Ben Stokes emulates this double of Andrew Flintoff: Stats
What's the story
Ben Stokes has become the first England captain to score over 300 runs and take more than 15 wickets in a single Test series. The historic feat came during the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford, which ended in a draw. In a remarkable all-round performance, Stokes scored a century and took six wickets across both innings, including five in the first. He has thus emulated an esteemed double of former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff. Here are further details.
Series stats
Stokes's performance in the ongoing series
In the ongoing series against India, Stokes has scored 304 runs in seven innings at an average of 43.42, including one century. He has also taken 17 wickets at an average of 25.23, making him the leading wicket-taker in the series so far. His best bowling figures are 5/72, and he has another four-wicket haul to his name. Notably, the third and fourth Test of the series saw Stokes receive the Player-of-the-Match awards.
Historic comparison
Stokes matches Flintoff's 2005 Ashes heroics
Stokes's all-round performance in the ongoing series has drawn comparisons with Andrew Flintoff, who achieved a similar double during the 2005 Ashes series. Flintoff scored 402 runs at an average of 40.20, including a century and three fifties, while taking 24 wickets at an average of 27.29. No other England all-rounder has attained the double of 300 runs and 15 wickets in a bilateral Test series in the last 40 years.
Ashes 2005
Flintoff was third-highest run-getter of Ashes 2005
With 402 runs at 40.20, Flintoff was third-highest run-getter of Ashes 2005. This included 11 sixes and a strike rate of 74.17. He recorded three fifties and a ton (102). His tally of 24 wickets at 27.29 was the second-most for any bowler in that series (4W: 2, 5W: 1). Australia's George Giffen, South Africa's Aubrey Faulkner, and England's Tony Greig are the only other all-rounders with the double of 400 runs and 24 wickets in a Test series.
DYK
First captain with this double
Stokes scored 141 off 198 balls (11 fours, 3 sixes) in the only innings he batted in Manchester. In India's first innings, Stokes emerged as England's highest wicket-taker, claiming five wickets for 72 runs. He became the first England skipper to register a fifer and a hundred in the same Test. Overall, Stokes became the fourth England all-rounder to achieve this Test double. He joined Ian Botham (5 times), Tony Greig (once), and Gus Atkinson (once).
DYK
Most wickets for Stokes in a series
The ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is now Stokes's most productive Test series in terms of wickets (17). The pacer went past his tally of 15 scalps in the 2013-14 Ashes Down Under, which marked his Test debut. While Stokes has thrown down 140 wickets so far in the ongoing series, he has not delivered even 120 in any other series.