182: Ben Stokes sets bar higher for England

London, September 13

Ben Stokes made the highest score by an England player in ODI cricket by clubbing 182 off 124 balls as his team amassed 368 all out against New Zealand in the third match of the series at The Oval today.

Stokes beat the previous best mark by an England player — 180 by Jason Roy against Australia in Melbourne in 2018 — and posted the 24th highest individual score ever in the 50-over format, with his innings including nine sixes and 15 fours.

It underlined why England were so keen to get Stokes out of ODI retirement ahead of their World Cup defence in India starting next month.

England was 13/2 after 16 balls following Trent Boult’s dismissals of Jonny Bairstow (0) — off the first ball of the innings — and Joe Root (4), but Stokes and Dawid Malan (96 off 95 balls) put on a 199-run stand for the third wicket in sending New Zealand’s bowlers to all corners of the ground. — AP