Durham man then takes three wickets as Lions wrap up series
Tuesday 3 February 2015 08:51, UK
Ben Stokes smashed 15 sixes en route to a thumping score of 151 not out as England Lions wrapped up their five-match series with South Africa A with a game to spare.
Stokes’ blistering knock came off just 86 balls, with the Durham star, left out England’s World Cup squad, thrashing nine maximums from the last 14 regulation balls he faced.
The 23-year-old’s onslaught, which also included seven fours, helped England Lions post a total of 378-6, with Jason Roy (67 off 72 balls) and Sam Billings (56 off 33) notching half centuries.
Stokes then took three late wickets as the Lions dismissed South Africa A for 289 to win by 89 runs and move 3-0 up in the one-day series ahead of Thursday’s finale in Benoni.
James Vince’s squad had won the first two matches, in Bloemfontein and Kimberley, by four wickets and 70 runs respectively, before the third game, in Potchefstroom, was washed out.
Stokes headed to the crease midway through the 24th over in Pretoria, after Surrey star Roy, who cracked nine boundaries, and captain Vince (34 from 43) had guided the Lions to 123-3 after losing the toss.
The New Zealand-born player put on 93 with Jonny Bairstow (34 from 43) for the fourth wicket and 132 in just over 10 overs with Billings, who plundered five fours and three maximums of his own.
Stokes then clumped four sixes from the final over of the Lions innings, delivered by Test-capped Marchant de Lange, as Christopher Morris (3-50) emerged as the only South Africa A bowler to record respectable figures.
Left-hander Stokes' tally of 15 maximums at Mamelodi Oval was just two shy of the all-time record for List A cricket set by Gerrie Snyman for Namibia in 2007 in a match against United Arab Emirates in Windhoek.
South Africa A opener Dean Elgar – a man with three Test tons to his name – top scored for the hosts in their reply with an 84-ball 79, but the other recognised batsmen got in and got out, with Mark Wood, Tim Bresnan, Boyd Rankin and Stephen Parry all claiming scalps.
Stokes proceeded to castle David Wiese, De Lange and Mthokozisi Shezi before Rankin cleaned up last man Eddie Leie as Morris was left deserted after crunching 58 from 33 balls.
