Ben Stokes made 135* to win the game for England
On 25th August 2019, he produced one of the greatest Test innings of all time at Headingley, guiding England to an incredible victory in the third Ashes Test. With nerves of steel, he stood tall as the lone warrior, refusing to let go of the dream. His heroic knock not only sealed a historic win but also kept the Ashes alive at 1-1.
The 3rd Test Match of the 2019 ICC World Test Championship at Headingley, Leeds, from August 22 to 25, 2019, was a thrilling clash between England and Australia that ended with one of the most unforgettable finishes in cricket history.
Australia, put in to bat after England won the toss, struggled on a lively Headingley pitch, managing just 179 runs in 52.1 overs. The innings started poorly when Marcus Harris was caught by Jonny Bairstow off Jofra Archer for 8 runs off 12 balls in the fourth over. Usman Khawaja followed, scoring 8 off 17 balls, also caught by Bairstow off Stuart Broad, leaving Australia at 25/2. David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne then steadied things with a 111-run stand for the third wicket.
Warner played a patient 61 off 94 balls, hitting seven fours, before Archer had him caught by Bairstow. Labuschagne was the backbone of the innings, scoring a gritty 74 off 129 balls with 10 fours, but he was trapped lbw by Ben Stokes. The middle order crumbled quickly after that. Travis Head was bowled by Broad for a six-ball duck, and Matthew Wade fell for a three-ball duck to Archer. Captain Tim Paine made 11 off 26 balls before Chris Woakes trapped him lbw. The lower order couldn’t hold up, with James Pattinson (2 off 8 balls) and Pat Cummins (0 off 13 balls) both dismissed by Archer.
Nathan Lyon was lbw to Archer for 1, and Josh Hazlewood was left not out on 1. Archer was the star, taking 6/45 in 17.1 overs, using his pace to exploit the conditions. Broad chipped in with 2/32 in 14 overs, while Stokes (1/45) and Woakes (1/51) took one wicket each. Extras added 13 runs, with four byes, two leg-byes, five wides, and two no-balls. The innings folded in just over 52 overs, as Australia’s batsmen struggled against England’s seam attack. Labuschagne’s resilience stood out, but the quick fall of wickets handed England an early edge, though they would soon falter themselves.
England’s first innings was a complete disaster, as they were bowled out for just 67 runs in 27.5 overs, their lowest Test total since 1948. Australia’s pace bowlers, led by Josh Hazlewood, tore through the batting lineup. Rory Burns started steadily but was caught by Tim Paine off Pat Cummins for 9 off 28 balls. Jason Roy, out of place in Tests, scored 9 off 15 balls before Hazlewood had him caught by David Warner. Captain Joe Root fell for a two-ball duck, also caught by Warner off Hazlewood, leaving England at 10/2. Joe Denly fought hard, making 12 off 49 balls, but James Pattinson got him caught by Paine.
Ben Stokes, later the match hero, scored just 8 off 13 balls before Pattinson had him caught by Warner. Jonny Bairstow managed 4 off 15 balls, falling to Hazlewood, and Jos Buttler scored 5 off 16 balls, caught by Usman Khawaja off Hazlewood. Chris Woakes (5 off 9 balls) and Jofra Archer (7 off 8 balls) showed brief resistance, but Cummins dismissed both. Stuart Broad was not out on 4, while Jack Leach was bowled by Hazlewood for 1.
Hazlewood was outstanding, taking 5/30 in 12.5 overs, while Cummins claimed 3/23 in 9 overs and Pattinson 2/9 in 5 overs. Nathan Lyon bowled one over without a wicket. Extras were minimal, with just 3 leg-byes. England’s collapse was marked by loose shots and an inability to handle Australia’s accurate bowling. The innings lasted only 27.5 overs, leaving England trailing by 112 runs, a massive blow that put them on the back foot as Australia prepared to bat again.
Australia’s second innings saw them score 246 runs in 75.2 overs, setting England a tough target of 359. The innings began badly, with David Warner lbw to Stuart Broad for a two-ball duck. Marcus Harris made 19 off 39 balls before Jack Leach bowled him. Usman Khawaja scored 23 off 38 balls, caught by Jason Roy off Chris Woakes, leaving Australia at 52/3. Marnus Labuschagne played another solid knock, scoring 80 off 187 balls with eight fours, holding the innings together.
He shared partnerships with Travis Head, who made 25 off 56 balls before Ben Stokes bowled him, and Matthew Wade, who scored a quick 33 off 59 balls before Stokes had him caught by Bairstow. Captain Tim Paine was out for a two-ball duck, caught by Joe Denly off Broad. James Pattinson contributed 20 off 48 balls, caught by Joe Root off Jofra Archer, while Pat Cummins scored 6 off 6 balls, dismissed by Stokes. Nathan Lyon made 9 before Archer bowled him, and Josh Hazlewood was not out on 4.
Stokes led the bowling with 3/56 in 24.2 overs, while Archer (2/40) and Broad (2/52) took two wickets each. Woakes (1/34) and Leach (1/46) claimed one each. Extras added 27 runs, including five byes, 13 leg-byes, seven no-balls, and two wides. Labuschagne’s run-out by Denly and Bairstow was a big moment, but Australia’s total set a challenging target. The innings showed their ability to recover, though England’s bowlers kept them in check.
England’s second innings, chasing 359, is one of the greatest Test run-chases ever, ending at 362/9 in 125.4 overs for a one-wicket win. The chase started poorly, with Rory Burns caught by David Warner off Josh Hazlewood for 7 off 21 balls, and Jason Roy bowled by Pat Cummins for 8 off 18 balls, leaving England at 15/2. Joe Root and Joe Denly then built a crucial 126-run stand for the third wicket. Root scored a steady 77 off 205 balls with seven fours, while Denly made 50 off 155 balls, hitting eight fours. Hazlewood broke the partnership, getting Denly caught by Tim Paine, and Nathan Lyon dismissed Root, caught by Warner, leaving England at 159/4.
Jonny Bairstow played a key role, scoring 36 off 68 balls and adding 86 runs with Ben Stokes before Hazlewood dismissed him, caught by Marnus Labuschagne. Jos Buttler was run out for 1 after a mix-up, Chris Woakes fell to Hazlewood for 1, and Jofra Archer scored 15 before being caught off Lyon. Stuart Broad was lbw to James Pattinson for a duck, leaving England at 286/9, still needing 73 runs.
Ben Stokes, unbeaten on 135 off 219 balls with 11 fours and eight sixes, then produced a miracle alongside Jack Leach, who was not out on 1 off 17 balls. Their 76-run tenth-wicket partnership, with Stokes scoring 74 of those runs, turned the game. The final overs were pure drama. In the 124th over, Stokes smashed a six off Lyon to bring the target closer, surviving a missed run-out when Lyon dropped a throw and an lbw appeal that Australia couldn’t review.
In the 125th over, Leach faced Pat Cummins, surviving bouncers and scoring a single to level the scores. Stokes then hit a four through the covers off Cummins in the 125.4th over to seal the victory. Hazlewood took 4/85, Lyon 2/114, and Cummins 1/80, but Stokes’ aggressive brilliance overwhelmed them. His century, combined with Leach’s resilience, made this England’s highest successful fourth-innings chase, keeping the Ashes alive at 1-1 and earning Stokes the Player of the Match award.