One-Day Cup: Ben Stokes slams successive 70-plus scores
What's the story
A brilliant 73* from Ben Stokes helped Durham secure their second consecutive victory in the ongoing One-Day Cup. The team beat Sussex Sharks by 72 runs in Chester-le-Street, with Stokes scoring his second successive 70-plus score. Centurion Alex Lees was the start of the Durham innings, helping the team post a total of 352 for five after opting to bat first.
Key performances
Stokes powers Durham to a mammoth total
Alex Lees's 132 while opening the innings got Durham off to a flying start.
Graham Clark (63) and Emilio Gay (44) also batted well as the team was well placed at 194/2 when Stokes arrived to bat.
The southpaw then took over the scoring and gave a hard time to the Sussex bowlers in the end overs.
Stokes recorded 60-plus stands with Colin Ackermann (23) and Lees.
Information
Sussex fall way short
Despite an impressive century from Charlie Tear (118), Sussex fell short of the target, getting all out for 280. Will Rhodes's five-wicket haul was instrumental in restricting Sussex to 72 runs short of Durham's total. Stokes bowled three wicket-less overs for 18 runs.
Stats
Stokes owns 10 List A tons
Stokes scored 73 not out off 51 balls, hitting two fours and five sixes.
In his previous outing, the southpaw made 108* off 116 balls against Derbyshire.
This knock came in his first outing after retiring from international duty. The game also marked the all-rounder's List A return.
The one against Derbyshire was Stokes's 10th List A hundred, as he now also owns 31 half-centuries, as per Cricinfo.
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5,500 List A runs loading for Stokes
The southpaw has now raced to 5,484 runs across 186 List A matches at an average of 39.73. His tally also includes 137 wickets at 33.96. 3,463 of his runs have come across 114 ODIs at a brilliant average of 41.22 (100s: 5, 50s: 24).