England all-rounder Ben Stokes has joined the list of legendary cricketers Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis after achieving a sensational feat during the first test between England and West Indies.
Ben Stokes creates History, Joins Garry Sobers, Jacques Kallis
Ben Stokes joined West Indies great Garry Sobers and South Africa’s legendary Jacques Kallis to become the third player and first England player to secure 6000 runs and 200+ wickets in Test Cricket.
Stokes accomplished this feat against West Indies in the first test of the series at Lord’s. Dismissing batter Kirk McKenzie in the first over, Stokes got his 200th wicket. He achieved the feat in 103 tests he played and also scored 6320 runs at an average of 35.30 with 13 centuries and 31 fifties with a high score of 258.
Sobers has 8032 runs and picked 235 wickets in 93 wickets, while Kallis has 13, 289 runs and 292 wickets in 166 Tests. He also becomes the sixth overall and first-ever England player to secure a double of 10,000 runs and 300 wickets in international cricket.
In 260 international matches, Stokes has scored 10,368 runs at an average of 25.75, with 18 centuries and 56 fifties, with the best score of 258. He also completed his 300 wickets in international cricket.
West Indies all-rounder Carl Hooper, Sri Lanka Sanath Jayasuriya, Kallis, Pakistan Shahid Afridi, and Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan are cricketers to scored 10,000 runs and took 300 or more wickets in Tests.
Coming to the match, England won the toss and chose to bowl first, West Indies concluded their first innings with 121 runs. Playing his first red-ball game, Atkinson had an impressive home debut, picking a seven-wicket haul for 45 in 53 balls.
Atkinson was introduced into the attack after West Indies reached 34 for no loss. Atkinson’s second delivery was inside edged on the leg stump picking the wicket of captain Kraigg Brathwaite. He took two wickets before conceding his first run. Josh Root, Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed, and Tom Hartley are the four players to achieve this feat before Atkinson. By the end of their first innings, England posted a score of 371 runs.
By the end of day 02, the West Indies have lost six wickets in their second innings scoring only 76 runs, and trails England by 171 runs at Lord’s.
