobers (8,032 runs and 235 wickets in 93 Tests) and South Africa's Jacques Kallis (13,289 runs and 292 wickets in 166 Tests). Additionally, Stokes has become the sixth player overall, and the first Englishman, to achieve the milestone of scoring 10,000 runs and taking 300 wickets across all international cricket formats. In his 260 international appearances, Stokes has scored 10,368 runs at an average of 35.75, including 18 centuries and 56 fifties, with a highest score of 258. He has also surpassed 300 wickets in international cricket.
Shifting the focus to the match itself, England's decision to bowl first proved fruitful as they dismissed the West Indies for 121 runs in 41.4 overs. England then built a commanding lead of 250 runs in their first innings, posting 371 runs before being bowled out. Contributions came from Zak Crawley (76), Jamie Smith (70 on debut), Joe Root (68), Ollie Pope (57), and Harry Brook (50). The West Indies' bowling attack was led by Jayden Seales (4/77), with Jason Holder and Gudakesh Motie picking up two wickets each.
The playing XIs for the match were as follows:
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Joshua Da Silva (w), Jason Holder, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Shamarh Brooks, Jayden Seales
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (w), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson
This match at Lord's Cricket Ground not only celebrated Ben Stokes' remarkable achievements but also showcased England's commanding performance with both bat and ball against the West Indies.