On this day in 2019: Ben Stokes stuns Australia with an epic run-chase at Headingley
"The Ashes are well and truly alive because of one cricketer and that cricketer is Benjamin Stokes" - Among the many iconic lines of Nasser Hussain's storied commentary career, this will certainly echo in the ears of several fans as the unthinkable happened five years ago. With Australia on the cusp of history, the seam-bowling all-rounder painted the Headingley with some out-of-the-world shots, launching a calculated counter-attack to level the 2019 Ashes series.
Contrary to expectations, Australia had won the opening Test in Birmingham convincingly despite being in a dire position on Day 1. While England could not force a win at Lord's despite their best efforts, they had their arch-rivals in the corner as Australia played out a draw.
Heading to Leeds, the Englishmen had a few things working in their favor - Steve Smith's concussion keeping him out of the third Test, Stokes hitting an unbeaten ton at Lord's, and Jofra Archer waiting to spit more venom after rattling the Aussies on his Test debut.
On an overcast morning at Headingley, Joe Root won the toss and Archer spearheaded England's magnificent bowling effort, keeping the tourists to 179. Marnus Labuschagne, the Smith-clone, stood up with 74, while David Warner scored over 60% of the entire series tally of 95 in that one innings as Australia huffed and puffed their way to 179.
England implode but Australia fail to put the game beyond their reach
With conditions turning batting-friendly on the second morning, Australia's only hopes of staying in the contest was bowling the hosts out cheaply. And England obliged, folding for 67 as Josh Hazlewood's fifer triggered an epic collapse to leave the home side in a hole. The innings that lasted only 27.5 overs only had Joe Denly as the only batter reaching double-figures.
Yet, Australia lacked the ruthlessness to grind Root's men and bat them out of the game. While Labuschagne put his hand up yet again, he didn't receive enough support as Stokes bent over backwards to keep Australia's total to a minimum. With three and a half days still left, Root and co. could feel the target of 359 within their reach.
Australia made to work hard for wickets after removing England's openers
After getting rid of Rory Burns and Jason Roy within the first seven overs, Root and Denly dug in. The-then captain reached his half-century off 120 balls, while Denly consumed 134 deliveries to get to the mark. Hazlewood separated the two when he got Denly to nick one off to Tim Paine behind the stumps for 55 and England reached 156-3 at stumps on Day 3.
Nathan Lyon got the better of Root in the first hour on Day 4 to help Australia tighten the grip, but Stokes and Jonny Bairstow swung the scales back in England's favor with timely boundaries. Three overs after lunch, the Baggy Greens saw the back of Bairstow, with Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes also following his footsteps soon.
Archer struck three boundaries before falling in the 115th over and Stuart Broad marched towards the pavilion in the following one.
Ben Stokes' carnage causes Australia's meltdown
In what was only his seventh Test, Jack Leach walked out, with the hosts 73 adrift of the target. It was now that the southpaw shifted gears, playing some audacious shots, including reverse slog-sweep, ramp shot and scoop, finding boundaries at will. Although Australia were rattled, Paine knew one wicket-taking ball was all they needed.
But Stokes had threatened to pull off one of the most epic run-chases in modern-day Tests, reducing the requirement to less than 20, bringing up the 50-run partnership all on his own. The next two out of three overs were most eventful as Australia witnessed Stokes getting to three figures, a dropped catch, a wasted review, (which Paine would regret soon), a missed run-out, and an unsuccessful lbw appeal, which otherwise would have been overturned had the final DRS not been taken.
A monstrous Stokes would thrash one through the covers off Pat Cummins for the winning boundary in the 126th over after Leach put him on strike for perhaps the most precious run in history.