England all-rounder Ben Stokes hit the second-fastest double century in Test history in a blistering assault on the South African bowlers on the second day of the second Test at Newlands yesterday.
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Stokes added, “I wasn’t intentionally going to play like that but I got myself in on a good wicket, the ball was starting to reverse, but the new ball came on faster and its conventional swing which is easier to play”.
North East cricket star Ben Stokes is playing the leading role in England’s success in South Africa.
Stokes was finally run out on 258 with England declaring shortly afterwards, not before allowing Bairstow the opportunity get to the milestone of 150 which he duly obliged ending up on 150 not out.
Amla, whose captaincy has come under sustained attack from various former colleagues in the media responded in the only way he knows how and was unbeaten at close with South Africa 141/2.
He continued where he left off on Saturday evening – where he dispatched the second new ball easily to reach 74 not out – by placing SA spearhead Morné Morkel under immediate pressure with two boundaries in the first over of the day.
On Stokes, he told Sky Sports: “When he’s going like that, like a steam train, I don’t think there’s a need to do anything else”.
To put England’s batting dominance in context, it was the second highest total they had ever made in a test innings in South Africa, behind only their 654-5 in the timeless test of 1939.
The fourth hundred off the innings came up off 91 balls before Stokes advanced to swat Dane Piedt for six to register his maiden Test score of 150 and improve his stand with Bairstow to 204 off 195 balls – that mark improving to 251 runs stand off 226 balls.
– It was the quickest Test double century (163 balls) by an England player, beating Ian Botham’s 220-ball effort in 1982.
The partnership between Stokes and Bairstow racked up 399 at a staggering run rate of 6.91 runs per over.
By the time it was over, Stokes run out by AB De Villiers after the South African had dropped a simple chance at mid-off off Rabada, England had moved into an impregnable position in this match.
But Elgar was sent on his way for 44 when, inevitably, Stokes had him caught spectacularly by Nick Compton at gully, the hosts slipping to 85 for two.
The Proteas finished a manic day in relative calm as AB de Villiers (25no) and Hashim Amla (64no) saw their side to 2-141.
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The first was a sharp opportunity off the first ball of Joe Root’s part-time bowling when a thick edge surprised James Anderson at first slip with Amla on 76.
