All-rounder Ben Stokes bowled England to an epic fifth-day victory in the second Test at Cap🉐e Town, edging a compelling battle of wills with a defiant South Africa.
Stokes claimed the last three wickets iওn the space of 14 balls deep into the concluding session of the match as England clinched a 189-run win.
Stokes was named ‘Man of the Match’ but felt obliged to highlight the contribution of maiden Test centurion Dom Sibley, who he insisted should have been given the award.
“I thought Dom put all the hard yards in,” said Stokes, who tried to drag the Warwickshire batsman up for the post-match presentation. “He should be the one up here. Full credit should go to him.
A heart-touching gesture from Ben Stokes
— betvisa69.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
“The future looks great for us. We showed an outstanding amount of character,” Stokes added.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
There is an aura about now. Quite simply the standout test match all-rounder of our times. Like all great players, he makes things happen𒆙.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
SA will be despondent at losing after showing gr8 determination for 2 sessions. One bad shot by de Kock exposed the tail which marvellous Stokes cleaned it up. Riveting match reaching resul🌄t in dying minutes of 5th day. Bound to fuel further debate on tenure of Test matches!
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah)
Stokes is amazing for his ability to bend a match to the end he wants for𒊎 it. No writer would dare write up such a sequence of climaxes.
— Tom Holland (@holland_tom)
South Africa has lost a New Year Test match in Cape Town for the first time since their readmission. (Between 1993 and 2019: Won – 16, Draw – 5)
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats)
Huge celebrat🐷ion from as win a thrilling Test at Newlands.
70 thousand people attended over the 5 days with a huge amount of them fr෴om the UK.
— Adam Mountford (@tmsproducer)
The more I watch I realise he is gifted 🥀with so much natural external talent .. But .. it’s his inner determination & relentless ability to never ever give up which all kids should try & copy ..
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
Well played England…Such a good idea to end 5day test cricket….full house watching cricket at its best !! Leave the flag ship of cricket alone it’s a real test of character, skill,guts,stamina & ability…it’s real cricket for real players !!! Leave it Alone !!!!!!
— BeefyBotham (@BeefyBotham)
England + = ❤️
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket)
👏 Test cricket at its finest.
A brilliant match at Newlands concludes with seཧaling victory after fi🍰ve enthralling days.
— Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket)
Ben Stokes. What. A Man.
— Matt Harris (@MattHarris6)
BOOM! 2 in 2… Cometh the hour, cometh that man again. 🔥🔥🔥
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan)
Runs with the bat
Record number of catches
Final three wickets to seal the gameNew decade, same Ben Stokes.
— bet365 (@bet365)
Ben Stokes: "Test cricket is not made for four days, it’s made for five. It’s calle🌸d Test cricket for a reason. Change it to easy cricket if they make it four days."
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp)
need a Ne😼tflix series on the last 6 months in the life of Ben Stokes.
— AZ (@azkhawaja1)
