Tuesday 21 July 2020 12:57, UK
Ben Stokes has moved to the top of the ICC Test all-rounder rankings for the first time.
Stokes scored 176 from 356 balls in the first innings of England's win in the second Test against the West Indies and then blasted an unbeaten 78 from 57 deliveries in their second to set up a declaration an hour into day five.
That has been enough to dislodge West Indies captain Jason Holder after 18 months as Stokes moved up six places to become the first Englishman to take the No 1 spot in the all-rounder rankings since Andrew Flintoff in May 2006.
His 497 points is the highest accumulated by any all-rounder since South Africa great Jacques Kallis aggregated 517 in April 2008.
Only Australia batsman Steve Smith and India captain Virat Kohli sit higher in the order than Stokes, with England captain Joe Root dropping one spot to ninth.
"Everyone understands that we are watching a player at the peak of his powers at the peak of world cricket, who is delivering time and time again," Root said of Stokes, who was also England's hero in the 2019 World Cup final at Lord's and the fourth Ashes Test against Australia at Headingley later that summer.
"We have to savour that, appreciate that and we have to understand that we are - without wanting to pump his tyres too much - in the presence of greatness.
"He's a genuine all-rounder player, something you don't see much in world cricket. He's someone you can genuinely turn to any time and he'll change you a game."
Stuart Broad's six wickets in the match on his England recall has meant a return into the top-10 of the bowler's rankings. The Nottinghamshire all-rounder has risen four places to sit 10th in the standings.
